Calvin Johnson wanted to play for the Atlanta Falcons.

The retirement of Calvin Johnson after the 2015 season at just 30 years old was one of the biggest shocks in the NFL at the time. The former Detroit Lions receiver should be a Hall of Famer, but he made another big surprise when he admitted the Georgia native wanted to suit up for the Atlanta Falcons.

Johnson was born in Newman, Georgia and went to Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone before starring at Georgia Tech for three seasons before he was the No. 2 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

“Sitting there leading up to the draft, I am like shoot, boy I hope I go to Atlanta,” Johnson said during an interview with Glover Quin on his YouTube show called “The DB Room” on Wednesday. “Played my high school ball, played my college ball right here and then, playing in the NFL right here. That would be the best little thing ever. OK, Atlanta got No. 7. I might not be there. I hope they trade up to get me.”

Johnson never got his wish as the Lions and their fondness for drafting wide receivers at the top of the first round won out. It was a great pick for the Lions despite their lack of success as a franchise. Johnson who was referred to Megatron throughout his career finished with 731 receptions for 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns.

It’s hard not to imagine what the Falcons could have looked like with Johnson lined up on the other side of the field from Julio Jones with Matt Ryan throwing them the ball. It would be the most talented passing trio this side of Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne and could have helped result in the Falcons winning a Super Bowl in one of the seasons the Falcons got close but couldn’t seal the deal.

As for the Falcons, they took Arkansas defensive end, Jamaal Anderson who was a certified bust out of Arkansas.

For Falcons and Atlanta sports fans, this is just another in the long history of “what-ifs” for the franchise and their fans to obsess over.

Next: 15 sickest highlight tapes ever

The post Calvin Johnson wanted to play for the Atlanta Falcons, not the Detroit Lions appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Todd Gurley in the new all-black Atlanta Falcons jerseys is straight fire.

Deion Sanders once told us, “You look good, you feel good. You feel good, you play good…”

Prime Time is a legend in The ATL for a reason. Sanders is the best cornerback in the history of the NFL, and he got his professional start with the Atlanta Falcons back in 1989. He only played five years in Atlanta, but left an indelible mark on the NFC franchise. His No. 21 jersey with that 1990s “Back in Black” look is a precious commodity, and that’s why I have that kit hanging in my closet.

Since retiring numbers isn’t always possible in the NFL, the No. 21 jersey that used to belong to Sanders and former Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant now belongs to newcomer free agent running back Todd Gurley. After five years with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, Gurley comes back to Georgia where he played his college ball up the road in Athens. He’s a Dirty Bird now.

…and a good-looking one, too. In case you wanted to see what Gurley looks like in a Falcons jersey, check this out. The team’s official account tweeted out a picture of Gurley sprinting down the field in Atlanta’s new all-black threads. No, these aren’t the 1990s retro “Back in Black” throwbacks, but Atlanta just sold a ton of Todd Gurley No. 21 jerseys with this one sweet graphic.

Todd Gurley looks amazing in the Atlanta Falcons’ new all-black threads.

I touched on how incredible wide receiver Julio Jones looked in the controversial gradient jerseys yesterday. Admittedly, the gradient look was a tough sell initially. Putting Grady Jarrett in that uniform for the launch wasn’t the best idea unless you think his given name and gradient sound similar, then super! Jones just sold the hell out of some gradients, as Gurley did in the all-blacks.

You what’ll look better than Gurley in these all-black jerseys? Finding pay dirt after pay dirt wearing them, as the Dirty Birds destroy an NFC South rival at home in Uncle Arthur’s Spaceship. That train horn better be blaring louder than it ever has when Gurley scores his first touchdown for his adopted home state’s NFL franchise.

Gurley may have a lot of wear and tear on his body, but he’s only 25 years old. The guy is a relentless competitor and one who will give everything he has on his one-year contract with the Falcons. If he can approach 1,000 yards on the ground and help quarterback Matt Ryan out in the receiving game and for the love of god in pass protection, Gurley can have a great year in Atlanta.

Once your paycheck clears, go get yourself a Gurley all-black Falcons jersey and be a champion.

The post Todd Gurley in the new all-black Falcons jerseys is straight fire (Photo) appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Julio Jones makes the Atlanta Falcons’ new gradient uniforms look good.

Who doesn’t love Julio Jones?

For a decade, the man has gone to work in the Atlanta Falcons‘ receiving corps, becoming the most accomplished pass-catcher in the franchise’s 50-plus year history. With plenty still left in the tank, Jones has already assured himself a future first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame induction as arguably the greatest player in franchise history. He simply makes the Falcons look good.

This offseason, the Dirty Birds were one of a handful of teams to undergo a full-blown uniform change. Of all the ones that were released, Atlanta had dealt with more mixed reviews that most. While most people dug the black jerseys, especially the iconic 1990s “Back in Black” retros, the gradient jersey was the one most people had a hard time stomaching, including yours truly.

While putting Pro Bowl defensive tackle and Falcons legacy Grady Jarrett in the gradient did not go over well, seeing Jones in action wearing these threads kind of makes you wonder that maybe these aren’t the worst uniforms in the world? Winning makes any jersey look good, and perhaps Jones can give the Dirty Birds a couple of W’s rocking these kits in the coming years?

Julio Jones pulls of the Atlanta Falcons’ new gradient jerseys marvelously.

Yeah, we all get how Photoshop works, we’re not dummies. However, seeing Jones streak down the field in a jersey that fades from red to black, it’s growing on me and I kind of don’t hate it. Is being a Falcons fan an equivalent of NFL Stockholm Syndrome? I wish I could say it wasn’t, but I know what I signed up for many years ago. Regardless, Jones in the gradient isn’t too shabby.

We get it in that it’s very much a Color Rush concept. If the Falcons were wearing these every fall Sunday, we’d have a huge problem because this isn’t a turn of the century NBA team with shorts don’t to our ankles. Though it gives off tremendous Any Given Sunday vibes, we should all be thankful these jerseys are better than the Blake Bortles cat vomit kits of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Had Jones been the one to debut this jersey instead of Jarrett, maybe we would have hated it less initially? Jones has that kind of effect on us. He’s been one of the three best wide receivers for the better part of decade. Why is it always him and two other flavors of the year? He’s football greatness in pads, and that’s illustrated by him making a risky gradient jersey look good.

Jones just sold a bunch of No. 11 gradient jerseys in the Metro Atlanta area on Monday afternoon.

The post First look at Julio Jones in Falcons new gradient uniforms is all the eye emojis appeared first on Bet Sunday.

The Atlanta Falcons defense was way better in the second half of 2019, and it must continue in 2020.

A 1-7 start last season made it a foregone conclusion Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn would be fired during the bye week. But he survived, and the team went 6-2 down the stretch. Quinn is definitely still on the hot seat heading into the 2020 season, but what was behind the run during the second half of 2019?

Over the first eight games last year, the Falcons allowed 31.3 points per game. Over the full season, that would have been worst in the league. Over the final eight games, they allowed 18.6 points per game. Over the full season, that would have been tied for fourth-best in the league with the Chicago Bears.

During the bye week, Quinn notably gave up defensive play-calling to secondary coach Raheem Morris. That second half run got Morris promoted to permanent defensive coordinator after the season, a role that was left unfilled entering last year as Quinn took it over.

Over their first eight games in 2019, Atlanta forced just four turnovers and three of them came in one game. Over the final eight, they forced 16 turnovers with multiple turnovers forced five times. Naturally, the Falcons were a minus-11 in the turnover department in the first eight games and a plus-6 in the last eight games last year.

The Falcons came in toward the bottom of the league in sacks last year with 28. Salary cap constraints kept them from making any big splashes in free agency, but they did bolster the pass rush with Dante Fowler (11.5 sacks for the Rams last year). In a broader sense, a healthy season from safety Keanu Neal (four games played over the last two seasons) will go a long way toward the unit’s sustained improvement.

The NFC South now has Tom Brady, and the schedule is filled with plenty of other good quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees-twice, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins). So the defense will have to carry that second half run into 2020 for the Falcons to improve from 7-9.

If the defense is not up to the task, with a performance at least more along the lines of last year’s final eight games, the in-season firing that seemed imminent for Quinn last year will come this year. If he does make it to the end, another non-playoff season spurred by bad defense will surely lead to his firing.

The post Defense will be No. 1 key for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Matt Ryan addresses Rayshard Brooks’ killing by the Atlanta police.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan continues to be an advocate for Black Lives Matter after speaking on the death of Rayshard Brooks.

Then 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was shot three times in the back by a white Atlanta police officer on June 12 in a Wendy’s drive-thru and died.

That Wendys’ on University Avenue in Atlanta was set on fire the following night by protesters. The officer who killed Brooks was terminated and former Atlanta police chief Erika Shields resigned.

Matt Ryan issues statement following Rayshard Brooks’ killing in Atlanta.

“I spent the weekend trying to wrap my head around the killing of Rayshard Brooks,” wrote Ryan. “To be completely honest, I can’t. Rayshard Brooks should still be alive – end of story. We cannot continue to lose lives due to police brutality.”

“Atlanta, I see you, I hear you and I’m taking action with my Fund. I’m with you more than ever as we take the next steps in the fight police brutality and systemic racism. We can and we will Rise Up.”

Ryan, who had set up a GoFundMe on June 4 called “Advancing the Lives (ATL) of the Black Community, has been outspoken on the social injustices sweeping the United States these last few weeks. He started with a $500,000 personal donation to the fund with the plan of seeing it increasing to $2 million before taking action.

Atlanta has been Ryan’s home since he was drafted by the Falcons back in spring 2008. He’s been the city’s franchise quarterback for 12 years now, working on No. 13 and trying desperately to bring Atlanta a championship. The 2016 NFL MVP is already the greatest quarterback in franchise history, but his legacy in Atlanta and in the NFL won’t be on his play alone.

There are many NFL players who will be on the right side of history with the Black Lives Matter movement. Ryan’s courage and bravery to put himself out there like this with his words, his actions and his money will be something we’ll talk about for years to come.

You can donate to Matt Ryan’s GoFundMe for Advancing the Lives (ATL) of the Black Community here.

The post Matt Ryan issues statement on death of Rayshard Brooks: ‘We can and will Rise Up’ appeared first on Bet Sunday.

There is a Matthew Stafford vs. Matt Ryan Twitter battle going on now.

If you think Matthew Stafford is better than Matt Ryan, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

These are two of my favorite quarterbacks in the NFL today. Stafford played at my alma mater. I’ve never seen an SEC quarterback sling it like he did at Georgia. Ryan has quarterbacked my favorite team for the last decade-plus, leading the Atlanta Falcons to unprecedented heights. Yet, Twitter for some reason thinks Stafford is a better player than Ryan? Just stop it. You’re being so dumb!

The Draft Network’s Benjamin Solak put out a poll to tackle the greatest Twitter debate we never knew we needed in our lives. While people respect the job Stafford has done for making a terrible Detroit Lions team mediocre for the last decade, the amount of disrespect Ryan is getting from this poll is laughable, wrong and downright shameful. This is not that hard to figure out, people.

Ryan has won 40 more regular-season games, made 40 more starts, thrown for 10,161 more yards, 65 more touchdowns and only 13 more interceptions than Stafford. Ryan has missed three NFL starts, while Stafford has missed 27 games due to injury. In only one more year of play, Ryan has won NFL MVP, been to a Super Bowl and won four playoffs. Stafford hasn’t done any of this.

Matt Ryan is an infinitely better NFL quarterback than Matthew Stafford.

The big argument in Stafford’s favor is how deplorably bad the Lions have been since the 1950s. They have won one playoff game since the Falcons became an expansion team in the mid-1960s. Well, it wasn’t like the Dirty Birds were the gold standard of football-winning excellence down south either.

Prior to Ryan’s arrival in Flowery Branch in 2008, Atlanta had never had back-to-back winning seasons. In Ryan’s first five years in the league, the Falcons never had a losing record, made the NFC playoffs four times and won the division twice. Ryan has quarterbacked his team to two NFC Championship games at home. Stafford can’t get the Lions a home playoff game at Ford Field.

Though both quarterbacks are great friends, only one of them will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and that will be Ryan. Through 12 NFL seasons, Ryan has approached the Ken Anderson Line, which means he’s already at the asymptote of getting into Canton or not. With half-a-dozen years or so left in the tank, Ryan earns a gold jacket with one more Pro Bowl nod.

Related Story

5 players who Falcons need to be great in 2020

Read now >>

Stafford, however, will go down as his generation’s version of Vinny Testaverde, one hell of a passer, but more of a stat accumulator than anything. Both went No. 1 overall in their respective drafts to abysmal NFC franchises. Testaverde would leave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to have better personal success with the Baltimore Ravens and most notably the New York Jets.

When healthy, Ryan and Stafford are no-doubt top-15 passers in the league. At his best, Ryan approaches top-five territory, but usually hovers in the seven-to-nine range most years. When Stafford is humming, he can crack the top-10, but he’s typically in the 12-to-15 range more often than not.

Though Stafford has the better arm talent and plays for a more chaotic franchise, Ryan’s accuracy, dependability and leadership are why he’ll end up in Canton one day and Stafford will never surpass the Anderson Line for Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement.

There is no debate, as Ryan is the superior quarterback to Stafford anyway you slice it.

The post There’s a battle about Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan raging on Twitter appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Matt Ryan trolled his own team when asked about the Falcons pumping in crowd noise with no fans due to COVID-19.

The Atlanta Falcons know the consequences of illegally pumping in crowd noise, but this time around, they may actually be encouraged to do so.

With the COVID-19 pandemic potentially limiting fan exposure at live sporting events for the foreseeable future, the NFL has a rather large decision to make as to whether they’ll allow supporters at stadiums nationwide.

When asked about the potential of playing without fans, most players have stated the obvious — that they’re willing to suit up regardless of the circumstances. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, however, had a unique and rather classic response.

Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan referenced the team’s punishment for pumping in crowd noise in 2014.

“I’m not sure our organization should be talking about pumping in crowd noise,” Ryan said. “I think we had a small issue with that a little while ago.”

As Ryan references, the Falcons were fined and docked a fifth-round pick for pumping in crowd noise during the 2014 regular season. Such recklessness wasn’t tolerated by the NFL at the time, but these unique circumstances could make the practice encouraged in the 2020 season.

While the Falcons denied the allegations at the time, the NFL found former Pro Bowl wide receiver Roddy White responsible for adding to the Georgia Dome atmosphere by illegal means.

While rival fans laughed at the Falcons’ expense back then, ironically enough, the tune might change if viewers want anything that resembles an NFL atmosphere in 2020. Networks such as FOX initially tested the reaction to fake crowd noise in their Bundesliga broadcasts, which was met with mixed reviews.

Although the NFL has yet to officially rule on potential fan-less stadiums in the coming year, they’ll be evaluating all their options — even with Ryan’s jokes in mind.

The post Matt Ryan drops brutally honest quote trolling Falcons over crowd noise appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Hayden Hurst is getting a fresh start with the Atlanta Falcons, but here’s why he’ll be a fantasy bust this year.

The Baltimore Ravens drafted two tight ends in the 2018 draft, and with the emergence or Mark Andrews last year first-round pick Hayden Hurst fell by the wayside. But an offseason trade to the Atlanta Falcons looks like a breath of fresh air for the South Carolina product, in real and fantasy football terms.

The Falcons lost tight end Austin Hooper in free agency to the Cleveland Browns. He had 75 receptions (on 97 targets) for 797 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games last year, on is way to finishing as TE7 in standard fantasy scoring and TE6 in full PPR. In full PPR, Hooper averaged the third-most fantasy points per game among tight ends (14.8).

Over the last two seasons, the Falcons have targeted the tight end position 106 (2018) and 121 times (2019). Hooper had 88 and 97 targets in the respective seasons, good for 83 and 80.2 percent shares of the tight end targets. So Hurst is stepping into a substantial role, and going back to Tony Gonzalez quarterback Matt Ryan has kept a good tight end involved.

Why Hayden Hurst will be a fantasy football bust in 2020

The Falcons should be throwing the ball plenty again this year, with over 600 attempts for quarterback Ryan a virtual lock. Wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley will be the top two targets, with Ridley perhaps in line for a Chris Godwin-style breakthrough this year. Still, there should be 90-100 targets available for Hurst over 16 games. No. 3 wide receiver Russell Gage stands as competition for targets in the short and intermediate areas of the field, and running back Todd Gurley is in line for a solid passing game role too.

Kyle Yates of Fantasy Pros sees Hurst as a top-five fantasy tight end in 2020, and there’s a strong case for that. A projection in that range puts upside into his current TE10 ADP in full PPR (12-team leagues), with a top-10 finish perhaps his floor.

A limited role and Andrews’ emergence in Baltimore led to Hurst being the odd-man out, with value to be extracted in a trade and a needed change of scenery. In this unique offseason Hurst has been traveling to get reps in with Ryan, which is helpful as much as it can be considered overstated.

Getting someone like George Kittle and Travis Kelce can be an advantage for fantasy owners, but without one of that group it’s generally worth waiting to draft a tight end. Hurst is one of the poster boys for that middle ground at the position this year, even with some embedded upside.

Even with all of that positive vibe, I see a wide range of outcomes for Hurst in 2020. And if I’m going to embrace a lot of risk-reward, as one would do when they wait to draft a tight end, I’d rather do it even later on someone like Jonnu Smith, Noah Fant, Blake Jarwin or T.J. Hockenson. Even a little above Hurst’s ADP at the position, I’d rather make a bet on Evan Engram’s health and upside.

Based on his upper-middle ground ADP, Hurst might be the only tight end a lot of fantasy owners come out of their draft or auction with this year in a normal size league.

With the bust potential that’s not easily seen, as he shifts down the pecking order for targets in line with Ridley reaching a new level, drafting Hurst is a push down the path to streaming the tight end position in 2020.

The post Why Hayden Hurst will be a fantasy bust in 2020 appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Matt Ryan, Todd Gurley can make the Atlanta Falcons playoff contenders.

The Atlanta Falcons have 11 former first-round picks on the offensive side of the ball.

It’s an absurd amount of talent. Whether general manager Thomas Dimitroff drafted them or they came aboard via free agency, the Dirty Birds are loaded with all sorts of blue-chippers on offense. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has to be ecstatic about it, but also has to realize that any failure on that side of the ball this year falls directly onto him.

The biggest thing holding the Falcons offense back the last three years has been inconsistency in the running game. When Kyle Shanahan left for the San Francisco 49ers head-coaching gig in 2017, he took with him his family’s secret zone-blocking scheme recipe. Atlanta could still move the sticks with quarterback Matt Ryan, but the ground game’s effectiveness dried up completely.

One of the more high-profile moves the Falcons made this offseason was signing former Los Angeles Rams All-Pro running back Todd Gurley the day after he was cut by his former employer. Despite major concerns about his knee, Atlanta believes his talent, work ethic and a homecoming to Georgia will get the best out of the former UGA standout.

In recent weeks, Ryan has gone to Southern California to work out with Gurley, who is still over there after being let go by the Rams. Per ESPN’s Vaughn McClure, Ryan has been “really impressed” by the Falcons’ new starting running back.

“I’ve gotten to work with Todd and he’s awesome,” said Ryan to McClure. “Really, really good guy. A hard worker. He’s super-smart. The stuff I was telling him one day, the next day he had it done. I was really impressed with his ability to retain information. You don’t have to tell him twice. He’s on it.”

Matt Ryan, Todd Gurley’s Falcons connection is off to a great start.

Ryan has also held workouts with his teammates back in Atlanta during this chaotic offseason. Teammates like Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage, Ito Smith and newcomer tight end Hayden Hurst have done field work this spring with the former NFL MVP. It’s all gearing up towards what could be a special season for the Falcons nobody outside of Flowery Branch is expecting.

Since 2004, the Falcons have made the NFC playoffs each year there has been a presidential election in the United States of America. The only year the Dirty Birds didn’t win the NFC South came in Ryan’s rookie year in 2008, when Atlanta lost to the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals in Glendale on Wild Card Weekend.

Atlanta went 7-9 the last two seasons after making the NFC playoffs in consecutive years in 2016 and 2017. There have been moments the last two years where the Falcons have demonstrated they can hold their own against the best teams in the conference. Whether it be injuries, defensive breakdowns or a non-existent running game, the Falcons have been consistently inconsistent.

Related Story

5 players who Falcons need to be great in 2020

Read now >>

So how does adding a player like Gurley who not everyone is sold on given his injury history help the Falcons contend for the playoffs? The idea is he’ll be a step up from what the Dirty Birds had in Devonta Freeman, a guy who is great running between the tackles and catching balls out of the backfield. Gurley is better than Freeman in both areas and immensely better in pass protection.

As long as the Falcons are not bottom-tier running the football again, they should be in position to win somewhere around nine or 10 games. Doing that will get them a Wild Card spot in the expanded playoff field. While we shouldn’t count on them to win the NFC South, the passing game and improved defense down the stretch are reasons they can be a top-half team in the NFC.

There’s a lot of things lining up for the Falcons this year. Head coach Dan Quinn has to win to keep his job. While the redundant cliches have approached Butch Jones levels, he really does care about his players and they love playing for him. In this political climate, look for the Brotherhood in Atlanta to get a second wave and propel the team closer to a playoff berth.

Ryan is not only taking the initiative to get as many offensive players on the same page as possible, but he’s taken a stand against police brutality in America and an advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. He set up a GoFundMe with an initial $500,000 donation to Advancing The Lives (ATL) Of The Black Community. Ryan’s leadership continues to be awe-inspiring.

If Ryan and Gurley’s connection strengthens, the Falcons will be back in the NFC playoffs.

The post We are all sleeping on the Matt Ryan and Todd Gurley combo in 2020 appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Who are the four greatest performers in the history of the Atlanta Falcons?

It’s a football franchise that began its on-the-field journey in 1966. The Atlanta Falcons began play four years before the AFL-NFL merger on the field and one year before New Orleans Saints joined the league. Those two teams make up one of the unsung rivalries in the NFL.

These days, the team is under the guidance of head coach Dan Quinn. He’s had an up-and-down tenure with the club since being hired in 2015. The club was in Super Bowl LI and came up short after owning a huge lead. A year later, the Falcons were back in the playoffs. The past two seasons have resulted in 7-9 finishes.

Historically, there have been some great players. Tight end Tony Gonzalez concluded his Hall of Fame career with this franchise, while wide receiver Roddy White made his mark. Talented running backs William Andrews and Jamal Anderson deserve a mention, as do longtime center Jeff Van Note and tackle Mike Kenn. On the other side of the ball, there is Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Claude Humphrey, and linebackers Keith Brooking and Jessie Tuggle.

So when it’s all said and done, who were the choices (in alphabetical order) when it came to the franchise’s four figureheads? A couple are still doing their thing in the NFL.

The post Atlanta Falcons all-time Mount Rushmore appeared first on Bet Sunday.