Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Takk McKinley ruffled feathers when he chastised the team for failing to trade him prior to last Tuesday's deadline.

Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris said McKinley would face discipline for his comments. As it turns out, McKinley has lost his job in Atlanta.

The Falcons waived McKinley on Monday, per the team. ESPN's Field Yates has some details about the situation:

McKinley was selected out of Auburn with the 26th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He showed some promise as a pass rusher early on, with a combined 13.0 sacks and 25 quarterback hits in his first two seasons.

The 25-year-old then started in 13 of his 14 appearances in 2019, finishing the year with 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for a loss to go along with 13 QB hits.

As McKinley noted in his initial tweet, he had requested a trade last year. The decision to move on became fairly apparent after his latest comments.

Atlanta declined McKinley's fifth-year option prior to the start of the season. He has played in just four games this year due to injury, and he has been ineffective outside of a strong opening performance against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.

Perhaps McKinley will actually see this move as a blessing, pending he receives a contract from another team. The Falcons, meanwhile, need to find ways to address the pass rush.

Atlanta ranks 24th in the NFL with 14 sacks, and the absence of a consistent rush has hardly helped a lackluster secondary. The Falcons rank 31st in passing yards allowed, which has played a large role in the team's struggles.

McKinley was indeed punished, but his departure also robs the Falcons of someone who — when healthy — at least had some upside in terms of making plays in the backfield.