The Atlanta Falcons will be facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, and they have a chance to get to .500 and take the lead in the NFC South. They'll be coming into the game with a lot of confidence after beating the San Francisco 49ers last week, and head coach Kevin Stefanski has them playing some good football.
The good thing is that the players trust him, and Jessie Bates III recently spoke about how Stefanski has led the team this season.
“He definitely has a calming presence,” Bates said on the Pat McAfee Show. “Usually, with head coaches nowadays, they're offensive guys, and they're calling plays; they're not really hands-on with the defense. But Coach Stefanski was a safety as well, if no one knew that, and he has a lot of love for that defensive side as well.
“It's good to see him bounce around, and he's been Coach of the Year before, so he knows what it looks like. He knows what it takes to be successful in this league, and it's been good having him have a clear identity for our team. There's no better leader.”
Article Continues Below“There’s no better leader than Coach Stefanski.”
Falcons star Jessie Bates III has high praise for his head coach 🙌
(via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/uXerI4R4g1
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 30, 2026
Stefanski isn't the only person on the team that Bates is drawing inspiration from. Michael Penix Jr. has played well this season, and the veteran safety had nothing but good things to say about the quarterback.
“He's a dude. He's just got that poise, that calm presence, and he's not always serious,” Bates said. It's a little bit of authenticity, and he can dance a little bit. He's a Florida boy. He's himself and excited to have him as a leader on our team.”
Penix has thrown nine touchdowns and one interception this season, and he's helped the offense turn the page after what transpired in the first two games of the year.