RISE UP DIRTY BIRDS! SEE YOUR 2025 ATLANTA FALCONS TAKE THE FIELD DURING OPEN PRACTICE AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON! TICKETS (FREE TO CLAIM) ARE REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION INTO IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD FOR ALL GUESTS TO ENTER.
THURSDAY
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM
SATURDAY
8/5
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY 7/24 8/6
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM
7/26
7/27
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM
SUNDAY
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM
MONDAY 8/11
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM TUESDAY 8/12
THURSDAY
7/31
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM TUESDAY 7/29 IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM WEDNESDAY 8/13
MONDAY 8/4
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:30AM
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:40AM (JOINT PRACTICE WITH TITANS)
IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD GATES OPEN 8:40AM (JOINT PRACTICE WITH TITANS)
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS
TICKET INFORMATION
PRESEASON SCHEDULE
2025 AT&T ATLANTA FALCONS TRAINING CAMP WHERE TO GO
HOW TO GET TO IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD IN FLOWERY BRANCH
FROM THE SOUTH: Take I-85 north. Exit to the left on I-985 toward Gainesville. Take Exit 12 (Spout Springs Road). Turn left off the exit ramp onto Spout Springs Road. Go under I-985, travel 1/4 mile and turn right on Thurmond Tanner Road. Proceed on Thurmond Tanner Road for about one mile to the stoplight, then turn right on Atlanta Highway (Ga. 13). Go about a mile on Atlanta Highway (which becomes Falcon Parkway) past the Wrigley Plant on the left and back over I-985. IBM Performance Field will be on the left (4400 Falcon Parkway).
FROM THE NORTH: Take I-985 south to Exit 12 (Spout Springs Road). Turn right off the exit ramp onto Spout Springs Road. From here, use the same directions as above.
WHERE TO PARK
Training Camp general parking is available at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex located across the street from IBM Performance Field. Fans with valid disability parking permits may park at CW Davis Middle School, located directly across from IBM Performance Field. Permits must be clearly displayed to gain access, as required by law enforcement. After parking, an ADA-accessible shuttle will transport fans to the Training Camp Entrance. A designated seating area will be available for fans with disabilities inside the venue.
THE 411 AT IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD TRAINING CAMP FAQS
AT&T helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, business, mobile and high speed internet services. We’re proud to help keep Atlanta Falcons fans connected at the 2025 Training Camp in Flowery Branch.
TheAtlanta Falcons are excited to welcome fans back to their new and improved training complex in Flowery Branch to host 11 open practices during the 2025 AT&T Atlanta Falcons Training Camp this summer. All fans in attendance will be able to get their first look of the team on July 24 at IBM Performance Field at 9:30 a.m. All 11 of the open practices will be held at IBM Performance Field, including two joint practices with the Tennessee Titans which will be held on August 12-13. This year’s open practices are free to attend
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE TEAM IS PRACTICING OUTDOORS ON THE DAY I PLAN TO COME WATCH PRACTICE?
Follow the @AtlantaFalcons on Twitter at Twitter.com/ AtlantaFalcons and check the Atlanta Falcons website (www.AtlantaFalcons.com) for continual AT&T Training Camp updates. Practice times are subject to change without notice.
DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATED ROSTER SO I KNOW WHO ALL THE PLAYERS ARE WHEN WATCHING TRAINING CAMP?
The current Atlanta Falcons roster can be found at www.AtlantaFalcons.com/roster or by downloading the Atlanta Falcons mobile app and clicking Team in the navigation panel.
WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF DAILY ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRAINING CAMP?
Check the lists of daily activities related to the 2025 AT&T Atlanta Falcons Training Camp at AtlantaFalcons.com.
WHERE WILL FANS PARK DURING TRAINING CAMP?
2025 AT&T Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Parking is available at the Hog Mountain Sports Complex across the street from IBM Performance Field. There is NO general parking available at the Falcons training complex.
IS PARKING AVAILABLE FOR FANS WITH DISABILITIES?
Fans with valid disability parking permits may park at CW Davis Middle School, located directly across from IBM Performance Field. Permits must be clearly displayed to gain access, as required by law enforcement. After parking, an ADA-accessible shuttle will transport fans to the Training Camp Entrance. A
for a limited number of fans, and tickets can be acquired by clicking here!
Not only will fans be able to watch current Falcons stars and exciting new additions to the team for the first time, but will also be able to hear from Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot as part of the NFL’s Back Together Weekend. During the open practice on July 26, fans in attendance will have the opportunity to hear from Morris and Fontenot, in addition to appearances from Freddie Falcon, Falcons cheerleaders and former Falcons players.
designated seating area will be available for fans with disabilities inside the venue.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO TRAINING CAMP?
For your comfort, please feel free to bring the following items to training camp:
• Hats
• Jackets
• Rain gear
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Binoculars
• Blankets
• Umbrellas
• Lawn chairs
• Strollers/
• Small, personal coolers (No larger than 15 x 12 x 11 inches; 5 pounds)
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Light snacks
Shirts and shoes are required. Please refrain from wearing any type of distracting or inappropriate apparel.
PROHIBITED ITEMS INCLUDE
• Weapons of any kind
• Alcoholic beverages
• Pets (only service animals are allowed)
• Camcorders, professional cameras/tripods, drones
• Large backpacks and bags
• Large coolers (No larger than 15 x 12 x 11 inches; 5 pounds)
• Anything deemed inappropriate by security
• Footballs and helmets
Back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Falcons fans will have the opportunity to witness the team in action as Atlanta hosts the Detroit Lions in Week 1 of the preseason on August 8 before their second home preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on August 15. Following the preseason finale in Dallas against the Cowboys on August 22, the Falcons will return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 7 to open the regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For more information on tickets, please click here!
MAY I BRING MY CAMERA TO TRAINING CAMP?
Still cameras with lenses under 6” and without flash attachments are permitted for use during all training camp workouts at IBM Performance Field. No flash photography of any type will be permitted at any time. No audio or video recording devices are allowed, including camcorders. Videotaping during practice is strictly prohibited.
ARE BACKPACKS AND BAGS ALLOWED AT PRACTICE?
For the safety and enjoyment of all fans attending Falcons practices, backpacks and large bags over 8.5” wide by 13” long by 5’ deep are NOT permitted at training camp. All backpacks, bags and purses will be inspected upon entry into IBM Performance Field. Individuals who refuse to have a backpack, bag or purse inspected will be denied entry.
WILL THE FALCONS PROVIDE TOURS OF IBM PERFORMANCE FIELD DURING TRAINING CAMP?
Because of the large number of fans expected to attend the 2025 AT&T Atlanta Falcons Training Camp, we are unable to provide tours of the team’s headquarters.
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE MERCHANDISE?
The Official Falcons Retail Trailer will be located in the main IBM Performace Field parking lot.
WHERE CAN I BUY CONCESSIONS?
Food and beverage items will be available for purchase at each practice session with food trucks available throughout IBM Performance Field.
IS THERE AN ATM ON SITE?
There are no ATMs available to the general public at IBM Performance Field. Please plan accordingly. IS THERE ANY COVERED SEATING?
The only covered seating this year will be for Player Families and for ADA.
WHERE ARE FIRST-AID SERVICES LOCATED?
Authorized medical personnel from the Falcons and Grady EMS will be available one hour prior to each practice through 30 minutes following each session at first-aid stations at IBM Performance Field.
WHERE DO I GO IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?
Questions regarding all aspects of training camp may be directed to Falcons staff members at IBM Performance Field.
WHAT IS THE SMOKING POLICY?
For the comfort and health of all fans, IBM Performance Field is a smoke-free environment. There is NO smoking allowed anywhere on the grounds or inside the buildings at Flowery Branch.
WHAT SAFETY MEASURES ARE IN PLACE?
For your safety, Atlanta Falcons security, along with the Flowery Branch Police Department and other local law enforcement officials, will be present. We will also conduct bag inspections at the gate prior to entry. If there is a clear and imminent threat of dangerous weather, IBM Performance Field will be evacuated with no re-entry as practice will move inside.
A LOOK AT ATLANTA’S TRAINING CAMP TRADITION
BY CRAIG SAGER II
When
rookies, new arrivals in the form of free agents and veterans check in for this year’s AT&T Atlanta Falcons Training Camp, they will be
cons Sideline’. “There are no gripes, and the spirit has been very good.”
The local news covered the first offseason
were perceived to be one of the least likely places as the team’s headquarters,” said Bergin, now Lula’s City Manager.
2025 ATLANTA FALCONS SCHEDULE
8.8
LIONS
7:00 PM EDT MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM
The Falcons will start the 2025 campaign with a preseason battle against the two-time defending NFC North champions, the Detroit Lions. The Lions are coming off a 15-2 record, which was the best in the NFC. They return the majority of their 2024 team this season, including eight Pro Bowlers from last year. It will also be the first chance to see Lions draft picks, such as first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams. In addition to Williams, they will feature two rookies who are Georgia natives, Tate Ratledge and Dan Jackson, along with another former Georgia Bulldog, Dominic Lovett.
TITANS
7:00 PM EDT MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM
COMMANDERS
In Week 4, the Falcons will face reigning Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels for the second time in his young career. The Washington Commanders are coming off a magical run to the NFC Championship in 2024, turning their 2023 record of 4-13 into a 12-5 season. The game will feature a matchup between 2024 first-round quarterbacks. While Daniels started all of last season for the Commanders, Michael Penix Jr. is entering his first full season as the Falcons’ starter. This could become a regular and exciting rivalry for years to come as the two young quarterbacks become the next generation of NFL stars.
@ SAINTS
Following the sudden retirement of quarterback Derek Carr, the New Orleans Saints are left in an interesting position in 2025 as they look to name a new signal caller under firstyear head coach Kellen Moore. Second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler and 2025 second-round selection Tyler Shough are in the running to start under center this season. The team also selected Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to protect its new quarterback. Star offensive playmakers, wideout Chris Olave and running back Alvin Kamara, return to the Saints following a bottom-half finish for the team in total yardage from a season ago. 4:25 PM
Following their bye week, the Falcons will host reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Allen will be the first reigning MVP the Falcons have faced in the regular season since Cam Newton in 2016. The Bills have been one of the league’s premier teams, making the playoffs for six-straight seasons, the second-longest active streak behind only the Chiefs’ 10-straight appearances. A win against a Super Bowl contender like the Bills could put the Falcons firmly on the national radar. This game may prove to be one of the most impactful of the season for both teams.
The team’s second preseason matchup will pit the Falcons against the Tennessee Titans. This game will feature the first-overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Cam Ward, who is expected to be the Titans’ starting quarterback come Week 1. It will only be Ward’s second game since being drafted. In addition, Atlanta will face former Falcon Calvin Ridley for the second time, and the first time since he joined the Titans. He and Ward are expected to develop a strong connection, which will be tough to stop, providing a good test ahead of the regular season.
The Falcons’ first road game of the season will be at AT&T Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. It will be the Falcons’ first trip to Dallas since the 2021 season and marks the final preseason game for both teams before heading into the regular season. The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 2024 season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and suffering only their third losing season since 2015. In the offseason, the team made multiple major moves in an attempt to return to the playoffs, most notably trading for George Pickens and signing former Pro Bowl running back Miles Sanders.
The Falcons will kick off the regular season by hosting division rival Tampa Bay. The fourtime defending division champs have lost four of their last five games to the Falcons, including both matchups last year. The Buccaneers will once again return the core of the team from their current successful run. They will be led on defense by Vita Vea, who made his second Pro Bowl last season. They will also have former first-team All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. back for his sixth season, as he looks to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2024 that saw him miss eight games.
In Week 2, the Falcons will take their first road trip of the season to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Vikings. This game will be Atlanta’s first opportunity to face 2024 10th-overall pick J.J. McCarthy in what will be his second regular-season start. The 2023 CFP national champion missed last season after tearing his meniscus in the preseason. Although McCarthy is a first-year starter, the team is expected to be strong again after going 14-3 last season. The offense features some elite weapons such as Aaron Jones, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison, and most notably, Justin Jefferson.
The Falcons will face the Carolina Panthers for the first time in 2025 in Week 3. The Panthers are coming off a strong finish to the 2024 season. Carolina struggled against the run last year, giving up 425 rushing yards in their two games against the Falcons. While they should improve with the return of defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who missed all but one game last season due to a meniscus injury, the team made minimal investment in run defense during the offseason. Most of their defensive additions focused on edge rushers who will have to
In a busy offseason for the Jets, the team added former Bears and Steelers quarterback Justin Fields to lead an offense filled with playmakers. The Jets’ young offensive playmakers consist of wideout Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall as the two look to capitalize off of an improved 2024 season. After both departures of Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, the team is searching for a new offensive identity in 2025. The defense remains stout, led by Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson and Quinnen Williams, as the Jets look to right the ship under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn.
In Week 7, Atlanta will head west to face former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers will once again be led by former “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy. Coming off a brand-new contract, Purdy now has the stability he’s never had before. The 49ers will be playing their first season without former first-team AllPro wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Despite that, they still boast elite offensive weapons that are as good as any team in the league, including Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey, a trio that is difficult for any defense to contain. 8:20 PM EDT LEVI’S STADIUM @ 49ERS 10.19
After making the postseason two out of the last three seasons, the Miami Dolphins are back in full force under head coach Mike McDaniel as he enters his fourth season with the organization. Led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins return a ton of fire power on the offensive side of the ball in running back De’Von Achane along with one of the most talented receiving duos in the league in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Led by Bradley Chubb on defense, the Dolphins selected Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant to bolster the team’s front seven this season.
It’ll be a battle of 2024 first-round quarterbacks as Michael Penix Jr. and Drake Maye will square off for the first time in their careers. The Patriots welcome back a familiar face as they hired Mike Vrabel to take over as head coach of the organization, looking to bring the Patriots back to the forefront of the league. New England had a busy offseason, drafting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell in the 2025 NFL Draft as well as signing center Garrett Bradbury to protect its young quarterback. Signing veteran receiver Stefon Diggs gives Maye a reliable option out wide as he continues to progress.
This matchup will be the first regular-season game to be played in Berlin, Germany as part of the NFL’s 2025 International Games series. The Colts made a couple offseason moves to improve their roster starting with drafting Penn State tight end Tyler Warren in the first round to improve the receiving corps. Quarterback Anthony Richardson steps into his third season in the NFL with a chip on his shoulder as the team signed Daniel Jones in the offseason to give themselves options at the quarterback position. On defense, the team brought in former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to lead the unit.
Head coach Mike Macdonald enters his second season with the team after missing the postseason a year ago. The Seahawks have dealt with some turnover after the departure of both quarterback Geno Smith and star wide receiver DK Metcalf. After Smith’s departure, the team signed veteran quarterback Sam Darnold, who is coming off the best season of his career a year ago in Minnesota. The running back tandem of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet proved to be one of the most versatile in the league last year. Seattle added wideout Cooper Kupp to pair with Jaxon Smith-Njigba following his breakout 2024 season.
Coming off of an NFC South Championship for the fourth season in a row, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back in full swing with veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield as he enters his eighth season in the NFL. Surrounded by veteran talent such as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs passing attack was lethal last season as Mayfield finished 2024 with the third-most passing yards in the league at 4,500. The emergence of young running back Bucky Irving allowed the offense to reach new heights as the rookie led the team in rushing during his first season in the NFL.
After taking wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in last year’s draft, the Cardinals flipped the switch in 2025, drafting Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen to improve their front seven. Former top-pick Kyler Murray returns for his seventh year with the organization after a much improved 2024 season. Along with Harrison, playmakers James Conner and Trey McBride have continued to show their importance to the offense as McBride finished second in receiving yards among tight ends last year (1,146). On defense, Budda Baker is coming off another terrific season in Arizona, as the safety was named to an All-Pro team for the fourth time in his career.
In the second of two Monday Night Football games in 2025, Raheem Morris welcomes his old team to Atlanta when the Los Angeles Rams come to town. Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford return for a fifth year together as the team remains just as dangerous as ever. Surrounded by playmakers in Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, the Rams added wideout Davante Adams in free agency after the loss of Cooper Kupp to Seattle. The Rams have a young defense that played beyond its years a season ago with second-year defensive end Kobie Turner and rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske making huge strides early in their careers. 8:15
In their second test against the divisional foe, the Falcons will have to face a much-improved offense led by the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in Bryce Young out of Alabama. The Panthers brought in offensive fire power in both the draft and in free agency for the young quarterback as he enters his third year as the starter. With the eighth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team selected Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan while also adding former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle in free agency. After cutting Miles Sanders, Dowdle and workhorse Chubba Hubbard serve as reliable options in the Carolina backfield. 1:00
The Falcons will finish the season hosting their archrival, the New Orleans Saints. The Saints did little to address their glaring roster concerns this offseason, but the team remains solid and still resembles their Super Bowl-contending squads from the late 2010s. On defense, they will be led by future Hall of Famer Cameron Jordan and three-time firstteam All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu. However, neither player has made a Pro Bowl since 2022 and are entering the later stages of their careers. While their leadership remains invaluable, younger players will need to step up into bigger roles going forward.
FALCONS OFFSEASON TIMELINE
LS Liam McCullough signed a four-year contract extension.
MARCH 6
MARCH 12
OT Brandon Parker signed a contract extension and the team re-signed OL Storm Norton.
The Falcons signed CB Mike Ford Jr. to a two-year contract, LB Divine Deablo to a two-year contract and DE Leonard Floyd to a one-year contract. The Falcons re-signed CB Mike Hughes to a three-year contract, WR KhaDarel Hodge to a two-year contract and DL Ta’Quon Graham to a one-year contract. The team re-signed OL Elijah Wilkinson, OL Kyle Hinton and LB Josh Woods.
MARCH 13
MARCH 14 The team signed DL Morgan Fox to a two-year contract and CB Keith Taylor.
MARCH 20 WR Jamal Agnew signed a one-year contract.
MARCH 21 The Falcons signed TE Feleipe Franks and S Jordan Fuller.
The Falcons signed CB Dee Alford to a one-year contract.
APRIL 7
APRIL 11 CB Kevin King signed a one-year contract with the Falcons.
Free agent QB Easton Stick signed with the team.
APRIL 24
The Falcons drafted S Xavier Watts (96th overall).
APRIL 26
The Falcons signed undrafted free agents DT Simeon Barrow Jr., CB Cobee Bryant, RB Nathan Carter, C Joshua Gray, LB Nick Kubitz, CB Dontae Manning, WR Nick Nash, TE Joshua Simon, WR Quincy Skinner Jr., S Malik Verdon and OT Jordan Williams.
APRIL 21
The Falcons drafted EDGE Jalon Walker (15th overall) and EDGE James Pearce Jr. (26th overall).
APRIL 25
The Falcons drafted DB Billy Bowman Jr. (118th overall) and OT Jack Nelson (218th overall).
APRIL 28
APRIL 30 The Falcons exercised their fifth-year option on WR Drake London.
Falcons’ draft picks EDGE Jalon Walker, S Xavier Watts, DB Billy Bowman Jr. and OT Jack Nelson signed their rookie contracts.
MAY 12
The Falcons signed C Ryan Neuzil to a two-year contract extension.
MAY 9
First-round pick EDGE James Pearce Jr. signed his rookie contract and the team signed free agent LB Caleb Johnson.
MAY 29
JUNE 17 The Falcons signed free agent RB Jashaun Corbin.
2025 NFL SCHEDULE
ARIZONA CARDINALS
DALLAS COWBOYS
Washington Commanders
Week 8 10/26: at Denver Broncos
Week 9 11/3: Arizona Cardinals
Week 10: BYE
Week 11 11/17: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 12 11/23: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 13 11/27: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 12/4: at Detroit Lions
BALTIMORE RAVENS
BILLS
CINCINNATI BENGALS
DENVER BRONCOS
10/12: at New York Jets (London)
Week 7 10/19: New York Giants
Week 8 10/26: Dallas Cowboys
Week 9 11/2: at Houston Texans
Week 10 11/6: Las Vegas Raiders
Week 11 11/16: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 12: BYE
Week 13 11/30: at Washington Commanders
Week 14 12/7: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 15 12/14: Green Bay Packers
Week 16 12/21: Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 17 12/25: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 18: Los Angeles Chargers
DETROIT LIONS
PRESEASON: Hall of Fame Game 7/31: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 1 8/8: at Atlanta Falcons
Week 2 8/16: Miami Dolphins
Week 3 8/23: Houston Texans
REGULAR SEASON:
Week 1 9/7: at Green Bay Packers
Week 2 9/14: Chicago Bears
Week 3 9/22:
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Week 9 11/2: Atlanta Falcons Week 10 11/9: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 11 11/13:
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
PRESEASON:
Week 3 8/22: at Tennessee Titans REGULAR SEASON: Week 1 9/8: at Chicago Bears Week 2 9/14: Atlanta Falcons
Week 3 9/21: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 4 9/28: at Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin)
Week 5 10/5: at Cleveland Browns (London)
Week 6: BYE
Week 7 10/19: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 8 10/23: at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 9 11/2: at Detroit Lions
Week 10 11/9: Baltimore Ravens
Week 11 11/16: Chicago Bears
Week 12 11/23: at Green Bay Packers
Week 13 11/30: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 14 12/7: Washington Commanders
Week 15 12/14: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 16 12/21: at New York Giants
Week 17 12/25: Detroit Lions
Week 18: Green Bay Packers
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
PRESEASON:
Week 1 8/8: Washington Commanders
Week 2 8/16: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 3 8/21: at New York Giants
REGULAR SEASON:
Week 1 9/7: Las Vegas Raiders
Week 2 9/14: at Miami Dolphins
Week 3 9/21: Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 4 9/28: Carolina Panthers Week 5 10/5: at Buffalo Bills Week 6 10/12: at New Orleans Saints Week 7 10/19: at Tennessee Titans Week 8 10/26: Cleveland Browns
The Falcons welcome back wideouts Drake London, Casey Washington and Chris Blair as key pieces to Atlanta’s aerial attack. The experience London has will be paramount in the success of the receiving corps. London was selected as the No. 8 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and at 6-foot-4, he is a large target. During his third season in Atlanta last year, London started all 17 games and made 100 receptions for 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns. Washington – who played in eight games last season with one reception on two targets – could develop into a more-dynamic receiver and add depth to the position. Blair, a two-year veteran, was targeted twice last season, making one catch for 17 yards while playing in four games.
WIDE RECEIVER
Kyle Pitts is entering his fifth season in the league and the final year of his rookie contract as he continues to grow in Zac Robinson’s offense. He was selected fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Florida as the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history. In his four seasons, he has 196 receptions for 2,651 yards and 10 touchdowns. Charlie Woerner, a Georgia-native from Rabun County, also returns for his second season with the Falcons and his sixth-overall season including a four-year stint with the San Francisco
TE
Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud and KhaDarel Hodge all return with experience as central pieces of the Falcons’ air-attack. Mooney spent four seasons with the Chicago Bears before joining the Falcons last season when he caught 64 passes for 992 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. He was eight yards short of the 1,000-yard mark before missing the Falcons’ final game due to injury. Throughout his career, he has totaled 277 receptions for 3,585 yards and 16 touchdowns, hitting the 1,000-yard mark in 2021. Hodge has spent three seasons in Atlanta and has caught 34 passes for 565 yards and two touchdowns in his Falcons career. McCloud, a speedy receiver, joined the Falcons last season and caught 62 passes for 686 yards and a touchdown, all career bests.
DEPTH WR
WR WIDE RECEIVER
The departure of 10-year veteran Grady Jarrett to the Chicago Bears will certainly mix things up, but the depth and experience of the position group will help ease the transition into a new-look defensive front. David Onyemata is back for his third season in Atlanta where he has been a consistent contributor. Along with Onyemata, Kentavius Street, Morgan Fox and Ta’Quon Graham will be leaned on to fill the void. Combined, they create a deep and strong group that will be expected to be a steady force against the run, as they have been over the past few years. In addition, the veteran leadership they bring
DL
Kaden Elliss is just hard to guard and will anchor the inside linebacker spot after a stellar campaign in 2024. Last season, he recorded 151 total tackles (85 solo) with five sacks and was one of the most-productive linebackers across the board. He was the only player in the league with at least 130 total tackles and four sacks. Troy Andersen could be a strong pairing with Elliss to face defensive fronts. Andersen made 47 total tackles (28 solo) and snagged his first-career interception last season. JD Bertrand, who recorded 23 total tackles (16 solo) and one sack as a rookie in 2024, brings depth to the position. The signing of Divine Deablo in the offseason will provide an experienced run-defender and help in zone coverage.
ILB INSIDE LINEBACKER
A.J. Terrell Jr. is a lockdown cornerback and in addition to Mike Hughes, Dee Alford and Kevin King, there’s depth at the position. Terrell is entering his sixth season in the league, all with the Falcons, and recorded 66 total tackles (50 solo), six passes defensed, two tackles for loss and two interceptions last season. Seven-year veteran Hughes is entering his third season in Atlanta. Last season, he recorded 66 total tackles (51 solo), six passes defensed and four tackles for loss. Alford had 83 total tackles (61 solo), 11 passes defensed, one sack, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss during the 2024 season. Alford and Clark Phillips III, who logged his first-career interception in 2024, are key reserves.
CB CORNERBACK
DL DEFENSIVE LINE
OLB
The addition of Leonard Floyd and draftee Jalon Walker will bolster the position. Floyd has worked previously with head coach Raheem Morris in Los Angeles and comes with nine years of NFL experience. Walker was selected as the 15th-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft from the University of Georgia. Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone return to anchor the outside linebackers spot, and they enter the season with vast experience. Ebiketie is a three-year veteran who has 93 total tackles (63 solo), 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, 12 tackles for loss and 35 quarterback hits in his career. Also entering his fourth season, Malone has recorded 51 total tackles (30 solo), three sacks, seven tackles for loss and five quarterback hits during his time in the league. Rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr. will see action immediately while providing pressure from the outside.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
CHART
FALCONS READY TO CONTEND IN 2025
BY CRAIG SAGER II
Headcoach Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons
will have a golden opportunity in 2025 to return to the postseason and reach far beyond. When Morris took over as head coach last season, he oversaw a roster that had the key pieces, overall balance and depth necessary to exceed Atlanta’s three-consecutive 7-10 finishes. The Falcons successfully advanced forward with that progress being demonstrated throughout the season as the team battled their way to an 8-9 finish. Now, Morris is leading his team and staff this offseason with a focus on preparing them for both the mental and physical challenges. According to Morris, this double-barreled focus is going to be pivotal in identifying problems faster—something Atlanta was able to manage last season, but that Morris feels can be improved upon and used as a key to reaching new heights this year.
“The number one thing is being able to identify problems faster,” said Morris during OTAs. “So when we can identify those problems faster, not waiting so long to fix them, I think that’s something that I could do better personally. I think that’s something that we all can really do. But when you’re the head coach and you’re overseeing all the different things, you’ve got to be able to see those things a little bit faster to be able to make some of those corrections. We were able to fix a lot of things on offense quickly. We were able to fix a lot of things on defense –didn’t do it as quickly as you want to do them. You’re able to fix a bunch of things across the board and how you want to do things. So being able to identify problems a little bit quicker and being able to put your imprint and stamp on them. Or if you don’t have the answers, being able to go find ways you can find those answers within the organization, within your building, outside the building, whatever it takes, to be able to get those things done. I’m always fired up for that learning curve of everything. That always interests me. That’s something I always love. You definitely have a process, but it’s definitely steadily growing and learning every time you go out there and do anything that you do within this game.”
ALL IN
Managing challenges, performing under pressure and being able to step into the spotlight was exemplified by quarterback Michael Penix Jr. last year when he assumed the starting role for the final three games of the season. As a rookie, Penix made the most of his professional debut and worked well with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson—who was also a first-time Atlanta Falcon in 2024. The ability of the Falcons offense to control possession, drive the ball effectively down the field and maintain a healthy run-pass balance is cause for excitement as Penix gets his opportunity to command Robinson’s playbook. Morris is looking forward to seeing Penix compete in 2025 and
build off his experience from last year.
“You know, it definitely starts with what we talked about when I first got here, talking about getting the quarterback in that room and what we wanted to do for the long term,” explained Morris. “And Michael Penix in these last three games has definitely shown us that, and that’s definitely our positive. Pairing him up with Drake London, pairing him up with Bijan Robinson, and watching that combo, get a chance to start fresh and do some things will really be positive. Getting [Darnell] Mooney back are some of the things that’s going to be positive, obviously, watching those guys go and grow. There’s some things that you want to really, really lean on.”
ON A MISSION
Defensively, the Falcons will have a new coordina tor with Jeff Ulbrich leading the unit this season and the heavy emphasis placed on the defensive side of the ball in the draft gives the group a tremendous upside that Morris hopes will be realized when the season comes around.
“Watching a young guy like A.J. Terrell get a contract this year and really assert himself into a leadership spot, Jessie Bates having the ability to play at a very high level, and guys like that, and being able to do things like that is some thing that really fires you up,” said Morris. “… You got to start the thing over, and you got to build up those positives, and you got to find ways to get better so you can compete in the things that we want to com pete in and be able to do those things at a high level.”
The excitement that is building on both sides of the ball is deepened with the incredibly exciting sched ule that the Falcons will be taking on in 2025. With more primetime slots, a matchup in Germany and a division rival slated for the season finale, this year’s schedule is a nonstop thrill-ride and the perfect opportunity for the Falcons to assert themselves into contention.
Atlanta’s 2025 regular season will start at home against the Buccaneers on Sept. 7 before a Sunday Night Football showdown in Week 2 at Minnesota. The Falcons will visit Carolina the following Sunday before a critical home game against the Washington Commanders and quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 4. Following a Week 5 bye, Atlanta returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the visiting Buffalo Bills for a Monday Night Football showdown.
The Falcons will travel to San Francis co for Week 7 for a Sunday Night Football kickoff with the 49ers on Oct. 19 and this precedes three-straight AFC matchups with a home game against the Miami
Dolphins and back-to-back road trips to New England and then Germany to take on Indianapolis. After the Falcons’ 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff with the Colts on Nov. 9, Atlanta will come back home to host the Panthers in Week 11. This sparks a critical two-game stretch against divisional opponents as the Falcons will follow their matchup against Carolina with a Week 12 trip to New Orleans to battle the rival Saints. Atlanta’s final six games of the regular season include road trips to the Jets, Bucs and Cardinals and home games against the Seahawks, Rams and Saints in the season finale.
Continuing to focus on preparing mentally and physically for the season remains the mission this offseason as the Falcons gear up for kickoff.
“That’s the greatest part of the offseason,” said Morris about getting the players mentally and physically pre
SOARING IN STYLE
BY MAX WOLBORSKY
build off what they had a season ago as the duo continues to compliment one another and grow in the offense.
year’s young Dirty Birds are ready to soar to new heights.
As Penix enters his second year with the organization, the young quarterback will have plenty of talent around him to throw the ball to as they will help him progress through his first full season as a starting quarterback in the National Football League.
Drawing from his playing experience from last season and offseason workouts, Penix knows that the 2025 receiving corps is filled with playmakers from the starters all the way down to the reserves.
“The depth,” said Penix. “I feel like we got a lot of guys that can do it at a high level and obviously we got the starters that have been doing it at a high level, but we have guys behind them that can do it as well.”
TALON-TED RECEIVERS ACROSS THE BOARD
Drake London turned in a terrific 2024 season in his third year in the league as he showcased what he is capable of. The fourth-year wideout out of Southern Cal was drafted with the eighth-overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft and has started in 48 of his 50 career games since entering the league. London’s numbers made drastic improvements last season as he broke 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, totaling 1,271 yards on 100 receptions, finding the end zone nine times through the air—all career highs.
London was the top option for an Atlanta Falcons air-attack that finished the 2024 season with 4,283 passing yards, the fourth-most in the league. London finished the season with the fourth-most receiving yards in the NFL, behind only Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Brian Thomas Jr. London also finished with the third-most targets in the league, totaling 158 targets, trailing Chase and Malik Nabers.
The numbers speak for themselves as London has continued to prove that he is one of the top young pass catchers in not only the NFC but in the entire league.
Last season, London had over 150 yards in a single game on two occasions while also accounting for at least 10 receptions in the same matchups. In the final game of the regular season in Week 18 against the Carolina Panthers, London set career bests in single-game receiving yards (187) and touchdowns (two).
Now entering his fourth season, London leads a talented group of pass catchers that are looking to replicate last season’s great numbers through the air. London, alongside newcomer Darnell Mooney, made for one of the top wideout pairings in the league in 2024. They look to
Mooney exploded onto the scene in his first season in Atlanta in 2024 as the wide receiver entered his fifth NFL season. Mooney provides a veteran option on the outside as he turned in his best performance since 2021, his second season in the NFL. The former Chicago Bear accounted for 63 receptions for 992 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Mooney proved to be more than trustworthy for the Falcons and will head into the upcoming season looking to capitalize on the increased opportunities and strengthened chemistry with Penix.
games along with seven games with five or more receptions during his career resurrection in his first season in Atlanta.
an wideouts Ray-Ray McCloud III and KhaDarel Hodge to compliment their talented young corps. McCloud ac counted for a career-best 686 yards on 62 receptions as his speed proved to be a difference-maker for the team. Hodge came up big for the Falcons in Week 5 last sea son as the seventh-year wideout took a 45-yard pass for a game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.
showed off his versatile playmaking ability in both the run and pass game. He totaled 431 yards through the air, finishing in the top-five among running backs in the NFL in receiving yards, only trailing De’Von Achane, Alvin Kamara, Jahmyr Gibbs and Breece Hall in yardage. Robinson had the third-most receptions for a running back in the league as well, reeling in 61 passes and averaging just over seven yards per catch.
Robinson’s elusivity and his versatility make him a tough player to get a hold of for opposing defenses as he can be lined up all over the field in Zac Robinson’s offense.
the passing game, the Atlanta Falcons tight end room is capable of big things heading into the new season.
ing yards on the team in 2024, totaling 602 yards and four touchdowns on 47 receptions. His 602 yards through the air had the fourth-year tight end ranked 13th in tight end receiving yards a season ago. Pitts has been looking to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his career after he did it in his rookie season. Last season, Pitts set a career-best in receiving touch downs, catching four. Pitts is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 250 pounds, and obtains the skill-set to become a top pass catcher for a Falcons team that can use another reliable option in the passing game for a young quarterback.
Atlanta Falcons passing game is running back Bijan Robinson. His dynamic playmaking ability with the ball in his hands is second to none and he is a threat to find the end zone whenever a play involves him.
son playing professional foot ball, the shifty running back
HONORING THE GREATS
BY SETH ELLERBEE
Vastlevels of greatness have permeated the history of the Atlanta Falcons organization and have been immensely impactful to the franchise and the diehard fan base since its creation on June 30, 1965.
The Falcons joined the NFL the next year and through their 60-year history, there have been 13 players and one philanthropic owner to be named to the franchise’s illustrious Ring of Honor.
From the Inaugural Class in 2004 to last year’s induction – which welcomed owner and chairman Arthur M. Blank and legendary Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan – the players enshrined in the Ring of Honor span the entirety of the organization’s history while providing a nostalgic glimpse back in time.
“Since Arthur purchased the team in 2002, results on and off the field have elevated,” Team President Greg Beadles said. “And (Arthur’s) unwavering dedication to the fans and city of Atlanta is worthy of this recognition and so much more.”
Blank, the co-founder of The Home Depot, is at the forefront of the Blank Family of Businesses – The Arthur M. Blank Foundation, AMB Sports and Entertainment and AMB West. He was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the World’s 100 Greatest Living Business Minds in 2017 and one of America’s Top 50 Givers in 2018. In May of 2024, Blank was awarded Sports Business Journal’s Life time Achievement Award.
Matt Ryan entered the program and was named the starting quarterback following his career at Boston Col lege. He was picked as the No. 3 selection of the 2008 NFL Draft and helped establish Atlanta as one of the premier teams across the league. He spent 14 seasons in Atlanta and led the team to the playoffs six times, the NFC Cham pionship twice and to Super Bowl LI.
Ryan set franchise records for passing yards (59,735), attempts (8,003), completions (5,242), passing touch downs (367), passer rating (94.6), completion percentage (65.5) and 300-yard games (73).
Ryan’s last season in Atlanta was 2021 before sign ing a one-day contract on April 22, 2024, to officially retire with the Falcons.
“Matt’s character and talent on and off the field sets him apart as one of the greatest Falcons players ever,” Beadles said. “We believe we’ll see his career recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the future.”
AND SO, IT BEGINS
There were four players in the inaugural class – run ning back William Andrews (1979-86), quarterback Steve Bartowski (1975-85), linebacker Tommy Nobis (1966-76) and linebacker Jessie Tuggle (1987-2000).
One of these four, Nobis stands alone, and for good reason. He was the first-ever Falcon. Drafted first overall in 1966, Nobis was nicknamed ‘Mr. Falcon’ after leading the team in tackles in nine of the 11 seasons he played. He tallied 294 total tackles as a rookie, a team record that still stands today.
Andrews was a third-round pick and became the second running back in NFL history to have two 2,000-yard (combined yards) seasons. Sadly, in 1984 a tragic knee injury ended his playing career far too early. Bartowski was the top draft selection in 1975 and was named the Rookie of the Year after passing for 1,662 yards and 15 touchdowns. He set every team passing record at the time –23,468 yards and 154 touchdowns and led the franchise to its first playoff victory in 1978.
Tuggle joined the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 1987 and is considered one of the greatest to even don a Falcons jersey. Nicknamed ‘The Hammer’, Tuggle’s tackling prowess was otherworldly and he is the Falcons’ alltime leader in tackles with 2,065 after compiling 12 consecutive seasons with 100-plus tackles.
CONTINUING THE LEGACY
1989 NFL Draft and is widely regarded as the greatest cornerback to ever play the game.
In a moment of sporting history in 1992, Sanders attempted to play in an NFL game for the Falcons and a baseball game for the Braves in the NLCS on the same day. On October 11, Sanders played for the Falcons against the Dolphins in Miami and then boarded a plane to Pittsburgh with hopes to play in the Braves’ NLCS game that evening. Despite suiting up, he did not play that evening.
A ballhawk with blistering speed, Sanders was also featured as a lethal return man. He was named the 34th greatest player in NFL history in the NFL Films-produced series, “The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players”. Sanders set multiple franchise records for the Falcons, including most kickoff return yards (3,388), most kickoff returns (147), most touchdowns on punt returns in a season (two), and most interceptions returned for a touchdown (three), among others.
THE OFFENSIVE ANCHORS
BY HAYDEN GILBERT
The trenches are where offenses live and die, and the Atlanta Falcons have one of the best and most consistent offensive lines in the league. Continuity should once again prove to be the position group’s biggest strength, led by four returning starters: Matthew Bergeron, Chris Lindstrom, Kaleb McGary, and Jake Matthews. The group of four veterans have combined to start 131 out of a possible 136 games.
A strong group of backups bolster the position and create an even more formidable group. Altogether, they will be tasked with protecting second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and open holes for the team’s elite running back duo of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.
TRENCH MONSTERS
The longest-tenured player on the offensive line is also the Falcons’ longest-tenured player. Matthews, a 2014 first-round draft pick, has been the ultimate ironman for the team. He has played in 178 straight games, missing only the second game of his rookie season.
The past two years have been more of the same for Matthews, starting every possible game and being a solid, reliable option at left tackle. He also brings an invaluable leadership role to the team. His more than a decade of play and over 10,000 snaps is undoubtedly a resource that the younger offensive linemen have used to improve their game and create a more solid position group. Last year, he was one of the highest-graded offensive tackles in the league and an elite pass blocker. As a pass blocker, Matthews earned a grade of 85.4 from PFF, good enough for No. 7 in the league out of 140 offensive tackles. Overall, he had a grade of 79.8, ranking No. 15 in the league.
Lindstrom is the most decorated player on the offensive line. The 14th-overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, Lindstrom is one of only seven offensive players to have made an All-Pro team in each of the last three seasons (2022-24). In addition, he has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. Seven seasons after being drafted, Lindstrom has proven that selecting him as the franchise’s highest-drafted and only first-round offensive guard was the right call. He is one of only two players in his draft class to make three All-Pro teams, and the only first-round pick to do so. He will once again play a major role in opening holes for the dynamic duo of Robinson and Allgeier. According to PFF, his three second-team All-Pro selections still don’t do Lindstrom justice. Every year for the past three seasons, PFF has graded him as the highest-rated guard in the NFL. Last season, it wasn’t even close as Lindstrom finished with a grade of 93.5 while the next highest was Denver’s Quinn
Meinerz at 87.3. For context, that same gap separated the fifth and 16th highest-graded guards.
Lindstrom’s fellow 2019 draft class member, McGary, has also had a solid career up to this point. The former 31st-overall pick is now in the final year of his second contract with the Falcons. He excels as a run blocker, earning a PFF run-blocking grade of 77.6, 17th best among 140 eligible offensive tackles. While not as dominant in pass protection, he remains solid, with an overall PFF grade of 73.8, which ranks 29th out of 140 and puts him in the upper half of NFL offensive tackles. Overall, he will have an even more important role in 2025 defending Penix’s blindside for the first time in his career.
Bergeron is the most recent addition to the Falcons’ offensive line. The 2023 second-round pick has started every game of his career and has played in all 34 games since being drafted. He is one of only two guards from the 2023 class to earn a grade of over 70 from PFF last season. He’s been a strong addition to the team and has outplayed his sec ond-round draft status through two seasons. As he continues to grow into the position he will get even better. While he has been very good so far, the future is even bright er for Bergeron.
The starting cen ter position will be the only new starter for the Falcons’ of fensive line. After starting every game he played over the past three seasons, Drew Dalman left in free agency and signed with the Bears. Ryan Neu zil is well-posi tioned heading into training camp after starting eight games last season while Dalman was injured and was more than serviceable. In fact, he received a higher pass-blocking grade from PFF during those starts than Dalman did during his. Atlanta also has 2023 seventh-round pick Jovaughn Gwyn waiting in the wings. A tenacious and
explosive run blocker, the South Carolina product has been a reserve for the last two seasons.
THE BULLPEN
In addition to the starters, the team has four solid backups with starting experience, all of whom have spent at least one season with the team. Kyle Hinton, Brandon Parker, Elijah Wilkinson, and Storm Norton have combined to start 101 games and appear in 240 across their careers, giving the second unit valuable experience to bolster the line. The most notable of the group is Wilkinson, who started nine games for the Arizona Cardinals only two years ago and has 45 career starts. Also in the mix for playing time are two young linemen who have yet to see significant playing time: the aforementioned Gwyn, who is entering his third year, and rookie seventh-round pick Jack Nelson. Nelson is a big, physical offensive tackle with high upside. He excels in zone-blocking schemes, which the Falcons run frequently. While he may not get many snaps early in the season as he refines his technique, he will have an opportunity to develop behind a strong group of veterans.
Overall, the offensive line should not miss a beat in the 2025 season. The Falcons’ offensive line room features a rare combination of depth and high-end talent, something uncommon in the modern NFL. The team will lean on it as one of its biggest strengths. While Penix is still young, he’s shown he can make explosive plays when given time in the pocket. The running game will remain an integral part of the offense, and the offensive line production will remain critical to give the star duo of Robinson and Allgeier room to operate.
FRESH FALCON FACES
BY HAYDEN GILBERT
The Falcons had one of the most consequential drafts in recent memory as they prepared to make a playoff push and return to contention. Atlanta drafted five players, addressing some of the team’s biggest holes with some of the most talented players in the draft. While other teams had more picks and may have gotten more well known names, no team did more with the picks they had and filled the holes they had like the Falcons did.
A SHOCKING FIRST ROUND
The Falcons’ first pick came at 15th overall, where they selected linebacker and edge rusher Jalon Walker from the University of Georgia. The pick marked two notable milestones: Walker became the first player from UGA the Falcons have drafted in the first round and the first edge rusher selected in the first round by Atlanta since Takk McKinley in the 2017 NFL Draft. Walker was one of the most intriguing prospects entering the draft. Standing at a modest 6-1 and weighing 240 pounds, he doesn’t fit the mold of a prototypical edge rusher, but when you watch the film, it’s clear why he was among the top edge prospects. Walker combines elite speed with a powerful frame to create favorable pass-rush angles. He also has potential as a more traditional off-ball linebacker. While still raw in that role, he showed flashes of promise. If he can develop further, Walker could become one of the most versatile and productive defenders in the NFL. Walker was very productive at UGA, recording 11.5 sacks over his final two years in college. He grew most as an off-ball linebacker where he increased his total tackles from 20 in 2023 to 60 in 2024, especially excelling as a quarterback spy.
While it took eight years between drafting McKinley and Walker, the Falcons waited just 11 picks before selecting another first-round edge rusher. Atlanta traded back into the first round to acquire the 26th-overall pick and selected Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. Pearce was widely considered one of the highest-upside players in the draft. He was viewed as a top-five prospect early in the process and backed up the hype with production, recording 17.5 sacks over his final two seasons at Tennessee, the most of any first-round pass rusher this year. Pearce displays the twitch and bend NFL scouts covet, along with prototypical size at 6-5, 243 pounds. He has the tools to become an elite edge presence at the next level.
LATE ROUND SWINGS
With the 96th-overall pick in the third round, the Falcons selected safety Xavier Watts from Notre Dame. Viewed as one of the most pro-ready safeties in the draft, Watts was instrumental in Notre Dame’s run to the national title game. He recorded 82 total tackles and six interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, during his final season. Watts helps fill a major void left by the departure of Justin Simmons. He could immediately slot into a starting role alongside Jessie Bates III. With the growing use of two-high safety schemes, having two capable starters is essential, and Watts’ well-rounded skill set could elevate the Falcons’ pass defense from day one.
With the 118th-overall pick, the Falcons took a swing and selected another high-end safety, Billy Bowman Jr. out of Oklahoma. While Watts is a polished and safe selection, Bowman has one of the highest ceilings among safeties in the draft. An elite athlete, Bowman ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash and posted a 35.5-inch vertical jump. In 12 games his senior season, he recorded 54 total tackles and two interceptions. Bowman dropped in the draft due to concerns about his size, but comparisons to players like Budda Baker and An toine Winfield Jr. who are undersized but high ly-productive players, suggest he can succeed. He may compete for an early starting role as a slot corner or nickel safety. Known for his range in zone coverage and physicality in the run game, Bowman could be a longterm contributor in Atlanta’s secondary.
Jack Nelson, the Falcons’ only offen sive selection in this year’s draft, came later on Day 3. A towering offensive lineman at 6-7 and 314 pounds, Nelson combines impressive size with quick feet and good zone-blocking ability. His agil ity allows him to move laterally and cre ate rushing lanes. He comes from the University of Wisconsin, a program renowned for producing NFLready offensive linemen. The Badgers have 33 active players in the league including nine linemen, five of whom are current starters. Three of those starters were Day 3 picks, just like
Nelson. He’s expected to contribute as a rotational lineman this season, with the potential to grow into a starter down the road. PFF gave him a 79.9 overall grade last season which ranked fifth out of all Big Ten offensive tackles. His pass block grade was especially impressive with a grade of 82.2.
Although the Falcons only had five picks, they made a splash in free agency through undrafted players by signing cornerback Cobee Bryant from Kansas. One of the most surprising undrafted players, Bryant was a threetime first-team All-Big 12 selection. Over four seasons, he recorded 13 interceptions, 107 solo tackles, and 35 passes defensed. He fell out of the draft due to concerns about his athletic profile but compares favorably to Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter, who had an outstanding rookie campaign. Bryant has already earned praise from the Falcons’ coaching staff during rookie minicamp. The team has long searched for a consistent cornerback to complement A.J. Terrell, and Bryant may fill that need. His physical style of play, disrupting receivers at the top of routes, closing quickly in zone coverage, and shedding blocks in the run game, makes him an intriguing addition to Atlanta’s secondary. PFF had high grades on Bryant with him earning an 80.9 grade last season and an elite run defense grade of 91.3. “It’s really tough. We talk about the offseason; we talk about upfront people because of the rules they have,” said Head Coach Raheem Morris when asked what he wants to see from his rookies. “I think they just have to continue to get better with their individuals. How we practice, what the practice is for, why is this called a jog-through. What is the purpose of this jog-through? What is the purpose of this OTA day? Practice in my lanes and my mentality. Then we get to individual, you get to see some of the effort things that come out, that you try to translate
SHAKEUP IN THE NFC SOUTH
BY NAJEH WILKINS
The NFC South has seen great competition since it was founded in 2002, with heated rivalries and thrilling matchups fueling the divisional competitiveness. The division features some of the league’s best, and this year the Falcons will look to reclaim their spot at the top.
PUT A CROWN ON IT
Tampa Bay has won the NFC South in four-consecutive years after finishing 10-7 in 2024, falling in the Wild-Card Round to the Washington Commanders. The Buccaneers spent the offseason bringing back key veteran players, and re-signed linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Chris Godwin. Godwin will be entering year nine with Tampa Bay, and David has played in a Buccaneer uniform for more than a decade and will enter his 15th season. A staple player for Tampa Bay is All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is considered one of the best in the NFL. In addition, the Buccaneers return familiar faces in wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, tight end Cade Otton, and defensive tackle Vita Vea. Evans matched an NFL record in 2024, tying NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000yard seasons with 11.
After a career year in 2023, Buccaneers quarter back Baker Mayfield followed up with an even better campaign in 2024. Mayfield finished third in the NFL in passing, throwing for 4,500 yards, and tied for second in the league with 41 touchdowns. Both were career highs, and Mayfield also set a career high in completion per centage (71.4), yards per pass attempt (7.9), and pass er rating (106.8). Rookie running back Bucky Irving was explosive in his first season, rushing for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns. He also added 47 receptions for 392 receiving yards. Irving led all rookies in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and all-purpose yards.
Tampa Bay also added depth in free agency, signing former All-Pro linebacker Haason Reddick to a one-year deal. The Buccaneers added some firepower to their of fense by selecting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round (19th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.
PROGRESS IS PROGRESS
Carolina tied for third in the division last season with a 5-12 record. The Panthers will enter year three of the Bryce Young era, which has seen its ups and downs. His early-season struggles resulted in him being benched for veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton. Young responded to adversity well and finished the final three games with a 2-1 record, throwing for 612 yards and seven touchdowns. During that three-game span, he didn’t turnover the foot ball and finished each game with a passer rating of over 100. Young finished his sophomore campaign with 2,403 passing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Panthers were active in retaining key players and signing free agents. They re-signed standout cornerback Jaycee Horn to a four-year extension, added former Las Vegas safety Tre’von Moehrig to a three-year deal, and re-signed cornerback Mike Jackson to a twoyear deal. Josey Jewell returns following his first year in Carolina after finishing with 97 tackles, seven passes defensed, 3.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries last year. Carolina will also welcome back Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Brown, who missed most of last season following a meniscus injury in Week 1.
Key returning players for the Panthers’ offense will be wide receiver Adam Thielen, offensive lineman Austin Corbett, running back Chuba Hubbard, and guard Robert Hunt. Hubbard has a career season in 2024, rushing for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns, both career highs.
The Panthers made a splash in the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall out of Arizona. Their next two picks were edge rushers Nic Scourton (51st overall) and Princely Umanmielen (77th overall). The additions of young playmakers on both sides of the ball give Carolina hopes of a promising future.
tackles for loss, and one interception. Werner ranked second on the team with 92 total tackles, and Jordan finished the season with 34 total tackles and four sacks.
Major additions this offseason for the Saints include safety Justin Reid, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, tight end Jack Stoll, and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz. Cooks rejoins the Saints after a previous three-year stint from 2014-16 when he recorded 215 receptions for 2,861 yards and 20 touchdowns.
DIVISIONAL DETHRONEMENT
Heading into 2025, the Atlanta Falcons will be the favorites to dethrone the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from their four-year run as NFC South champs with the growth and development of emerging star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Penix threw for 775 yards and three touchdowns last season in limited action and has been impressive so far in the offseason. Atlanta returns a good chunk of its offensive production from a year ago. Running back Bijan Robinson was the third-leading rusher in the NFL, rushing for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns. He set a career high in rushing
PRAISE FOR PENIX
BY NAJEH WILKINS
Michael Penix Jr. will take over as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons this season after starting the final three games of the season as a rookie. The excitement around the Falcons remains high, and Penix has continued to turn heads with head coach Raheem Morris and passing game coordinator T.J. Yates, who are raving about what they have seen from the signal caller in year two.
“There are a couple of things about those three games where it’s just his ability to manipulate defenders with his eyes,” said Yates. “It’s almost as if he has video game vision where he can see the whole field and he can see all the players moving at the same time, and he has a great perception of the field.”
Morris mirrored Yates’ opinion in his praise for the young quarterback.
“I think he’s starting to get to that point where it’s something different about him,” said Morris. “He has a unique wide receiver vibe to him. He has a mental sharpness and intelligence to him that you know, he’s a little different. He’s searching for knowledge and put ting it all together. I like his approach and open mindset to figure it out and continue to do better.”
A STORIED PAST
Penix was taken with the eighth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He had an accomplished career in college, leading the Washington Huskies to a Pac-12 Championship, a 14-1 record, and to the College Foot ball Playoff National Championship against Michigan in 2023. He was known for his big-play ability in col lege, when he completed 65.4% of his passes and averaged 340.9 passing yards per game across two seasons with the Huskies. He became the first FBS player to throw for more than 4,500 yards in back-toback seasons since Patrick Mahomes. His illustrious career led to him winning the Maxwell Award, being named a first-team All-American, and breaking mul tiple school records with the Huskies, including sin gle-season passing yards (4,903) and passing yards in a single game (516).
Penix is known for his elite arm strength and his ability to fit the ball into tight windows as one of the best deep-ball throwers to come out of college in re cent years. Although Penix saw limited playing time last season, he showed how dangerous he can be while creating big plays with his elite arm. This was on full display against the Carolina Panthers in Week 18 when he threw a 42-yard strike to Ray-Ray McCloud
III, manipulating the safety with his eyes and throwing McCloud open with an elite pass.
MAKING NOISE
In the three games he started in 2024, Penix threw for 737 yards and three touchdowns. He had an impressive debut against the New York Giants, leading the Falcons to a dominant 34-7 win, completing 66.7% of his passes and throwing for 202 yards. He also hit a career milestone in the season finale against the rival Panthers, crossing the 300-yard mark for the first time in his career. In that game, Penix threw two touchdowns and finished with a passer rating of 88.9 in what would be the best game of his budding career. In Week 17 against 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden ed to me about his time
and how he got to where he ended up. So just those things, building blocks and things that I needed to hear that I probably wouldn’t hear from other people. Hearing from somebody who actually was in this position, doing that at a high level, so that was big time.”
Poise is something that remains the same whenever you talk to players or coaches about Penix. He places an emphasis on never getting too high or too low, but always staying even-keeled. He’s played in a number of big games throughout his career, and his experience is translating to the league. It’s a staple of his personality that disseminates through the entire team. Jessie Bates III, a leader of the team, sums it up best regarding Penix.
“I’ve never seen Mike get overwhelmed,” Bates said Penix.
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FLOCKING TO THE BALL
BY MAX WOLBORSKY
The Atlanta Falcons defense is back in full force in 2025 as old and new faces all over the defensive unit are poised for a big return.
Whether they are first year pros or seasoned veterans, the Falcons defense looks a bit different from a season ago as offseason moves will give a handful of young talent an opportunity to shine when their name is called.
RULING THE ROOST
The 2025 Atlanta Falcons defense will be under new management, but with a familiar face at defensive coordinator as Jeff Ulbrich has made his way back to the Peach State after serving as interim defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2020 before spending four seasons with the New York Jets as the team’s defensive coordinator before serving as interim head coach for the better part of 2024. Ulbrich served as the linebackers coach in Atlanta from 2015-20, and spent the 2020 season under interim head coach Raheem Morris.
“You know it’s easy to talk about the chemistry that I have with Ulbrich,” said Morris. “I think we both separated, we’ve both grown and we have both come back. We both have high standards for ourselves. We both have a high demand for what we want things to look like and I have nothing but admiration and appreciation for being able to coach with a guy with as much talent as Jeff Ulbrich. To be able to get him back and bring him back into the fold, I know he is looking forward to the opportunity as well.”
Now back in Atlanta, Ulbrich has plenty of pieces to work with in a talented Atlanta Falcons defensive unit as he looks to establish a new identity on the defensive side of the ball.
Along with the addition of Ulbrich as the team’s new defensive coordinator, the defense went through other major changes including the departure of the long-time Atlanta Falcon Grady Jarrett to the Chicago Bears in free agency. Along with Jarrett’s departure to Chicago, the defense went through turnover such as the departure of Nathan Landman to the Los Angeles Rams and Justin Simmons in free agency.
With all that has moved on, the Falcons have plenty to look forward to with the returning talent on the 2025 roster.
A COUPLE OF BALLHAWKS
It’s hard to talk about this year’s defense without starting with Jessie Bates III. Returning for his third season with the organization, Bates has established himself time and time again as one of the top safeties in the league, continuously making plays for the
Falcons when they need him most. After making his way to Atlanta following five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Bates has seized the moment and consistently produced for the Falcons during his first two years in Atlanta.
In his pair of seasons with the Falcons, Bates has started in every game and was named second-team All-Pro in his first season with the organization in 2023.
In 2024, Bates turned in another stellar season as he recorded 102 total tackles to go along with two tackles for loss, one sack, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, four interceptions, and 10 passes defensed. He also recorded his third-career pick-six, a 55-yard score against the New York Giants.
Alongside Bates in the secondary, cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. has emerged as a premier defensive back in the National Football League. The hometown kid out of Westlake High School will be entering his sixth season in the league after the Falcons drafted him with the 16th-overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Since draft night, Terrell has been exemplary for the organization while serving as the team’s top cornerback, guarding opponents top wideouts over the last five seasons. Terrell’s 2024 season included 66 total tackles, two tackles for loss, six passes defensed and two interceptions.
Bates and Terrell highlight a talented second ary along with guys such as Mike Hughes, Dee Al ford, DeMarcco Hellams and Jordan Fuller along side rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. who will look to play a big role in their first taste of professional football.
Along with a skilled secondary, the Falcons linebackers have continued to make strides and are set to capitalize on an improved 2024 sea son. Kaden Elliss is once again at the forefront of the Falcons defense as he turned in an im pressive season a year ago. From his lineback er spot, Elliss was a key member of last year’s defense, recording a team-high of 151 total tackles, 49 more than the next highest. Elliss also led the team in quarterback hits with 16 while finishing top three in other categories such as tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (five). Atlanta also added Divine Deablo in free agency following four seasons with the Raiders when he recorded 288 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six passes defensed and six quarterback hits.
Atlanta made two first-round selections for the first time since 2019 as the team se lected a pair of linebackers in Jalon Walker (15th overall) and James Pearce Jr. (26th overall) to address its pass rushing needs.
The Falcons used four-of-five selections on defensive players in the 2025 NFL Draft as the team used two first-round draft picks on a pair of 2024 All-SEC Coaches’ Football Team members in Walker out of Georgia and Pearce out of Tennessee.
Both Walker and Pearce posed many problems for opposing SEC offenses for years, combining for 32 sacks in their college football careers.
Rounding out the defense, this year’s defensive line is made up of veteran and youthful talent as last year’s second-round selection Ruke Orhorhoro will slide into a more prominent role in the front seven. David Onyemata enters his third season in Atlanta after recording 45 total tackles a season ago, alongside newly-acquired defensive asset Morgan Fox and Kentavius Street as they provide a veteran presence on a young defensive line. Zach Harrison also returns to the team this season following a 2024 campaign when he logged 26 total tackles and one sack. The combination of Fox, Street, Harrison and second-year defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus on the defensive line combines for plenty of years of experience in a defense that is more on the youthful side in 2025.
With the many different playmakers on the roster, look for this year’s defense to play with a chip on its shoulder when the season begins.
ULBRICH, FALCONS REUNITE
BY CRAIG SAGER II
The Atlanta Falcons searched for new leadership on the defensive side of the ball following the conclusion of the 2024 season and departure of former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake. That endeavor led to the re-introduction of Jeff Ulbrich to the franchise on Jan. 18 and welcomed back Coach Ulbrich following his most recent stint with the New York Jets (2021-24). Ulbrich previously spent six seasons with the Falcons (2015-20) and is bringing much more experience to the table this time around. These additional years of experience add to Ulbrich’s impressive coaching resume and compliments his ability to connect to his players as a former player that excelled on football’s biggest stage.
MIND OVER MATTER
Ulbrich is a brilliant football mind and is also a ‘play er’s coach’ that began as a standout football player and wrestler at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Ca lif. After redshirting his freshman season at San Jose State, he transferred to Gavilan College where he was rewarded with first-team all-conference honors. He then transferred to Hawaii where he began to blossom as a middle linebacker.
In his two seasons at Hawaii, he became one of the most decorated defensive players in the school’s his tory. As a senior captain who started in all 12 games, he led the Western Athletic Conference with 169 total tackles, a school record. He also broke the school re cord for assisted tackles in a single season with 127. His efforts earned him a spot on the All-WAC first team.
After a successful tenure at Hawaii, Ulbrich was taken in the third round (86th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played 10 seasons with the team, starting in 13 or more games in four of those seasons. His most successful season came in 2004 where he started in 14 games (played in all 16) and recorded 93 total tackles and one interception. While in San Francisco, he played for former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Richard Smith. His coaching career started in Seattle as a special teams assistant for the Seahawks in 2010 and 2011 before going back to college and coaching at UCLA from 2012-14. In February of 2015, Jeff Ulbrich left UCLA to become the new Atlanta linebackers coach. It took just one year for the Falcons defense to improve from ranking last in total defense in 2014 to 18th overall in 2015 and fourth against the run with just 78.6 yards allowed per game.
“I’d really like to thank Arthur Blank,” said Ulbrich
on Jan. 27. “To be a part of an organization with such an amazing owner—what he’s done, not just for this organization, this fan base, but what he does in the community of Atlanta—just honored to be part of it again. Then, to be with a head coach which I love and really believe is the best in football, to be back with him is beyond exciting. I can’t wait to get started with these guys, get started with this entire defensive staff, these players. It’s coming home for me. I’m honored and I’m grateful. I’m in a very amazing place in Atlanta.”
PULLING FROM THE PAST
different place. I’m really excited for Raheem and myself. I’m going to spend the first two weeks here to really self-scout and assess what they did last year. It’s an opportunity to learn the roster. It’s an opportunity to learn Raheem’s scheme and the Falcons scheme and what they tried to get accomplished last year. Then after a couple of weeks of that, we’re going to sit down and get into the lab. This is what I think we can integrate what we did in New York. This is what we can refine that you were doing. This is something that we need to eliminate and really provide and create something that’s maybe never been done before from a schematic standpoint. So, excited about that, too.”
football brain is in a completely
doesn’t see,” explained Ulbrich.
Most Valuable Packaging
This season, aluminum is the MVP – most valuable packaging. Made with infinitely recyclable aluminum, cans, cups and bottles are the most sustainable and therefore most valuable beverage packaging. Novelis, the O cial Recycling Partner of the Atlanta Falcons, encourages fans to recycle here and everywhere.
FACES OF THE FALCONS
BY GRAHAM DAVID
ARTHUR M. BLANK
OWNER AND CHAIRMAN
BLANK FAMILY OF BUSINESSES
Arthur M. Blank, a co-founder of The Home Depot corporation and the owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, is recognized as a successful businessman and community leader. Blank’s Family of Businesses includes the Falcons, United, Atlanta Drive GC of the TGL, the PGA TOUR Superstore, Mer cedes-Benz Stadium and three ranches in Montana. He is also well-known for his philanthropy and his Ar thur M. Blank Family Foundation has donated more than $1 billion to community causes since its founding in 1995. The recipient of the Sports Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, Blank was inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor in 2024 and was the ESPN 2021 Sports Philanthropist of the Year.
RICH MCKAY
head coach in 2020. Morris captured a second Super Bowl as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, leading a defense that averaged 1.5 takeaways per game and ranked third in sacks (50) and fifth in tackles for loss (85) during the regular season. In January of 2024, Morris was hired as the 19th
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER – AMBSE
Rich McKay has served in a variety of prominent positions throughout the decades. McKay is one of the league’s most distinguished and influential executives and began his illustrious tenure as general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl with the franchise in 2002. McKay was hired by Owner and Chairman Arthur M. Blank in 2004 as Atlanta’s general manager before being named team President in 2008 and Chief Executive Office of AMBSE and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Falcons in 2011. McKay transitioned to his latest role in January, 2024. As CEO of AMBSE, McKay oversees the business operations of the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the shared services functions that support the entire AMBSE portfolio. AMBSE President Tim Zulawski, Falcons President Greg Beadles and United CEO Garth Lagerwey, as well as senior leaders of AMBSE’s shared services, report to him.
from the Rankin Smith Family to Arthur M. Blank in 2001. His direct experience with team and facility operations compliments a deep understanding of business and the importance of strong values.
TERRY FONTENOT
GENERAL MANAGER
Terry Fontenot enters his fifth year as General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons after taking the position in January of 2021 following an 18-year stint with the New Orleans Saints. He attended the Stanford Business School’s Executive Education NFL-Stanford Program for Managers in 2012, a prominent educational program for up-and-coming executives. Fontenot was a four-year letterman at safety for Tulane (1999-2002), serving as team captain in 2001. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and organizational information technology.
RAHEEM MORRIS
HEAD COACH
Raheem Morris has coached for over two decades in the NFL, starting as a defensive quality control coach in 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he won a Super Bowl with the team. Morris was announced as the Bucs’ head coach in 2009 and was later hired by the Falcons in 2015, serving as a defensive backs coach, wide receivers coach, offensive and defensive passing game coordinator and interim
Zac Robinson played quarterback at Oklahoma State University and was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2010. After his playing career, Robinson served as a senior analyst at Pro Football Focus (PFF) for two years, analyzing quarterbacks and most notably touting three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes coming out of college. Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay hired Robinson to his coaching staff in 2019 as the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach. He won Super Bowl LVI with the team in 2021 and was promoted to quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in 2022. During his first year as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator in 2024, the Falcons ranked sixth in total yards per game.
JEFF ULBRICH
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Jeff Ulbrich most recently served as the interim head coach for the New York Jets at the end of the 2024 season following four years as the defensive coordinator. While calling the Jets defense in 2021-24, Ulbrich’s defense was the only unit in the league to rank in the top five of total defense in each of the last three seasons. Across those three seasons, his defense ranked first in total defense (305.7 yards per game), first in passing defense (183.5 yards per game), fifth in tackles for loss (269), eighth in sacks (136) and ninth in scoring defense (21.1 points per game). He previously served on Atlanta’s coaching staff (2015-20) as a linebackers coach, assistant head coach and interim defensive coordinator before taking over as defensive coordinator in 2025.
RUN IT BACK
While the NFL is littered with skilled running back rooms all over the league, look no further than to the Atlanta Falcons who have one of the most talented and up-and-coming running back groups in the league as Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Carlos Washington Jr. return for another exhilarating year of Atlanta Falcons football in 2025.
The Falcons also welcome back Elijah Dotson, who spent time on Atlanta’s practice squad in 2024, in addition to 2025 undrafted free agent Nathan Carter and offseason acquisition Jashaun Corbin to join the backfield and bolster the group.
IT’S BIJAN’S WORLD
The Atlanta running back room is led by none other than Robinson, the eighth-overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of the University of Texas, as he is poised for another superstar season with the Falcons.
Last season once again proved as to why Robinson is one of the most dynamic skill position players in all of football as his versatility and elusivity set him apart from the rest of the competition.
A year ago, Robinson was a true ‘do-it-all’ guy for the Falcons in 2024 and made his presence felt all over the field in both the rushing and passing game for Atlanta. Robinson accumulated 1,887 scrimmage yards along with 15 total touchdowns in 17 games.
His totals from last season surpassed his rookie year by a wide margin as the running back saw more opportunities in both the run and pass game. During his second-year campaign, Robinson rushed for 1,456 yards, close to 500 more yards than he ran for in his rookie season. After getting 90 more carries in 2024 than his rookie season, Robinson averaged close to 18 rushes a game and averaged close to 86 yards per game on the ground, the fourth-most rushing yards per game in the league after seasoned veteran running backs such as Saquon Barkley (125.3), Derrick Henry (113) and Jonathan Taylor (102.2).
Though he finished with the third-most rushing yards in the league last season, Robinson was one of the more effective pass catchers as his fluid route running and eva-
siveness make him a tough tackle in the open field.
Through the air, Robinson was magnificent, totaling the fifth-most receiving yards by a running back in the league (431) along with the third-most receptions (61) and fourth-most targets in the passing game (72) by a running back a year ago. Robinson averaged just over 25 yards a game through the air as he showcased his versatility, lining up all over the field in Zac Robinson’s offense.
While Robinson’s numbers truly speak for themselves, they do not even begin to showcase the full playmaking ability of the running back as he continues to show his elusiveness and dynamic playmaking ability. Robinson has been everything the Falcons could have dreamed of when they selected him in the 2023 NFL Draft.
As he progresses into his third season in the league, Robinson will move into a more defined leadership role as he and the team will look to make the next step into the postseason for the first time since 2017.
TWO BIRDS OF A FEATHER
The talent in the running back room begins with Robinson, however, his counterpart in Allgeier is a perfect complement to Robinson’s game as he brings the ‘thunder’ to Robinson’s ‘lightning.’
At 5-11, 215 pounds, Allgeier provides a ‘bruiser’ mentality to complement the smooth and shifty game that Robinson brings to the table.
Drafted a year before Robinson in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of BYU, Allgeier has excelled in his role in the offense under multiple schemes.
A season ago, Allgeier’s stats consisted of 137 rushes for 644 yards, reaching the end zone three times while averaging just under 38 yards per game, coming in for Robinson and proving he can handle the workload.
Building off of last season when the Falcons finished ranked 10th for most rushing yards across the season (2,219), Robinson and Allgeier will continue to establish themselves as one of the top running back duos in the league in 2025.
With Robinson and Allgeier carrying the load last season, the Falcons rushing totals were up there with some of the best in the NFL. They finished tied for eighth in rushing touchdowns (18), 10th in rushing yards per game (130.5), and seventh in scrimmage yards (6,502) to round out the impressive offensive output the Falcons put on the field last season.
As Robinson and Allgeier have proved throughout the past two seasons together, the duo remains as consistent and reliable as ever and will have to keep it up with a new quarterback under center in Michael Penix Jr. as the second-year signal caller will be in his first full season starting.
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW
Along with Robinson and Allgeier, Washington and Corbin round out the very young running back room. Going into year four, Allgeier is the most experienced followed by Robinson, Washington then Corbin.
Washington has not seen the field much in a crowded backfield as Robinson and Allgeier have taken up the majority of the snaps throughout the last two seasons, but there will be opportunity for him and Corbin to contribute.
Washington, an undrafted free agent signing out of Southeastern Louisiana in 2023, appeared in one game for the Falcons in 2024. Corbin was signed this June after leading the UFL in rushing yards (514) while playing with the San Antonio Brahmas. Though they have not seen plentiful opportunities on the field thus far in their careers, Washington and Corbin are more than ready to go when their numbers are called.
As the Falcons’ offense looks to make the seamless transition to Penix as the organization’s starting quarterback, the running back room will be more important than ever as they can provide trustworthy options out of the backfield in both the passing and running game.
Robinson and Allgeier will look to build off a strong 2024 campaign while continuing to lead by example heading into the 2025 season.
BY MAX WOLBORSKY
FALCONS’ PUSH HAS FLAG FOOTBALL ROLLING
BY HAYDEN GILBERT
The state of Georgia has seen the sport of flag football explode in popularity over the last half-decade. When the GHSA began sponsoring flag football in 2020, only 87 schools played the sport, and there were only two divisions crowning champions. For the 2025 season, there will be five divisions and 293 total schools playing the sport with five state titles being awarded.
The Atlanta Falcons have played a huge role in the meteoric rise of the sport, and this past year was no different. Following the 2024 season, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation extended a helping hand to any school that wanted to start or expand a flag football program. The grant offered $10,000 to any school wanting to start a program, and $5,000 to any school that already had a program and was looking to improve upon it, an amount of money many smaller schools would be unable to afford without the grant. Additionally it takes away one of the most-common excuses for bigger schools, being the cost, to not start a program.
HIGH SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES
As a result, the 2025 season will see 45 new schools participating in flag football, a 15% increase from 2024. The sport’s continued growth has now led to the majority of GHSA member schools creating flag football programs. When the sport started in 2020, only 19% of schools had a program. Now, 64% of schools have one, a number that will continue to rise in the coming years as the sport expands further.
The sport is full of elite players and coaches. When it began, most coaches approached the sport similarly to how they approached tackle football. Now, many have developed plays and offensive strategies that take full advantage of flag football’s unique rule set. For example, teams often use the center as a major receiver, something not possible in tackle football, and often will put the quarterback in motion before snapping the ball to create plays similar to a bootleg. All of this contributes to a fun, distinct sport that is creative, exciting, and unlike any other.
With the rise of the sport, we have also begun to see more full-time flag football players. Initially, the sport was secondary for many athletes who were stars in softball, basketball, or soccer. However, in recent years, more players are focusing on flag football as their primary or only sport. Still, multi-sport athletes continue to enhance the game by bringing elite talent from across the athletic spectrum, putting high-end athletes from multiple
sports, not just one, on the field and bringing different skill sets and styles that are distinct from one another.
A prime example of the sport’s growth is that players are now receiving name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. In late March of 2025, Lithia Springs’ MyAngel Ross be came the first flag football player in state history to sign an NIL deal. This made her one of only about 60 high school athletes in Georgia to have signed NIL agreements. She joined players like Julian Lewis and Elijah Griffin, two of the premier tack le football players in the country, as players that have signed NIL deals since the legalization by the GHSA in the summer of 2023.
The expansion from two divisions to five has created more opportunity and parity across all levels. Fewer divisions once meant less parity and a greater chance for large schools to dominate smaller ones. That said, dominance hasn’t disappeared with more di visions, but has become harder to achieve.
Only three programs have won multiple flag football titles in the sport’s five seasons. How ever, no team has dominated like Southeast Bulloch. Since the program’s first season in 2021, the Yellow Jackets have lost only one game, a loss that didn’t come until the 2024 sea son. While no other team has won more than two titles, Southeast Bulloch has captured four straight in dominant fashion. Other prom inent programs include Pope and Greenbrier, both of which have won two titles and are coming off their second-straight champion ships. While McEachern has only one championship, they have consistently reached the quarterfinals or better every season and are primed for another run in the coming season.
In addition to the dominant teams, new con tenders emerge every year. Some, like North Oconee, stay competitive over time, while others peak for a single season before returning to the mid dle of the pack. One of the most special aspects of the sport is that it is purely about fun, a refreshing sight in a world that increasingly emphasizes competition and pressure. While most sports have become so special
ized, players working year round to play flag football is different. Most players play purely because they want to
The exposure for flag football teams has also grown since the sport’s inaugural year. The championships have been televised annually since 2020, alongside the tackle football championships in December, now played in the Falcons’ state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Additionally, the state’s premier kickoff event, the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, hosted its first Flag Football Classic in October of 2024, adding four more
BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL
Beyond high school, the sport has gained traction at the collegiate level. While not yet an NCAA sport, it is played at the club level and has been recommended as a sanctioned sport and will most likely be one in the near future with the NAIA already sanctioning it as a sport. Currently, 17 schools participate, including two from Georgia: Life University in Marietta and Reinhardt University in Waleska. With these college opportunities come partial scholarships, giving players even more incentive to pursue the sport and con-
Perhaps the most impactful upcoming event for flag football will be its Olympic debut in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It will join basketball, baseball, and softball as distinctly American sports on the world’s biggest stage. The viewership and exposure from the Olympics will likely accelerate the sport’s growth and may inspire schools that have yet to start programs to join in, as the sport gains legitimacy on one of the big -
None of the sport’s growth would have been possible without the support of the Falcons. More than just financial investment, the Falcons have legitimized the sport, giving young girls another outlet to showcase their
FALCONS CONTINUE TO MAKE OFF-FIELD IMPACT
BY GRAHAM DAVID
While much of the excitement surrounding the Atlanta Falcons pertains to their upcoming season on the football field, the franchise continues to engage in memorable off-the-field activities that not only promote the franchise but promotes those who make the Falcons fan base so special. At the forefront of these events is none other than Freddie Falcon, who has solidified himself as one of the most beloved mascots across all professional sports. When Freddie isn’t setting world records for the highest-ever indoor rope swing drop, he’s out and about engaging with the community and spreading team spirit to all around.
FEATURING FREDDIE
Among those welcoming Freddie to come generate excitement are the various schools throughout Georgia, with students eager to not only meet Freddie but to learn all the ways to truly Rise Up! Through the various School Show Programs, students can get a first-hand experience as Freddie shows what it means to be a Falcons fan.
Through the We’re All Dirty Birds pep rally, Freddie guides students in a high-energy fashion through Atlanta Falcons messaging and slogans to help create excitement for the season. The pep rally also includes surprise messages from the Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders and Atlanta Falcons players, in addition to notable Atlanta influencers. Another energetic performance, called S.A.C.K. Your Test, helps prepare students for Georgia’s annual standardized testing with Freddie leading the way in how to prepare for test day. Through the Peak Behind the Beak initiative, students are taught about character and career building, with an emphasis on anti-bullying. While Freddie the Falcon might not make a direct appearance, the performer underneath the costume aims to shed light on these important topics.
Earlier this May, the Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund, an associate-led fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and Georgia Power announced a new partnership with KABOOM! with sites set on building two new play structures for the children in Metro Atlanta. While the location of the second play structure has yet to be named, the first playground will be built within Randolph Medlock Park in Stone Mountain. As part of the project, local children will submit designs for their ideal playground, providing KABOOM! with designs to source the required materials for construction. Come launch day, none other than Freddie Falcon will be in attendance alongside representatives from the Falcons to help promote the initiative to encourage kids to remain active outside and make physical exercise a part of their everyday life.
BEYOND OUR BORDERS
While the entire Falcons roster will be making the trip to Berlin, Germany for the Week 10 international game
against the Indianapolis Colts in Olympic Stadium, punt er Bradley Pinion has already traveled internationally this offseason in early March in efforts to aid childhood de velopment initiatives. In partnership with Compassion In ternational, a child development organization that focuses on efforts to relieve children of poverty, Pinion and other Falcons players alongside Team Pres ident Greg Beadles and Head Coach Ra heem Morris traveled to the Dominican Republic to learn about Compassion’s continuous efforts to aid children suffering from poverty.
as it marked the first time a profes sional sports team partook in Com passion International’s work.
this before and I’m so grateful we had this opportunity,” said Beadles. “We are a values-driven organi zation both on and off the field, and we’ve always wanted to be a positive, impactful force for good in communities.”
representatives spent four days in the Dominican Republic visiting front-line church part ners, interacting with children through group activities, and visit ing the homes of mothers and chil dren in need.
directly impacted by Hurricane Helene as the Category 2 hurricane swept its way across the state. With over $7 billion in damages, repairing the damages set by Helene was no easy task. However, the Atlanta Falcons wasted no time in joining the efforts towards recovery and as part of the 2024 Hometown Huddle campaign with players joining together to participate in com munity service for the 17th consecutive year. Fal cons players and representatives spent their time packing hurricane aid kits and food bank boxes for those most affected by Helene, with players such as Kirk Cousins, Tyler Allgeier, Younghoe Koo, Chris Lindstrom, Bijan Robinson, Mi chael Penix Jr. and the rest of the Falcons in attendance to help aid the cause.
the Falcons, the Arthur M. Blank Fami ly Foundation also took action with a $2
million grant to World Central Kitchen (WCK). The WCK organization takes action at the frontlines by providing meals and water in the aftermath of humanitarian, climate and community crises, with the goal of serving hundreds of millions of meals around the world. The grant donated by the Family Foundation was used for immediate relief
“As a community, we are defined by how we come together in times of need,” said Arthur M. Blank, owner and chairman of the Blank Family of Businesses. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we have witnessed unimaginable devastation, but also the resilience and strength of the people affected. Our hearts are with those who have lost loved ones and been impacted in so many ways by this storm. We are so grateful for the brave first responders, neighbors and others who have bravely stepped in to help so many across the southeast and we continue to pray for their protection and safety throughout the recovery from this
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
In 2024, AMB Sports and Entertainment Senior Vice President of Community Engagement and Sports Philanthropy Chris Millman was named as the Falcons nominee for the 2024 Salute to Service Award, given annually to an individual within the NFL who has gone above and beyond to honor and connect with the military community. Under Millman’s leadership, the Falcons have engaged with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and have hosted grieving families during VIP trips to various Falcons games. Additionally, the Falcons established the Veterans Community Fund, which gives $1 million annually in efforts to help veterans succeed after
In addition to these generous contributions, the Falcons continue to host their annual Fishing with the Falcons tournament, held at Lake Lanier. During this tournament, current and former Falcons players come together to host military veterans for an exciting fishing competition as the Falcons continue to establish themselves as true supporters to our
#0
DIVINE DEABLO
POSITION: LB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 226
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: VIRGINIA TECH
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders, Divine Deablo was signed by Atlanta to a two-year deal in March of 2025. Drafted in the third round (80th overall) by the Raiders, he accumulated 288 total tackles (166 solo), 10 tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, six passes defensed and two sacks across 54 games with the Raiders. In 2023, Deablo set career highs in games started (15), total tackles (106) and solo tackles (65). He played five years of collegiate football at Virginia Tech from 2016-20, appearing in 51 games with 39 starts. He finished his collegiate career with 206 total tackles, 117 solo tackles, 0.5 sacks, six interceptions, 11 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. As a senior in 2020 he was named first-team All-ACC, starting in nine games and recording 55 total tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble.
#1 DARNELL MOONEY
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 180
AGE: 27
COLLEGE: TULANE
A 2020 fifth round pick out of Tulane, Darnell Mooney was signed by the Falcons in 2024 after spending four years in Chicago. In his first season as a Falcon, Mooney recorded 64 receptions for 992 yards, and tied his career high with five touchdowns. During his tenure with the Bears, Mooney appeared in 60 games and recorded 213 receptions for 2,593 yards and 12 total touchdowns, including one rushing touchdown. Mooney set career highs in 2021 when he totaled 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and five touchdowns (one rushing). During his four seasons at Tulane (2016-19), Mooney appeared in 50 games, totaling 154 receptions for 2,572 yards and 19 touchdowns. Out of Gadsden, Ala., he played both wide receiver and defensive back for Gadsden City High School. He was an Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A first-team AllState selection after his senior season.
#3
JESSIE BATES III
POSITION: S
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 210
AGE: 28
COLLEGE:
One of the highest impact playmakers on the defensive side of the ball for the Falcons, safety Jessie Bates III returns for his third year in Atlanta. Going into his eighth season, Bates spent five years (2018-22) with the Cincinnati Bengals where he had 479 tackles, 14 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and earned second-team AP All-Pro honors in 2020. In March of 2023, Bates signed a four-year deal with the Falcons and has been a valuable anchor in the secondary. During the 2023 season he played in all 17 games, totaling 132 tackles, 11 passes defensed, six interceptions and three forced fumbles (all career highs). He earned second-team All Pro honors and was selected to his first Pro Bowl that same year. Last season, Bates recorded 102 total tackles along with four interceptions, with one returned 55 yards for a touchdown.
KHADAREL HODGE
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 210
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: PRAIRIE
KhaDarel Hodge enters his eighth year in the NFL (fourth year with the Falcons) after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018. In 2022, he signed with Atlanta and posted 202 receiving yards off 13 receptions and scored his first career touchdown. In 2023, Hodge posted career highs in receptions (14) and receiving yards (232). Last season, Hodge was named to his first Pro Bowl and helped secure a thrilling 36-30 overtime victory against the Buccaneers in Week 5 on a 45-yard touchdown to win the game. He appeared in 14 games as a rookie before signing with the Browns the following season, and posted 15 receptions for 256 yards in 25 games across two seasons (2019-20) with the team. Following the 2020 season, Hodge signed with the Lions and played in 16 games and recorded 13 receptions for 157 yards.
#5 DRAKE LONDON
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 215
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: USC
One of the Falcons’ top offensive threats, Drake London enters his fourth year in the NFL after being selected eighth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. In 2024, London had his best season yet, setting career highs in receptions (100), receiving yards (1,271) and touchdowns (nine). In 2023, he recorded 69 receptions for 905 yards and two touchdowns through 16 games. During his rookie season in 2022, London played in all 17 games and set a franchise rookie record with 72 receptions for 866 yards and four touchdowns. He became the first rookie in franchise history to have five or more receptions in five consecutive games. In 2021, London was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and was USC’s first player to record at least 15 receptions in numerous games. In 27 games, he totaled 160 receptions for 2,153 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Trojans.
YOUNGHOE KOO
POSITION: K
HEIGHT: 5-10
WEIGHT: 195
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Georgia Southern-product Younghoe Koo was the first player in school history to be an FBS All-American and first kicker in school history to be a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. Entering his eighth year in the league, Koo is 179-of-208 (86.1%) on field goals and 173-of-180 (96.1%) on extra points in his career. In 2020, he led the entire NFL in made field goals with an astounding 94.9 field goal percentage, earning him his first Pro Bowl selection. During his career with the Falcons, Koo has surpassed legendary kicker Matt Bryant for the most made field goals in a single season (37 in 2020) and is the first Falcon to make eight field goals over 50 yards in a season. In 2024, Koo kicked a 58-yard game-winning field goal against the Saints, the longest field goal of his career.
#7
BIJAN ROBINSON
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 215
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: TEXAS
The 2023 eighth-overall pick, Bijan Robinson was the highest running back drafted since 2018 when Saquon Barkley went second overall to the Giants. In his rookie season, he tallied 214 carries for 976 yards and four rushing touchdowns, while adding 58 receptions for 487 yards and four receiving touchdowns. In his second season, Robinson set career highs in attempts (304), rushing yards (1,456), rushing touchdowns (14) and receptions (61) while adding 431 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. Before his professional career, he played 31 games in three seasons at the University of Texas where he recorded 539 carries for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns. Robinson was named the 2022 Doak Walker Award winner, and was a unanimous first-team All-American. Born in Tucson, Ariz., he attended Salpointe Catholic High where he became the first player in Arizona to twice win the Ed Doherty Award and is the state’s all-time rushing touchdown leader with 114.
KYLE PITTS
POSITION: TE
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 250
AGE: 24
COLLEGE: FLORIDA
Kyle Pitts, the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, lived up to the hype his rookie season (2021) becoming the second rookie tight end in NFL history to post over 1,000 receiving yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka who accomplished the feat in 1961. He also became the first rookie tight end to be named to the Pro Bowl since Jeremy Shockey in 2002. Over four seasons with the Falcons, Pitts has played in 61 games, recording 196 receptions for 2,651 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2024, he recorded a career high in touchdowns with four. In his three seasons at the University of Florida, he posted 100 receptions for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns through 32 games. In his junior season, Pitts was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Mackey Award, given to the top tight end in college football.
#9
MICHAEL PENIX JR.
POSITION: QB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 220
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: WASHINGTON
The Falcons used their 2024 first round pick to select Michael Penix Jr. out of the University of Washington. Penix began his rookie season behind Kirk Cousins, but would take over the starting job for the last three games of the season. Throughout his rookie year, Penix totaled 61 completions for 775 yards and three touchdowns along with one rushing touchdown. Penix played six seasons of college football at Washington (2022-23) and Indiana (2018-21). He played in 49 games, completing 1,067-of-1,685 passes (63.3%) for 13,741 yards and 96 touchdowns. In 2023 he earned the Maxwell Award, was named a team captain and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. Penix led the Huskies to the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship after posting an undefeated 14-0 record and a Pac-12 Championship. In the semifinal against Texas, he was named the Sugar Bowl MVP after completing 29-of-38 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns.
#11
JALON WALKER
POSITION: EDGE
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 245
AGE: 21
COLLEGE: GEORGIA
The 15th-overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft, Jalon Walker looks to make an immediate impact on defense. He played three seasons of collegiate football at the University of Georgia (2022-24), totaling 89 total tackles (56 solo), 12.5 sacks, three passes defensed and one forced fumble while appearing in 43 games for the Bulldogs. In 2024, he recorded 60 total tackles (37 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two passes defensed and two fumble recoveries across 14 games, earning him the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. That same season, he totaled seven quarterback pressures, three sacks and a fumble recovery against Texas, earning him SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Walker attended Salisbury High School in North Carolina, and was the 2021 North Carolina Gatorade Football Player of the Year after a season when he recorded 79 total tackles and eight sacks.
#12
EASTON STICK
POSITION: QB
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 224
AGE: 29
COLLEGE: NORTH DAKOTA STATE
A fifth round (166th overall) pick by Los Angeles in the 2019 NFL Draft, Easton Stick spent six seasons with the Chargers before being signed by the Atlanta Falcons in April of 2025. During his tenure with the Chargers he appeared in six games with four starts, totaling 112 completions for 1,133 yards and three touchdowns. Stick played collegiately at North Dakota State from 201518, and earned AP first-team All-America honors as a senior while leading the Bison to backto-back FCS championships across his final two seasons. He ended his collegiate career as the all-time winningest quarterback in FCS history with a 49-3 record, and finished as NDSU’s career record holder for passing yards (8,693), passing touchdowns (88), total offensive yards (11,216), yards per game (203.9), yards per play (7.97) and touchdowns responsible for (129). He was a three-time captain (2016-18), and was the Bison’s first sophomore captain since 2005.
#13
BRADLEY PINION
POSITION: P
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 265
AGE: 31
COLLEGE: CLEMSON
Bradley Pinion, an 11-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl champion, returns for his fourth year with the Falcons after punting 47 times for a total of 2,209 yards, averaging 47 yards per punt, and recording 14 punts downed inside the 20-yard line in 2024. Playing three seasons (2012-14) at Clemson University, he appeared in 34 games and punted 140 times for 5,754 yards (41.1 avg.). He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He appeared in 111 games over seven seasons with the 49ers and Buccaneers, averaging 43.7 yards per punt on 502 punts, which included 173 inside the 20-yard line. In 2019, Pinion set an NFL single-season record with 88 touchbacks on kickoffs. The following year, he posted the second-most touchbacks ever with 85 and won Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers. Pinion is a former USA Today High School All-American.
JAMAL AGNEW
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 5-10
WEIGHT: 190
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: SAN DIEGO
Jamal Agnew signed with the Falcons in March after spending seven seasons between the Detroit Lions and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Across those seasons, he totaled 77 receptions for 746 yards and five touchdowns in the receiving game. Agnew’s abilities as a return man were also on full display, as he currently leads the NFL with seven return touchdowns (four punt returns, two kickoff returns and one field goal return) since entering the league in 2017. He is one of just four players in NFL history to record at least one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown, one kick return touchdown and one field goal return touchdown during their career. As a rookie in 2017, he received first-team All-Pro honors, and was selected to the 2023 Pro Bowl. He played collegiately at San Diego as a cornerback, and totaled 148 total tackles, 59 passes defensed, 12.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery.
#15 EMORY JONES
POSITION: QB
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 211
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: CINCINNATI
Emory Jones, a Heard County High School alumnus, returned to Georgia after signing with the Falcons in December of 2024. He played six years of collegiate football between Cincinnati (2023), Arizona State (2022) and Florida (2018-21). Across those seasons, he went 601-of-953 passing for 7,099 yards and 51 touchdowns while adding 1,863 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. As a senior at Cincinnati in 2023, he started in 11 games and totaled 197 completions for 2,219 yards and 18 touchdowns, and added 560 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 155 attempts. In his lone season with Arizona State, Jones appeared in eight games with seven starts and completed 125-of-199 passes for 1,533 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding four rushing touchdowns. He appeared in 37 games for Florida, and went 279-of-432 passing with 3,347 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 1,272 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
#17
ARNOLD EBIKETIE
POSITION: OLB
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 250
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: PENN STATE
Arnold Ebiketie enters his fourth season with the Falcons after being selected in the second round (38th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Penn State. In the past three seasons, the Silver Spring, Md. native has played in 50 games and has recorded 93 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and five passes defensed. He played three seasons at Temple before transferring to Penn State in 2021. During his time at Temple, Ebiketie played in 24 games, recording 59 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles. In 2020, he was named second-team All-AAC after leading the team in tackles for loss (nine), sacks (four) and forced fumbles (three). In 2021, Ebiketie led Penn State with 18 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, while totaling 62 tackles, two forced fumbles and one pass defense. He was named second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten in 2021.
#18 KIRK COUSINS
POSITION: QB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 205
AGE: 36
COLLEGE: MICHIGAN STATE
After signing with Atlanta in 2024, Kirk Cousins went on to record 303 completions for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns across 14 games as the Falcons’ starting quarterback. He was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by Washington where he played 62 games through six seasons, completing 1,372-of-2,096 passes for 16,206 yards and 99 touchdowns. In 2018, he signed a three-year contract with the Vikings that was extended in 2020 for another three seasons. During his time with the Vikings, he played in a total of 88 games and was 2,093of-3,081 passing for 23,265 yards and 171 touchdowns. Cousins is a four-time Pro Bowler (2016, 2019, 2021-22), seven-time NFC Offensive Player of the Week, three-time NFC Offensive Player of the Month, and received the Bart Starr Award in 2023, given to a player that best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership on and off the field.
#19 CHRIS BLAIR
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 215
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
STATE
The Falcons signed Chris Blair in 2023, and in 2024 the wideout recorded his first-ever NFL reception, a 17-yard catch against the Giants. In 2023 he appeared in 12 games for the D.C. Defenders of the XFL, recording 26 receptions for 594 receiving yards and three touchdowns. A Louisville, Miss. native, Blair attended Louisville High School where he helped the Wildcats to an undefeated record en route to a 2013 Class 3A state championship and earned Class 3A All-State honors as a junior. Blair attended Hinds Community College for two seasons (201617) and recorded 16 receptions for 218 yards and three touchdowns. He transferred to Alcorn State where he played two seasons (2018-19), catching 87 passes for 1,460 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 26 games. During Blair’s senior season, he ranked sixth in the FCS with an average of 21.1 yards per catch.
#20 DEE ALFORD
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 180
AGE: 27
COLLEGE: TUSCULUM COLLEGE
Entering his fourth year in the league and with Atlanta, Dee Alford has appeared in 48 games since joining the Falcons in 2022 and has totaled 149 total tackles, 24 passes defensed, four tackles for loss and one interception. In 2024, he started a career-high 11 games and totaled career highs in total tackles (83) and passes defensed (11). Before joining the Falcons in 2022, Alford spent the 2021 season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, posting 48 tackles, four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and one forced fumble in 14 games. Alford attended Tusculum University where he played for four seasons (2016-19). In 40 career games, he tallied 140 tackles, 40 passes defensed (school record), 10 interceptions (third-most), 50 punt returns and 547 career punt return yards (third-most). The Griffin, Ga. native attended Spalding High School where he led the region in interceptions and won the 4A All-Region Georgia Southwest Bowl Game Team MVP.
#21 MIKE HUGHES
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 5-10
WEIGHT: 190
AGE: 28
COLLEGE: UCF
Mike Hughes is entering his eighth NFL season and third season with the Falcons. He was selected by the Vikings with the 30th-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and spent three years in Minnesota before one-year stints on the Chiefs and Lions. In 2024, Hughes set career highs with the Falcons with 15 games started, 66 total tackles and four tackles for loss. Hughes played three seasons of college football at UCF (2017), Garden City (Kan.) Community College (2016) and North Carolina (2015). He earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors at cornerback and second-team All-AAC as a return specialist at UCF in 2017. In three years at the collegiate level, he totaled 107 tackles (87 solo), 17 passes defensed, one forced fumble and six interceptions. Hughes attended New Bern High School in North Carolina, and quarterbacked the program to a 16-0 record and a 4A state title as the game’s MVP.
#22
CLARK PHILLIPS III
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 5-9
WEIGHT: 185
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: UTAH
Clark Phillips III is entering his third season in the NFL after being selected in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Last season across 16 games, Phillips logged career highs in total tackles (35) and tackles for loss (three) while also recording his first interception. In his rookie season, he appeared in 11 games, and recorded 27 total tackles (22 solo), five passes defensed and one tackle for loss. Phillips played three seasons (2020-22) at Utah where he totaled 112 tackles (84 solo), 21 passes defensed, nine interceptions, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 31 games. In 12 games in 2022, Phillips totaled 24 tackles (16 solo), two tackles for loss, one sack, six passes defensed and six interceptions. He was named second-team All-Pac-12 in 2021, first-team All-Pac-12 in 2022, a unanimous All-American in 2022, and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
#23
DeMARCCO HELLAMS
POSITION: S
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 203
AGE: 25
COLLEGE:
After missing all of last season due to an ankle injury, DeMarcco Hellams is back in Atlanta’s secondary. He was selected in the seventh round (224th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Hellams appeared in 15 games (four starts) as a rookie in 2023, recording 40 total tackles (25 solo), one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. He played four seasons (2019-22) of college football at Alabama. During his sophomore year in 2020, Hellams recorded 62 tackles (36 solo), three passes defensed, two tackles for loss and one sack as Alabama marched its way to another national title. In his junior season in 2021, he made 87 tackles (54 solo), three tackles for loss, three passes defensed and three interceptions. In his senior season in 2022, he made 108 tackles (67 solo), three tackles for loss, one sack, seven passes defensed, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
A.J. TERRELL JR.
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 200
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: CLEMSON
A.J. Terrell Jr. is heading into his sixth season in the NFL and sixth year starting in the Falcons’ secondary. He was selected by Atlanta with the 16th-overall pick in 2020. Starting in 78 games for the Falcons, Terrell has recorded 313 total tackles (233 solo), 13 tackles for loss, one sack, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 49 passes defensed and six interceptions. He was named second-team All-Pro in the 2021 season. Terrell played three seasons (2017-19) at Clemson and posted 103 total tackles (73 solo), 14 passes defensed, six interceptions (returned for a total of 160 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown), four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 44 games (30 starts) for the Tigers. Terrell was named third-team All-ACC in 2018 and first-team All-ACC in 2019. The Atlanta, Ga. native attended Westlake High School where he was named the Class 7A Player of the Year by the Coaches Association.
#25 TYLER ALLGEIER
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 225
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: BYU
Tyler Allgeier is going into his fourth year in the NFL as a key piece of the Falcons’ backfield. He was drafted by Atlanta with the 151st-overall pick in 2022. In 50 games, Allgeier has totaled 2,362 rushing yards on 533 carries and has scored 10 touchdowns on the ground in addition to two receiving touchdowns. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2022. Allgeier played in 41 games (21 starts) over four seasons (2018-21) for BYU and totaled 2,904 yards on 452 carries and 36 touchdowns. He also added 46 catches for 437 yards and one receiving touchdown. In his redshirt freshman season, Allgeier played at running back and linebacker, rushing for 119 yards on 17 carries and notching 26 tackles on defense. In 2020, he picked up 1,130 rushing yards on 150 carries and 13 touchdowns, earning honorable mention All-America honors.
#26
CARLOS WASHINGTON JR.
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 210
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
Carlos Washington Jr. enters his third year in the NFL and third with the Falcons. He originally signed with the Falcons following the 2023 NFL Draft. Washington started his college career at New Hampshire where he redshirted in 2017. In 2018, he tallied 99 carries for 582 rushing yards and six touchdowns. In 2019, Washington recorded 138 carries for 601 rushing yards and three touchdowns. In one game in 2020, Washington picked up 30 rushing yards on 10 carries. Appearing in 10 games in 2021, he gained 547 rushing yards on 117 carries and one touchdown. Washington transferred to Southeastern Louisiana for his senior season in 2022 and had 715 rushing yards on 147 carries and 15 touchdowns. He attended Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Md., and as a senior totaled 1,200 rushing yards, 300 receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns. He was an All-Metro selection by the Washington Post.
#27 JAMES PEARCE JR.
POSITION: EDGE
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 243
AGE: 21
COLLEGE: TENNESSEE
The Falcons traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft to select James Pearce Jr. in the first round (26th overall) out of the University of Tennessee. As a Volunteer, he appeared in 39 games over three seasons (2022-24), totaling 71 total tackles (44 solo), 19.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two passes defensed and one interception. In 2024, he totaled a team-high 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, in addition to 38 total tackles (23 solo), one pass defense, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Pearce earned back-to-back first-team All-SEC honors in his sophomore and junior seasons, and was a 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist. In 2023, he logged a career-high 10 sacks and earned first-team All-SEC honors from both the AP and coaches. He played his prep career at Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, N.C. and recorded 14.5 sacks during his senior season.
#28 MIKE FORD JR.
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 6-0
WEIGHT: 199
AGE: 29
COLLEGE: SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
After spending the 2022 NFL season with the Falcons, Mike Ford Jr. returns to Atlanta after a twoyear stint with the Cleveland Browns. Before his first time with the Falcons, Ford spent three seasons with the Detroit Lions and one season with the Denver Broncos. Across his seven seasons in the league, he has totaled 111 total tackles (90 solo), two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit, six passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one interception. He set a career high in total tackles (28) during his first season with the Browns in 2023. Ford played three seasons (2015-17) of collegiate football at Southeast Missouri State University, and recorded 113 total tackles (81 solo), 33 passes defensed, seven interceptions, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks for the Redhawks. He earned second-team All-Ohio Valley honors in 2016. He attended Marquette Catholic High School in Alton, Ill., and earned first-team all-conference honors on both offense and defense.
#29
JORDAN FULLER
POSITION: S
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 203
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
Drafted in the sixth round (199th overall) by the Rams in 2022, Jordan Fuller spent four seasons in Los Angeles and one year with the Carolina Panthers before joining the Falcons this March. During his tenure with the Rams, he appeared in 48 games with 46 starts, and totaled 279 total tackles (175 solo), two tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, 17 passes defensed and seven interceptions. In 2021, Fuller started in 16 games for the Super Bowl Champion Rams, and ended the season ranked seventh among defensive backs with a career-high 113 total tackles, which also led the team. Across his lone season in Carolina, he appeared and started in nine games and recorded 54 total tackles (28 solo), one pass defense and one forced fumble. He played collegiately at Ohio State (2016-19) and played in 52 games, recording 224 total tackles (167 solo), six tackles for loss, six interceptions and 10 passes defensed.
#30 JASHAUN CORBIN
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 200
AGE: 24
COLLEGE: FLORIDA STATE
After leading the United Football League with 514 rushing yards while playing with the San Antonio Brahmas, Jashaun Corbin was signed by the Falcons on June 17. He previously spent time within the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers organizations after the Giants signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Corbin split his time playing collegiate football between Florida State (2020-21) and Texas A&M (2018-19). With the Aggies, he played in 14 games and recorded 96 rushing attempts for 483 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to 16 receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown. As a Seminole, Corbin appeared in 21 games and logged 224 rushing attempts for 1,288 yards and 12 touchdowns. Across the 2021 season, he set career highs in rushing attempts (143), rushing yards (887), rushing touchdowns (seven), receptions (25) and receiving yards (144). He played his prep football career at Rockledge High School in Rockledge, Fla.
XAVIER WATTS
POSITION: S
HEIGHT: 6-0
WEIGHT: 203
AGE: 23
COLLEGE:
Xavier Watts joins the Falcons after Atlanta selected him in the third round (96th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He spent five seasons with the Fighting Irish (2020-24) and appeared in 55 games, recording 188 total tackles (117 solo), nine tackles for loss, 18 passes defensed, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 13 interceptions. He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American (2023-24), with his 13 interceptions across those two seasons being the most by any FBS player during that span. In 2024, Watts was a team captain, and ranked second in the nation in interceptions with six, including a 100-yard picksix. He was named the Sugar Bowl Defensive MVP after recording seven tackles (six solo) and one tackle for loss in a 23-10 win over Georgia. In 2023, Watts was the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner, and was named Notre Dame’s Defensive Player of the Year.
KEVIN KING
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 200
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: WASHINGTON
#32
Kevin King enters his seventh NFL season and second with the Falcons. He was originally selected by Green Bay with the 33rd-overall pick in 2017 and spent five years with the Packers. Across 66 games, King has recorded seven interceptions, 32 passes defensed, 207 total tackles and five tackles for loss. He played collegiately at Washington from 2013-16. In his freshman year, he recorded 17 tackles (14 solo), one fumble recovery and one pass defense. As a sophomore, he had 65 tackles (43 solo), one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, three passes defensed and one interception. In his junior season, he totaled 39 tackles (24 solo), five tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, five passes defensed and three interceptions and was named an All-Pac-12 honorable mention. King finished his college career with 44 tackles (26 solo), four tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed and two interceptions as a senior.
#33
BILLY BOWMAN JR.
POSITION: DB
HEIGHT: 5-10
WEIGHT: 194
AGE: 22
COLLEGE:
Billy Bowman Jr. joins the Falcons after Atlanta selected him in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. He played four seasons of collegiate football with the Sooners, appearing in 47 games (41 starts) while recording 199 total tackles (122 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 14 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and 11 interceptions. In 2024, Bowman started all 12 games for the Sooners, was named to the All-SEC third team and was a recipient of Oklahoma’s Don Key Award. In 2023 he started in all 13 games for Oklahoma, and his six interceptions led the Big 12 while his 238 interception return yards and three interceptions returned for touchdowns led all of FBS. He attended Billy Ryan High School in Denton, Texas, and earned second-team All-America honors in addition to helping lead Billy Ryan to a Class 5A Division I State Championship.
#34
RAY-RAY McCLOUD III
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 5-9
WEIGHT: 185
AGE: 28
COLLEGE:
Ray-Ray McCloud III heads into his eighth NFL season and second with the Falcons. Last season, McCloud set career highs in receptions (62) and receiving yards (686) during his first year in Atlanta. He was originally selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Since entering the league, McCloud has appeared in 94 regular-season games and has caught 152 passes for 1,454 yards and two touchdowns in addition to 25 carries for 271 yards and one touchdown over seven seasons with the Bills, Panthers, Steelers, 49ers and Falcons. He played college football at Clemson from 2015-17. In 40 games, McCloud registered 127 receptions for 1,226 yards and four touchdowns. On special teams, he returned 50 punts for 485 yards, including one returned for a touchdown. He was named a second-team All-American and third-team All-ACC in 2017 and won the 2016 National Championship with the Tigers.
#35
NATRONE BROOKS
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 175
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
Natrone Brooks was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and logged his first career stats in 2024, five total tackles and one pass defense. He played college football at Copiah-Lincoln Community College from 2018-19 and Southern Mississippi from 2020-22. At Copiah-Lincoln, Brooks recorded 59 tackles (45 solo), 11 passes defensed, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick in 19 games. In his first year at Southern Mississippi, Brooks registered 39 tackles (25 solo), four tackles for loss, seven passes defensed and one interception. In 2021, he tallied 18 tackles (11 solo), two tackles for loss, eight passes defensed and one interception. In 2022, Brooks recorded 29 tackles (18 solo), three passes defensed, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. He attended Starkville (Miss.) High School and in 40 games recorded 136 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and six interceptions.
#36
QUINCY SKINNER JR.
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 205
AGE: 22
COLLEGE:
After playing four seasons of collegiate football at Vanderbilt, Quincy Skinner Jr. joined the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2025 to help bolster the receiving corps. During his time with the Commodores, he amassed 66 receptions for 809 yards and eight touchdowns across 41 games. In 2024 he appeared in 13 games, totaling 29 receptions for 367 yards and three touchdowns, including a seven-yard touchdown against Georgia Tech in a 35-27 Birmingham Bowl victory. Skinner played in 10 games in 2023, recording 20 receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns. That same season, he made the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. Skinner, a consensus three-star prospect, lettered three years at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was part of the team that won the school’s 12th state championship, the most by any Florida high school. He also lettered on the school’s track and field program.
#37 COBEE BRYANT
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 6-0
WEIGHT: 180
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: KANSAS
After four seasons of collegiate football at the University of Kansas, Cobee Bryant joined the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. He appeared in 47 games for the Jayhawks, and recorded 128 total tackles (107 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 22 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 13 interceptions and two pick-sixes. Bryant was the first Jayhawk in Big 12 history to be named first-team All-Big 12 in three-straight seasons (2022-24). In 2024, he was a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 defensive back, and recorded 37 total tackles (26 solo), four tackles for loss, a half sack, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and four interceptions. In 2023, his four interceptions tied for the team lead. Bryant attended Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, Ala., and recorded 38 tackles and eight interceptions as a senior, with five being returned for a touchdown.
#38
NATHAN CARTER
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 5-10
WEIGHT: 202
AGE: 22
COLLEGE: MICHIGAN STATE
Following a collegiate career split between the University of Connecticut (2020-22) and Michigan State University (2023-24), Nathan Carter joined the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. As a Huskie he redshirted his first year before appearing in 17 games for UConn, totaling 190 attempts for 983 rushing yards and three touchdowns, in addition to 24 receptions for 166 receiving yards. Carter then transferred to Michigan State for the final two years of his collegiate career. As a Spartan, he appeared in 24 games and rushed the ball 301 times for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 40 receptions for 276 yards and two touchdowns through the air. In 2024, Carter led the Spartans with a career-high five rushing touchdowns, and ranked second on the team in carries (116) and rushing yards (499). In 2023, he rushed for a career-high 798 yards for the Spartans.
#38 LAMAR JACKSON
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 212
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
A 2020 undrafted free agent, Lamar Jackson rejoins the Falcons in 2025 following four seasons in the league with the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. Across those seasons Jackson appeared in 25 games, recording 31 total tackles (29 solo), one tackle for loss and four passes defensed. He appeared in two games for the Falcons in 2024, but did not record a stat. Before his time in the NFL, Jackson played collegiately at Nebraska for four seasons (2016-19). During his tenure with the Cornhuskers, he appeared in 47 games (36 starts) and recorded 123 total tackles (92 solo), seven tackles for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He set career highs in total tackles (40), interceptions (three), tackles for loss (four) and passes defensed (12) as a senior in 2019. Jackson played prep football at Franklin High School in Elk Grove, Calif.
#39
KEITH TAYLOR
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 195
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: WASHINGTON
A fifth-round draft pick (166th overall) by the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 NFL Draft, Keith Taylor joins the Atlanta Falcons after spending time within the Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs organizations. He appeared in 34 games across two seasons in Carolina, recording 67 total tackles (55 solo), one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and six passes defensed. He was signed to the Chiefs practice squad in 2023, and would become a Super Bowl Champion after Kansas City’s 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In 2024, Taylor appeared in 11 games for the Chiefs, recording five total tackles (three solo). He played four seasons of collegiate football at Washington (2017-20), and in 43 games recorded 91 total tackles (61 solo), four tackles for loss and 10 passes defensed. Taylor played prep football at both St. John Bosco and Servite High School in California.
#40
JD BERTRAND
POSITION: ILB
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 230
AGE: 25
COLLEGE:
JD Bertrand recorded 23 total tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack as a rookie after Atlanta selected him with the 143rd-overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Bertrand attended Blessed Trinity High School in Georgia where he won back-to-back state championships in 2017 and 2018. He played college football at Notre Dame (2019-23) and appeared in 50 games for the Fighting Irish, totaling 266 tackles (154 solo), 24 tackles for loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles. Bertrand redshirted his true freshman season. In 2021, he had 101 total tackles (63 solo), seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass defense. In 2022, Bertrand recorded 82 tackles (45 solo), nine tackles for loss, two sacks and three passes defensed. In 2023, he had 76 tackles (41 solo), eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five passes defensed and one forced fumble.
#41
ELIJAH DOTSON
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 5-9
WEIGHT: 202
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: NORTHERN COLORADO
Elijah Dotson joined the Atlanta Falcons after spending time with the Los Angeles Chargers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023. As a Charger, he appeared in four games in 2023 and recorded four rushes for six yards and two receptions for 13 yards. Dotson played five seasons of collegiate football at Sacramento State in California before transferring to the University of Northern Colorado in 2022. In that season, he played in 11 games and totaled 208 carries for 933 yards and six touchdowns, in addition to 48 receptions for 300 yards and two touchdowns through the air. After five years with the Sacramento State Hornets, Dotson left the program ranked seventh in school history with 2,466 rushing yards, sixth in career attempts (451), seventh in career touchdowns (22) and fifth in career yards per carry (5.47). He played prep football at Antelope High School in Sacramento, Calif.
#41
DONTAE MANNING
POSITION: CB
HEIGHT: 5-10
WEIGHT: 190
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: OREGON
Dontae Manning joined the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He played four seasons of collegiate football at the University of Oregon, not including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season when he appeared in one game. Across his time at Oregon, Manning recorded 80 total tackles (57 solo), one tackle for loss, 14 passes defensed and two interceptions. As a senior in 2024, he set career highs in tackles for loss (one) and interception return yards (24) while tying his career high in passes defensed with six. As a junior in 2023, he recorded career highs in total tackles (25), solo tackles (17) and passes defensed (six), and snagged his first-career interception. In 2022 Manning appeared in 13 games, recording 20 total tackles (15 solo) and one pass defense. As a freshman in 2021 he appeared in 13 games, finishing with 17 total tackles (11 solo) and one pass defense.
#42 JOSH WOODS
POSITION: ILB
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 240
AGE: 28
COLLEGE:
With six years of NFL experience, Josh Woods returns to the Falcons after appearing in five games across the 2024 season and registering one tackle on special teams. Prior to his time in Atlanta, he spent five years within the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals organizations. In those seasons he appeared in 65 games with eight starts, and recorded 122 total tackles (76 solo), four tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, one pass defense, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In 2023 during his lone season with the Cardinals, he set career highs in total tackles (61), solo tackles (33), sacks (0.5) and games started (seven). He played four seasons of collegiate football at the University of Maryland (2014-17), and amassed 107 total tackles (72 solo), six tackles for loss, six passes defensed, two interceptions and one forced fumble. He played his prep career at the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Md.
WEIGHT: 218
AGE: 22
COLLEGE:
earned second-team All-Big 12 accolades and set career highs in total tackles (76), solo tackles (35), tackles for loss (four), sacks (one), passes defensed (five) and forced fumbles (two). In that same season, he set a career high for tackles in a single game, registering 13 in a 20-19 rivalry win against Iowa. In 2023 he appeared in 10 games for Iowa State, and recorded 47 total tackles (26 solo), two interceptions, one tackles for loss and four passes defensed. He played prep football at Hamilton High School in Ohio.
#44 TROY ANDERSEN
POSITION: ILB
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 245
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: MONTANA STATE
After suffering a season-ending injury in 2023, Troy Andersen returned in 2024 and recorded 47 total tackles and snagged his first career interception, which he returned 47 yards for a touchdown. In Andersen’s rookie season in 2022, he recorded 69 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass defense and one forced fumble. He recorded 12 tackles in his first career start against the 49ers in 2022, which is second-most by a Falcons player in their first career start since 2000. He spent four seasons at Montana State where he played linebacker, running back and quarterback. He was named first-team All-Big Sky in 2018 playing quarterback for the Bobcats, and was a unanimous first-team All-American and named 2021 FCS ADA Defensive Player of the Year. He grew up in Dillion, Mt., where he helped lead Beaverhead County High School to the Class A state championship in 2016 and was named Montana Defensive Player of the Year.
#46 LENNY KRIEG
POSITION: K
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 214
AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: BERLIN, GERMANY
A Berlin, Germany native, Lenny Krieg was one of five specialists to be invited to the 2025 NFL Combine as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. While there, his performance was impressive enough to land him a three-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Krieg previously played two seasons for Stuttgart Surge (2023-24) in the European League of Football (ELF). During those seasons, he went 19-for-26 (73.1%) on his field goal attempts, and set a career long of 52 yards. Additionally, he connected on 101-of-126 extra point attempts (80.2%). His 99 points scored during the 2024 season made him the league’s highest-scoring kicker. Krieg began his football career in the German Football League while playing for the U19 team of the Berlin Adler. After his debut season in 2021, he was promoted to the senior team and was later named the Adler’s Rookie of the Year in 2022.
#47
JOSHUA SIMON
POSITION: TE
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 240
AGE: 24
COLLEGE: SOUTH CAROLINA
After playing six seasons of collegiate football between the Western Kentucky (2019-22) and South Carolina (2023-24) programs, Joshua Simon joined the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2025. Across his collegiate career, he recorded 154 receptions for 1,921 yards with 24 touchdowns. During his last season with the Gamecocks in 2024, he set career highs in receptions (40), receiving yards (519) and touchdowns (seven). He became the only tight end in school history to lead the team in all three categories, and was named to the All-SEC fourth team following the season. While at Western Kentucky, Simon totaled 86 receptions for 1,146 yards and 16 touchdowns. His 16 career touchdowns became the most in school history by a tight end, and in 2022 he was named second-team All-Conference USA. He played his prep football career at Crestwood High School in Sumter, S.C.
BRALEN TRICE
#48
POSITION: OLB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 274
AGE: 24
COLLEGE:
Bralen Trice returns after an ACL injury sidelined him for his rookie season. After spending five years with the Washington Huskies, he was drafted by the Falcons in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Trice played in 40 games with the Huskies, starting in 29. In those 40 games, Trice accumulated 101 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in three seasons. The Phoenix-native recorded 49 tackles in 2023, leading the Huskies in sacks with seven on the year. Trice was rewarded with first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He was one of two Washington Huskies selected by Atlanta in the 2024 NFL Draft along with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Trice was a huge part of the Huskies national championship run where they made the College Football Playoff semifinals against the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl. He recorded five total tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks against the third-seeded Longhorns.
#49 LIAM McCULLOUGH
POSITION: LS
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 245
AGE: 28
COLLEGE:
OHIO STATE
After a four-year contract extension in March, Liam McCullough is back to resume long snapping duties for the Falcons. He played in all 17 games in 2024, and snapped for every field goal, punt and point after in 2023, helping Younghoe Koo (692) pass Mick Luckhurst (558) for the third-most points in team history. McCullough spent his college career at Ohio State where he snapped in 55 games and was a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award which goes to the top long snapper in the country. He was also Academic All-Big Ten all four years at Ohio State. McCullough grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended Worthington Kilbourne High School where he became the number one ranked long snapper in the country by 247Sports. He would be invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American game and would follow his Brother, Roen, to Ohio State who also snapped for the Buckeyes.
#51
DeANGELO MALONE
POSITION: OLB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 235
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: WESTERN KENTUCKY
DeAngelo Malone is coming into his fourth season playing for his hometown team. Malone grew up in Ellenwood, Ga. and went to Martin Luther King Jr. High School for three years, where he earned first-team All-State honors, before transferring to Cedar Grove High School for his senior year. At Cedar Grove he helped lead the Saints to a 13-2 record and a Class 3A State Championship. Malone has spent his entire NFL career with Atlanta, recording 51 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks. Malone played collegiately at Western Kentucky, playing five seasons for the Hilltoppers. While in Bowling Green, Malone became the all-time sack leader in Western Kentucky history when he recorded 34 sacks and was second all-time in tackles for loss with 61. He was a three-time first-team All-Conference USA selection and earned two Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year awards.
#52
JOVAUGHN GWYN
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 310
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: SOUTH CAROLINA
Jovaughn Gwyn was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round (225th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. He made the active roster out of training camp and appeared in one game during his rookie season, and one game in 2024. Gwyn attended South Carolina where he played for five seasons. He made his first start for the Gamecocks in 2019 and started 11 games that season. He was a team captain for his final two seasons and earned the 2022 Outstanding Student Athlete Award. During his five seasons, Gwyn made 47 starts and helped the Gamecocks produce their first 1,000-yard rusher since 2013. He grew up in Charlotte, N.C. and attended Harding University High School where he would help lead the team to a 14-1 record and a 4A State Title. He was named first-team All-State by the Associated Press and named to the NC Preps All-Class and 4A All-State teams.
CALEB JOHNSON
POSITION: LB
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 220
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: HOUSTON CHRISTIAN
After going undrafted in 2021, Caleb Johnson signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. In his lone season with the Bears, he appeared in 14 games and recorded eight total tackles (four solo) and one fumble recovery. He then spent three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2022-24), and appeared in 51 games while recording 30 total tackles (20 solo) and one forced fumble on special teams. He played collegiately at Houston Christian (2016-20), and became the first player in the program’s 11-year history to sign with an NFL team. In 2020 after recording 49 tackles across just four games, he was named Southland Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his collegiate career ranked first all-time in program history with seven fumble recoveries, second with 10 sacks and third with 278 total tackles. He played his prep football career at Point Loma High School in San Diego, Calif.
#54
BRANDON DORLUS
POSITION: DT
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 295
AGE: 24
COLLEGE: OREGON
After being selected in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, Brandon Dorlus appeared in two games as a rookie and recorded three total tackles. He played collegiately for the Oregon Ducks, and finished with All-Pac-12 honors three times in 2020, 2021 and 2023. He played in 58 games while at Oregon and tallied 108 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. In his senior season, he led the team with a career-high five sacks and helped lead them to the Pac-12 Championship game. Dorlus attended Deerfield Ridge High School in Florida for his junior and senior years of high school and Calvary Christian for his freshman and sophomore years. During his senior season, he earned first-team All-Broward County honors and helped lead Deerfield Ridge to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the 8A FHSAA semifinals while racking up 11 sacks and three forced fumbles.
#55 KADEN ELLISS
POSITION: ILB
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 240
AGE: 29
COLLEGE: IDAHO
Kaden Elliss has started every game for the Falcons since joining the team in 2023. In 2024, he set career highs in total tackles (151) and quarterback hits (16) and snagged his first-career interception. Prior to his time on the Falcons, Elliss spent four seasons with the Saints where he finished the 2022 season with a career-high seven sacks as well as 78 total tackles in 11 starts. Elliss went to the University of Idaho where he played four seasons with the Vandals and earned first-team All-Sun Belt as a senior. Over his four years in Moscow, Idaho he recorded 296 tackles, 17 sacks and six forced fumbles. Elliss is one of 12 children and grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah where he attended Judge Memorial Catholic High School. He helped lead the school to its first state championship in 30 years and was named Utah High School Athletic Associations MVP.
#56
LEONARD FLOYD
POSITION: EDGE
HEIGHT: 6-3
COLLEGE: GEORGIA
Leonard Floyd joins the Atlanta Falcons with nine years of NFL experience. Drafted ninth overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team following his rookie season. Across his four seasons in Chicago (2016-19), Floyd appeared and started in 54 games, recording 154 total tackles (108 solo), 26 tackles for loss, 44 quarterback hits, nine passes defensed, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and one interception which he returned for a touchdown. Floyd then spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams (2020-22), and appeared and started in 50 games while recording 184 total tackles (99 solo), 28 tackles for loss, 59 quarterback hits, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one interception. He became a Super Bowl Champion when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. Floyd spent one season with the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers before heading to Atlanta.
NICK KUBITZ
POSITION: ILB
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 229
AGE: 24
COLLEGE: NORTH DAKOTA STATE
Nick Kubitz signed as an undrafted free agent in 2025 following his six-year career at North Dakota State. In 2024 he started all 14 games for the Bison, and recorded 55 total tackles (31 solo), four tackles for loss, five passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one interception. In 2023, he appeared in 14 games (13 starts) and tallied 54 total tackles (28 solo), five tackles for loss and two passes defensed. He reached a season-high eight tackles in the NCAA semifinal game against Montana. He played his prep football career at Dubuque High School in Iowa, where he was a two-year starter and team captain. He was named first-team All-District and second-team All-State during his junior and senior seasons, and was named the Defensive MVP in the Iowa Shrine Bowl. He finished his prep career with 109 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks and four interceptions.
MICHAEL
#61 GONZALEZ
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 305
AGE: 22
COLLEGE:
The Atlanta Falcons signed Michael Gonzalez as an undrafted free agent in 2025 following a four-year collegiate career at the University of Louisville (2021-24). During his time as a Cardinal, he appeared in 51 games with 32 starts. As a senior, Gonzalez earned All-ACC honorable mention and helped lead a Louisville offense that averaged 185.2 yards per game on the ground and 449.2 yards per game of total offense. In 2023 he started all 13 games at left guard, appearing in over 850 snaps, and recorded 31 knockdown blocks. In 2022, Gonzalez appeared in 12 games at guard and tackle, and recorded 34 knockdown blocks. He played his prep football career at Sun Valley High School in Indian Trail, N.C., and was selected to the first-team AllUnion County team in addition to being named to the WSOCTVSports Big 22 Players to Watch.
#62
JORDAN WILLIAMS
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 315
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: GEORGIA TECH
After playing his prep football career at Gainesville High School and his collegiate career at Georgia Tech, Jordan Williams will continue to hit the gridiron in the state of Georgia after the Falcons signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He spent five years with the Yellow Jackets (2020-24) and finished his collegiate career with a school-record 53 starts, culminating with 19 consecutive starts in addition to playing 902 of the team’s 922 total snaps in 2024. In that same season, he surrendered just one sack in 453 passing plays. In 2023, he appeared in 11 games at right tackle and made 10 starts for an offensive front that allowed just 1.15 sacks per game, which led the ACC and ranked 15th in the nation. In 2022 he started all 12 games for Georgia Tech, and led all offensive lineman with 777 total snaps.
#63
CHRIS LINDSTROM
POSITION: G
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 310
AGE: 28
COLLEGE: BOSTON COLLEGE
Chris Lindstrom has become a household name, developing into one of the top guards in the league since being drafted 14th overall by the Falcons in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since 2022, he has made the Pro Bowl and been a second-team All-Pro selection every year. Lindstrom anchored an offensive line that helped the Falcons finish third and ninth respectively in 2022 and 2023 in rushing yards per game. Lindstrom played at Shepherd Hill High School in Dudley, Mass. where his father served as head coach. Lindstrom stayed close to home and enrolled at Boston College where he saw action in 50 games. He earned All-ACC honors twice and was named a second-team All-American by the Athletic. During his junior year, he led the Eagles in career starts (36) and career games played (38). In 2018, Lindstrom didn’t allow a single sack and earned All-ACC first-team honors for his dominant play.
RYAN NEUZIL
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 305
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
APPALACHIAN ST.
Ryan Neuzil signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2021, and made his NFL debut in 2022 in a Week 9 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, recording four snaps on special teams. Across three seasons in Atlanta, he has appeared in 43 games with 12 starts. Neuzil played collegiate football at Appalachian State (2016-20) and transitioned to play center before earning the starting job at left guard. With the Mountaineers, he was a two-time first-team AllSun Belt selection, and finished his collegiate career with 44 straight starts at left guard. During his four seasons at Appalachian State, the Mountaineers ranked seventh (2020), 16th (2019), 14th (2018) and 22nd (2017) in rushing yards per game, while ranking 40th (2020), 13th (2019), 21st (2018) and second (2017) in sacks allowed per game. Neuzil played his prep football career at Braden River High School in Bradenton, Fla., and was a first-team All-District and All-Area selection.
#65
MATTHEW BERGERON
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 315
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: SYRACUSE
Matthew Bergeron was drafted 38th overall by the Falcons in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In his rookie campaign, he started all 17 games, and played in a team-high 1,129 offensive snaps, all while adjusting to the guard position after spending an overwhelming majority of his collegiate career at tackle. In 2024, he blocked for a Falcons offense that ranked sixth in the league with 369.82 yards per game. Bergeron is a native of Thetford Mines, Quebec, Canada, where he was named Athlete of the Year in 2018 and became the first player in the city’s history to receive an NCAA Division I football scholarship, to Syracuse. As a freshman, Bergeron started in five games and was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Freshman second team, rotating between tackle and guard. He earned an All-ACC honorable mention in 2021 and second-team All-ACC honors as a senior in 2022.
JOSHUA GRAY
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 299
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: OREGON STATE
After going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, Joshua Gray signed with the Atlanta Falcons in April. He spent six seasons with the Oregon State Beavers (2019-2024), redshirting in 2019. In 2020, he started in all seven games for the Beavers, and earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors. In 2021, he appeared in 13 games and helped lead an Oregon State offense that averaged 396 yards per game overall and 196.5 on the ground, placing the Beavers among the league’s best. In 2022 he earned his second second-team All-Pac 12 honors, and followed with a 2023 season that saw him start in 11 games with 682 snaps, once again earning second-team All-Pac 12 honors. During his final season with the Beavers in 2024, he started all 12 games and recorded a team-high 916 snaps, allowing just one sack. He ended his collegiate career with an Oregon State-record 56 career games started.
#68 KYLE HINTON
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 315
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
Kyle Hinton was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by Minnesota, and made his NFL debut as a reserve at left tackle for the Vikings in Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 and played in 16 games, starting one. He appeared in all 17 games for the Falcons in 2024, contributing on offense and special teams. He spent three seasons at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. where he started in 34 games at left tackle. At Washburn, Hinton received all-region honors in 2018 and 2019, All-America honors three times, and was a four-time all-MIAA offensive line selection. A two-sport athlete, Hinton also excelled on Washburn’s track and field team, finishing ninth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Hinton played both offensive and defensive line at Liberty High School in Peoria, Ariz. where he was a three-time academic all-district selection.
#69 JACK NELSON
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-7
WEIGHT: 314
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: WISCONSIN
The Atlanta Falcons selected Jack Nelson in the seventh round (218th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. He played five years of collegiate football with the Wisconsin Badgers (2020-24) but was redshirted in 2020, appearing in one game against Michigan. In 2021, he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after starting in all 13 games for Wisconsin at right guard. In 2022 Nelson once again earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, starting in all 12 games this time at left tackle. He remained at left tackle for the 2023 season, and started all 13 games for a Wisconsin offensive line that led the Big Ten in third down conversions (44.2%). Nelson played his prep football career at Stoughton High School in Stoughton, Wis., and was a three-time Badger South first-team All-Conference selection, in addition to Badger South Lineman of the Year. He won the Joe Thomas Award, given to the state’s top senior offensive lineman.
#70 JAKE MATTHEWS
POSITION: T
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 310
AGE: 33
COLLEGE: TEXAS A&M
Atlanta drafted Jake Matthews with the sixth-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and he has been a staple of the offensive line ever since, earning a spot on the NFC’s Pro Bowl roster in 2018. Going into his 12th season with the Falcons, Matthews is the longest-tenured player on the roster. In 2023, Matthews broke Matt Ryan’s franchise record of 154 consecutive starts when he notched his 155th against the Saints. He has since increased that record to 179. A former first-team All-District and All-Greater Houston honoree, Matthews has been anchoring offensive lines since his days at Elkins High School in Texas where he earned High School All-America honors from USA Today, Parade and SuperPrep in 2009. Matthews went on to play college football at Texas A&M, and as a senior was a consensus All-American, a unanimous All-SEC first-team selection, and received the Bobby Bowden Award.
#71
ELIJAH WILKINSON
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 310
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: UMASS AMHERST
After going undrafted following the 2017 NFL Draft, Elijah Wilkinson signed with Denver where he spent four seasons with the Broncos (2017-20). During those seasons, he appeared in 45 games with 26 starts, and also recorded two fumble recoveries. Wilkinson then spent the 2021 season with the Chicago Bears, appearing in 13 games with one start. He then signed with the Falcons for the 2022 season, and took over starting left guard duties. He blocked for a Falcons offense that rushed for more than 100 yards in 15-consecutive games, the third time in franchise history and first time since 2005. In 2023, Wilkinson appeared in 10 games (nine starts) for the Arizona Cardinals. He would rejoin Atlanta in 2024 and appeared in two games. Wilkinson played collegiately at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2013-16), playing in 37 games (33 starts). He played prep football at Downingtown West High School in Downingtown, Pa.
#72
KILIAN ZIERER
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-7
WEIGHT: 312
AGE: 27
COLLEGE: AUBURN
A native of Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Kilian Zierer grew up a soccer fan before first being introduced to American football during a trip to the USA when he was 15. At 16 years old he joined the Munich Cowboys, who compete within the German Football League (GFL). He played two seasons for the under-19 team at tight end and wide receiver before moving to offensive line with the Allgäu Comets. He began his collegiate football career at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. He was named all-conference at left tackle during his first year with the Cougars, and helped lead the team to a 10-0 record and SCFA National Division, Northern League championship. After repeating as champions with the Cougars the following year, Zierer committed to play for Auburn University where he spent three seasons (2020-22) with the Tigers. He started all 12 games in 2022 at left tackle.
CINDRIC
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 295
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: CALIFORNIA
After spending some time on the Falcons practice squad in 2024, Matthew Cindric returns with hopes of bolstering Altanta’s offensive line. He previously signed as an undrafted free agent to the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. He played six seasons of collegiate football at the University of California, Berkeley (2018-23), and appeared in 35 games (34 starts) at center and right guard. Cindric started a career-high 13 games as a 2019 redshirt freshman, and appeared in four games (three starts) in the shortened 2020 season. He was selected as a team captain in 2022 and started six games for the Golden Bears. He was a two-time Campbell Trophy winner, Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year and Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, he was a four-time member of the Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll (2019-21, 2023). He played his prep football career at Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash.
#74
TYRONE WHEATLEY JR.
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 320
AGE: 28
COLLEGE:
BROOK
Before joining the Atlanta Falcons in January of 2025, Tyrone Wheatley Jr. spent time within the Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots organizations. He has played in two NFL games, contributing to the Patriots special teams in 2023. He played collegiate football for the University of Michigan (2015-17) and Stony Brook University (2018), in addition to his graduate season at Morgan State where he did not appear in a game. While with the Wolverines, he appeared in 24 games and recorded six receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown. During his lone season at Stony Brook, Wheatley appeared in 11 games (eight starts) and totaled six receptions for 36 yards. He played prep football at Canisius High School in Buffalo, N.Y. and was named the Buffalo News’ Player of the Year. He is the son of former Michigan star and NFL running back Tyrone Wheatley Sr.
#75 BRANDON PARKER
POSITION: T
HEIGHT: 6-8
WEIGHT: 320
AGE: 29
COLLEGE: NORTH CAROLINA A&T
Drafted in the third round (65th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft by the then-Oakland Raiders, Brandon Parker spent six seasons with the organization before splitting time with the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons in 2024. Oakland traded its third (75th overall), fifth (152nd overall), and seventh round (212th overall) picks to the Baltimore Ravens in order to move up in the draft and select Parker. During his tenure with the Raiders, he appeared in 59 games with 33 starts at right tackle. He played collegiately at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C. for five seasons (2013-17). After redshirting his freshman year, Parker started all 12 games for the Aggies in 2014, earning third-team All-MEAC honors. He was awarded the MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year award in three-consecutive seasons (2015-17). He played his prep football career at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, N.C.
#76
KALEB McGARY
POSITION: T
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 330 AGE: 30
COLLEGE:
Kaleb McGary, the 31st-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has been a consistent force on the Falcons offensive line since joining Atlanta. Through a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, the Falcons moved up to acquire McGary, a decision that has paid dividends. He has been Atlanta’s starting right tackle since his rookie season, and has played in 93 total games with 92 starts. Standing at 6-6 and weighing 330 pounds, McGary helped lead an offense that ranked sixth in the league with 369.82 yards per game last season. At the University of Washington, he started in 47 games, and was named first-team All-Pac-12 in 2018. McGary also won the Morris Trophy for the top offensive lineman in his conference, and allowed just six sacks during his four years of collegiate football. At Fife High School, he was named the South Puget Sound League’s 2A Defensive Lineman of the Year.
#77
STORM NORTON
POSITION: OL
HEIGHT: 6-7
WEIGHT: 310
AGE: 31
COLLEGE: TOLEDO
Storm Norton begins his third year with the Falcons after signing with Atlanta in September of 2023. He was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and had stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Chargers, and the XFL’s Los Angeles Wildcats. Norton is a graduate of Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio, where he received second-team All-Conference honors, was named the district’s Lineman of the Year as a senior in 2011, and also lettered in basketball and track and field. He attended the University of Toledo, and started 28 games for the Rockets over the span of four seasons. In his collegiate career Norton led an offensive line that allowed five sacks in 2015, the second-lowest in the country, and helped the offense lead the MAC. Norton played in 17 games for the Falcons in 2024, including one start.
#80 NICK NASH
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 195
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: SAN JOSE STATE
The Atlanta Falcons signed Nick Nash as an undrafted free agent in April of 2025. He played six seasons of collegiate football at San Jose State University (2019-24), beginning as a dual-threat quarterback before transitioning to play wide receiver. Across his first three seasons with the Spartans, Nash went 106-of-189 passing for 1,317 yards and 10 touchdowns, in addition to 844 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The 2022 season saw Nash begin the transition to wide receiver, and he would catch his first-career touchdown in the 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In 2023, Nash made 48 receptions for 728 yards and eight touchdowns. During his final year with the Spartans in 2024, he recorded 104 receptions for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns, winning the NCAA receiving triple-crown for the regular season. Following the season, he was named first-team All-America and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
#81
DYLAN DRUMMOND
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-0
WEIGHT: 190
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: EASTERN MICHIGAN
An undrafted free agent in 2023, Dylan Drummond spent time with the Detroit Lions and New York Giants practice squads before joining Atlanta in January of 2025. He played collegiate football at Eastern Michigan University (2018-22), recording 183 receptions for 2,028 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a freshman, Drummond played in all 13 games (two starts) and recorded 25 receptions for 245 yards and one touchdown. The following season, he had 55 receptions for 493 yards and three touchdowns. He had his best outing in 2021, setting career highs in receptions (64), receiving yards (704) and touchdowns (six). During his final season in 2022, Drummond totaled 33 receptions for 525 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games. He played prep football at Cuyahoga Heights High School in Ohio, and finished his career as the school’s leader in single-season receiving yards (1,051), receptions (190), touchdowns (41) and defensive touchdowns (four).
#82 CASEY WASHINGTON
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-0
WEIGHT: 205
AGE: 24
COLLEGE: ILLINOIS
Casey Washington enters his sophomore season with the Falcons after being selected in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he caught one pass for 14 yards. Washington played five seasons (2019-2023) at the University of Illinois. During his tenure he appeared in 55 games, making 20 starts, and accumulated 122 receptions for 1,508 yards, averaging 12.4 yards per catch, with four touchdowns. In his senior year in 2023, Washington had a standout season with 49 receptions for 670 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games, placing him ninth in the Big Ten for receptions. As a junior in 2022, he played in 13 games and caught 31 passes for 306 yards. His sophomore season in 2021 saw him contribute 21 receptions for 294 yards across 12 games, while in 2020 he recorded 10 catches for 106 yards in eight games.
MAKAI POLK
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 192
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: MISSISSIPPI STATE
#83
After stints with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants from 2022-23, Makai Polk signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 2024. He appeared in 17 games for the Argonauts, logging 61 receptions for 1,024 yards and five touchdowns. He scored his first professional-career touchdown against the Montreal Alouettes and finished the season as the team’s leading receiver. He was named to the East Division All-CFL team, and helped lead Toronto to a 41-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 111th Grey Cup. Polk played collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley (2019-20) and Mississippi State University (2021). As a Golden Bear, he recorded 36 receptions for 478 yards and three touchdowns. With the Bulldogs, he started 13 games and led the team with a career-high 105 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns. He played prep football at El Cerrito High School in California.
#84
FELEIPE FRANKS
POSITION: TE
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 241
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
Originally a quarterback, Feleipe Franks signed as an undrafted free agent to the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 before transitioning to the tight end position. During his first stint in Atlanta (2021-22), he produced six rushing yards on offense while simultaneously contributing on special teams, logging 392 total snaps, 11 total tackles (seven solo) and one fumble recovery. After spending the 2023 season on the reserved/injured list, he joined the Carolina Panthers in 2024 and played 36 snaps on special teams with 10 total tackles (six solo) and one fumble recovery. Franks played collegiately at the University of Florida (2017-19) and the University of Arkansas (2020). As a Gator, he played in 28 games and went 367-of-622 passing for 4,593 yards and 38 touchdowns. During his lone season with the Razorbacks, Franks set the single-season school record for completion percentage (68.5%), going 163-of-238 passing for 2,107 yards and 17 touchdowns.
#85
TEAGAN QUITORIANO
POSITION: TE
HEIGHT: 6-6
WEIGHT: 259
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: OREGON STATE
With three years of NFL experience, Teagan Quitoriano joins the Atlanta Falcons following three years with the Houston Texans (2022-24). The Texans drafted Quitoriano in the fifth round (170th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, and during his rookie season he appeared in nine games (six starts) and recorded seven receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. In 2023, he totaled two receptions for 33 yards. Quitoriano played collegiately at Oregon State (2018-21), and across four seasons with the Beavers he recorded 40 receptions for 512 yards and six touchdowns. During his final year in 2021, he set career highs in receptions (19), receiving yards (214) and touchdowns (three). He played his prep football career at Sprague High School in Salem, Ore., where he was a four-year letterman as a tight end and defensive end. He was an All-State and All-League selection in both football and basketball, which he also lettered four years in.
#86 JESSE MATTHEWS
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-0
WEIGHT: 190
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: SAN DIEGO STATE
The Houston Texans signed Jesse Matthews as an undrafted free agent in 2023, but he did not appear in any games during his time with the franchise. He played four seasons of collegiate football at San Diego State (2019-22), appearing in 48 games and recording 174 receptions for 2,109 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a freshman, Matthews totaled 48 receptions for 633 yards and two touchdowns en route to being named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year and receiving a nomination for the Burlsworth Trophy. The following season he led the team in catches (24) and receiving yards (326), and was again nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy. In 2021 he set career highs in receptions (57), receiving yards (642) and touchdowns (nine), and was named Offensive MVP at the Frisco Bowl. Matthews played his prep football career at Christian High School in El Cajon, Calif.
#87
DAVID SILLS V
POSITION: WR
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 211
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: WEST VIRGINIA
After signing as an undrafted free agent to the Buffalo Bills in 2019, David Sills V spent the 2020 season within the New York Giants organization before making his NFL debut in 2021. He appeared in 13 games across the 2021-22 seasons with the Giants, recording 13 receptions for 123 yards. Sills spent the 2023 season with the Denver Broncos, appearing in three games with one start. He split his collegiate football career between West Virginia University (2015, 2017-18) and El Camino Community College (2016). As a Mountaineer, he played in 33 games and totaled 132 receptions for 2,097 yards and 35 touchdowns. During his 2017 season with West Virginia, Sills recorded 60 receptions for 980 yards and 18 touchdowns, leading to his selection as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award. In his lone season at El Camino, he played quarterback and went 127-of-237 passing for 1,636 yards and 15 touchdowns.
NIKOLA KALINIC
POSITION: TE
HEIGHT: 6-4
COLLEGE:
Nikola Kalinic was selected in the second round (10th overall) by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2019 Canadian Football League Draft. He appeared in 16 games that season and recorded 12 receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown. Following the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season, Kalinic took to the field again in 2021 with the Tiger-Cats and totaled 11 receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 and appeared in seven games, returning one kickoff for 15 yards. He spent the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Rams practice squad before appearing in two games in 2024. Kalinic played collegiately at York University (2015-18), and recorded 39 receptions for 439 yards and two touchdowns in 32 games with the Lions. During his final season, he set career highs in receptions (15) and receiving yards (168), earning him the team’s Frank Cosentino Team MVP Award.
#89
CHARLIE WOERNER
POSITION: TE
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 250
AGE: 27
COLLEGE: GEORGIA
Last season was a homecoming for Charlie Woerner, as the Tiger, Ga. native played his prep football career at Rabun County High School before playing four years at the University of Georgia. While at UGA, he appeared in 53 games and recorded 34 receptions for 376 yards and one touchdown. He caught his first touchdown during his senior year. Woerner was named to the SEC Football Leadership Council, in addition to being named to the First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by San Francisco. In his four seasons with the 49ers (2020-2023), he appeared in 65 regular-season games with seven starts, catching 11 passes for 120 yards, averaging 10.9 yards per reception. In his first season with Atlanta, Woerner started a career-high five games. He appeared in 16 games, totaling a career-high seven receptions for 46 yards.
#90
DAVID ONYEMATA
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 310
AGE: 32
COLLEGE: MANITOBA (CANADA)
David Onyemata enters his third season with the Atlanta Falcons with an impressive NFL career highlighted by his seven-year tenure with the Saints. Onyemata wasted no time bringing his high level of play to Atlanta after being signed to a three-year contract in March of 2023, and set new career highs during his first season with the Falcons in total tackles (50), assists on tackles (25), passes defensed (three) and forced fumbles (two). In 2024, he recorded 45 total tackles and eight tackles for loss, both second most in his career. Across 106 games (68 starts) in New Orleans, Onyemata totaled 244 tackles (131 solo), 28 tackles for loss, six passes defensed, one interception and 63 quarterback hits. During his fifth season as a Saint, he set then-career highs in total tackles (44), assists (24) and quarterback hits (16), along with a career high 10 tackles for loss and the only interception of his career.
#91
SIMEON BARROW JR.
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 283
AGE: 22
COLLEGE: MIAMI
The Atlanta Falcons signed Simeon Barrow Jr. as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft after a five-year collegiate career split between Michigan State University (2020-23) and the University of Miami (2024). In his lone season with the Hurricanes, he appeared in 13 games (12 starts) and recorded 30 total tackles (13 solo), eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass defensed en route to first-team All-ACC honors. Barrow opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, but across his three seasons playing for the Spartans he appeared in 34 games (30 starts) and recorded 110 total tackles (44 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, one pass defense, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles. Barrow’s journey to Atlanta is a bit of a homecoming, as the Georgia-native played his prep football career at Grovetown High School in Grovetown, Ga.
#92
KHALID KAREEM
POSITION: OLB
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 255
AGE: 27
COLLEGE:
Originally a fifth round (147th overall) draft pick by Cincinnati in the 2020 NFL Draft, Khalid Kareem spent two seasons with the Bengals, appearing in 23 games (one start) while recording 28 total tackles (14 solo), two tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Kareem then spent the 2022 season with the Indianapolis Colts, appearing in four games and posting one tackle and three quarterback hits. After spending one season with the Chicago Bears in 2023, he was signed by Atlanta in 2024 and played in two games for the Falcons, recording four total tackles (two solo). Kareem played his collegiate football career at Notre Dame (2016-19), and in 43 games for the Fighting Irish posted 109 total tackles (56 solo), 26 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, eight passes defensed, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
KENTAVIUS STREET
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 315
AGE: 29
COLLEGE: N.C. STATE
Returning for his third year with the Falcons after being traded for during the 2023 season from Philadelphia, Kentavius Street brings a strong presence to the team’s defensive line with his experience in disrupting offenses across multiple NFL teams. Street is entering his seventh season in the NFL, providing some veteran experience to the roster. In 78 games (10 starts) with the 49ers, Saints, Eagles and Falcons, Street has amassed 104 tackles (57 solo), including 21 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. During the 2023 season with the Falcons, Street started all five games he appeared in, totaling 14 tackles (nine solo), four tackles for loss, one sack, one quarterback hit, one pass defense and one fumble recovery. In 2024, he appeared in 13 games and recorded 15 tackles (nine solo), one sack, four tackles for loss and one quarterback hit.
#94
LaCALE LONDON
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 297
AGE: 27
COLLEGE: WESTERN ILLINOIS
LaCale London returns to the Falcons’ defensive unit boasting experience from the XFL and collegiate football. In 2023, London appeared in seven games with the Falcons, totaling 13 tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. Before his time in Atlanta, he showcased his talents with the St. Louis Battlehawks, making an impact in 10 games with 33 total tackles (15 solo), five tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. London’s collegiate journey began at Iowa Central Community College, where he displayed his pass-rushing prowess with six sacks in six games. Transitioning to Western Illinois for two seasons, London continued to excel, totaling 68 tackles (43 solo), 17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. His standout performance in 2019 included 45 tackles (26 solo), 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
TA’QUON GRAHAM
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 300
AGE: 26
COLLEGE: TEXAS
Ta’Quon Graham enters his fifth season with the Atlanta Falcons on the defensive line, coming from a competitive background from the University of Texas where he totaled 72 total tackles (41 solo), 23 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across four seasons (2017-20). Drafted in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, Graham swiftly acclimated to the professional level and across four years in the league has amassed 84 total tackles (35 solo), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, four tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits. His disruptive play style and tenacity helps to bolster the Falcons’ defense, offering a potent blend of athleticism and veteran football intelligence. Graham attended Temple High School in Texas, where he earned All-America, All-State and All-District honors. He helped lead Temple to an appearance in the 5A Division 1 state championship game as a senior in 2016.
#96 ZACH HARRISON
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-5
WEIGHT: 270
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: OHIO STATE
Zach Harrison was drafted by the Falcons in the third round (75th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft. Across his first two seasons in Atlanta, he amassed 59 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, four sacks and three passes defensed. During his four seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Harrison appeared in 46 games, making 28 starts. His impressive college career stats include 106 total tackles (63 solo), 26 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, 11 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and one interception. In his senior year in 2022, Harrison’s performance was exceptional, amassing 34 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one interception. His efforts earned him a first-team All-Big Ten selection. His leadership on and off the field was recognized as he was named a team captain and received second-team All-Big Ten (media) and third-team All-Big Ten (coaches) honors.
#98 RUKE ORHORHORO
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 295
AGE: 23
COLLEGE: CLEMSON
After being selected in the second round (35th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft by Atlanta, Ruke Orhorhoro appeared in eight games as a rookie and recorded 11 total tackles with one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. He emerged as a standout defensive lineman at Clemson University, showcasing promise throughout his five-season collegiate career from 2019 to 2023. Orhorhoro played in 53 games, including 30 starts, where he displayed defensive prowess with 88 total tackles (39 solo), 26 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and nine passes defensed. In his senior year in 2023, he started all 12 games and recorded 25 tackles (13 solo), eight tackles for loss, a career-high five sacks and one pass defense, earning recognition on the All-ACC third-team. Equally impressive in 2022, he contributed 23 total tackles (13 solo), eight tackles for loss, five passes defensed and four sacks in 14 games, receiving third-team All-ACC honors.
#99 MORGAN
POSITION: DL
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 275
AGE: 30
COLLEGE: COLORADO STATE (PUEBLO)
With eight years of NFL experience, Morgan Fox brings a veteran presence to the Atlanta Falcons defensive line. After going undrafted in 2016, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams where he would spend the next five seasons (2016-20). He appeared in 52 games for the Rams, recording 69 total tackles (50 solo), 14 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, 10.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and two passes defensed. Fox then played the 2021 season with the Carolina Panthers, playing in 17 games (nine starts) and recording 34 total tackles (16 solo), seven quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He played his next three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers (2022-24), appearing in 51 games (19 starts) and totaled 80 tackles (54 solo), 27 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and one pass defense.
