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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

COVID-19 Tests Close Colts’ Facility

October 16th, 2020 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts announced that they have closed their facility in the wake of positive COVID-19 tests. For now, they’ll work remotely as the tests are re-checked for accuracy.

“This morning, we were informed that several individuals within our organization have tested posted for COVID-19,” the team said in a statement. “The team is currently in the process of confirming those tests. In the meantime, the practice facility will be closed and the team will work remotely while following NFL protocols. We are in communication with the NFL and will have more information when available.”

The Colts are currently slated to play the Bengals in Indy on Sunday. Rescheduling the game – as we’ve seen throughout the season – could prove to be tricky. The Colts’ bye is in Week 7; the Bengals’ bye is in Week 9.

Meanwhile, the Falcons’ latest round of testing did not yield any new positives, giving them the greenlight to resume in-person activities. With that, the game between the Falcons and the Vikings is set to go on as scheduled. Ditto for Colts-Bengals, though that could change between now and the end of the business day.

COVID-19 Latest: Pro Bowl, Week 18, Bubble

October 14th, 2020 at 4:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the first time since 1949, the NFL will not feature its signature all-star game. The league announced Wednesday the 2021 Pro Bowl will not take place. Instead, a to-be-determined slate of activities will commence. This will affect certain players’ resumes this season. Players, coaches and fans will still vote on this year’s Pro Bowlers; there just will not be a game and, thus, no brigade of Pro Bowl alternates will be required. This is not exactly a surprising development. The Pro Bowl cancelation comes in a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the NFL to cancel free agent visits, move the draft to a virtual setting, nix all in-person offseason activities and induce the league to call off its preseason slate.

Here is the latest from the coronavirus front:

  • Despite the NBA earning immense praise for its bubble concept, the NFL remains against moving its playoffs to a bubble. A Tuesday report about the league considering a playoff bubble preceded denials, with NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills coming out against the idea. “We’re proceeding as is,” Sills said, via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). “We don’t feel (a bubble) is the safest course of action for us.” Discussions of a bubble did not advance far this offseason, and the NFL — despite considerable adjustments to its schedule thus far because of COVID-19 positive tests in Tennessee and New England — will continue to try to play out its season as scheduled.
  • The NFL chose to rearrange eight teams’ schedules on Sunday, amid changes that included postponing a second scheduled game — Broncos-Patriots — because of COVID-19. Rumors have emerged about the NFL implementing a Week 18 as a makeup date, and NFL executive VP Troy Vincent said that would be in play. Though, the league’s stance remains to play all 256 regular-season games in the usual 17-week timeframe, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. The Titans returning to action Tuesday prevented a team from having multiple games moved, thus delaying the first true threat to the schedule being completed in 17 weeks. Roger Goodell has stressed flexibility will be needed to complete the league’s 101st season, pointing to the commissioner being open to an in-case-of-emergency Week 18.
  • New coronavirus protocols are on tap ahead of Week 6, and they could lead to more players missing games. All players who qualify as close contacts of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 must be isolated for at least five days, even if they are asymptomatic, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. All “high risk” close contacts of a player who tests positive after Wednesday would then need to miss at least one game. With the NFL opting against a bubble setup, this is another step the league is taking to try and prevent another outbreak.
  • The Panthers entered the NFL’s intensive protocol after Falcons rookie defensive tackle Marlon Davidson‘s positive COVID test, the team announced. The Falcons, obviously, are going through the same protocols. No Panther has tested positive, and Davidson played only 17 snaps in the Week 5 Carolina-Atlanta game. The Vikings managed to avoid a postponement after their Week 3 game against the Titans. As of now, the Panthers do not appear at risk for having their Week 6 game postponed.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/13/20

October 13th, 2020 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/13/20

October 13th, 2020 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves. While the Titans are moving some players off their reserve/COVID-19 list, other teams have placed players on their respective coronavirus lists.

Atlanta Falcons

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Marlon Davidson; the rookie defensive lineman tested positive for the coronavirus, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Promoted: CB Tyler Hall

Buffalo Bills

  • Promoted: CB Dane Jackson, LB Andre Smith

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed off Browns’ practice squad: QB Garrett Gilbert 

Green Bay Packers

  • Placed on IR: TE Josiah Deguara, C Jake Hanson

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: FB Anthony Sherman; the 10th-year veteran did not test positive for the coronavirus, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

Los Angeles Rams

  • Promoted: S JuJu Hughes
  • Placed on IR: S Jordan Fuller

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived: Hercules Mata’afa

New York Jets

  • Promoted: CB Lamar Jackson

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: DB Grayland Arnold, DE Casey Toohill

San Francisco 49ers

  • Claimed off waivers from Buccaneers: CB Parnell Motley

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Promoted: CB Ross Cockrell, LB Chapelle Russell

Tennessee Titans

  • Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Kamalei Correa, CB Kristian Fulton
  • Promoted: LB Darren Bates, WR Cody Hollister, CB Kareem Orr, OL David Quessenberry

Falcons Fire ST Coordinator Ben Kotwica

October 12th, 2020 at 4:28pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a busy day for the Falcons, and the changes keep coming. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta has fired special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica. Running backs coach Bernie Parmalee will take over the position.

[RELATED: Falcons Fire Dan Quinn, Thomas Dimitroff]

ESPN Vaughn McClure notes that Kotwica had been on the hot seat since the team’s Week 2 loss to Dallas. Late in that game, the Falcons’ special teams unit fell victim to the “watermelon” onside kick late. The Cowboys recovered the ball and proceeded to win on a game-winning field goal.

Kotwica, 45, joined the Falcons in 2019. He had spent the previous five seasons as the Redskins special teams coordinator, and he also held that role with the Jets in 2013. Parmalee, who spent nine years in the league as a player, has served as the Falcons running backs coach since 2018. McClure tweets that game management coordinator Will Harriger will be the new running backs coach.

Earlier today, we learned that the Falcons had replaced Dan Quinn with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. McClure tweets that Jeff Ulbrich will now take over as defensive coordinator. The former third-round pick had served as the Falcons linebackers coach since 2015, and he had earned a promotion to assistant head coach earlier this year.

2021 NFL Draft Order

October 12th, 2020 at 11:57am CST by Zachary Links

With most of Week 5 in the books, we bring you a way-too-early look at the current order for the 2021 NFL draft. For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2020 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. After that, the same goes for the six clubs eliminated from each round of the postseason, with the final two picks determined by the outcome of the Super Bowl.

Here’s where things stand in the race to the bottom:

  1. New York Giants (0-5)
  2. Atlanta Falcons (0-5)
  3. New York Jets (0-5)
  4. Washington Football Team (1-4)
  5. Minnesota Vikings (1-4)
  6. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
  7. Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans, 1-4)
  8. Los Angeles Chargers (1-3)
  9. Detroit Lions (1-3)
  10. Denver Broncos (1-3)
  11. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1)
  12. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3-1)
  13. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
  14. San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
  15. New Orleans Saints (2-2)
  16. New England Patriots (2-2)
  17. Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
  18. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
  19. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
  20. Carolina Panthers (3-2)
  21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
  22. Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
  23. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
  24. Cleveland Browns (4-1)
  25.  Chicago Bears (4-1)
  26. Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams, 4-1)
  28. Tennessee Titans (3-0)
  29. Green Bay Packers (4-0)
  30. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0)
  31. Buffalo Bills (4-0)
  32. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks, 4-0)

Falcons Name Raheem Morris As Interim Coach

October 12th, 2020 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have finalized a deal to make Raheem Morris their interim head coach, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Morris, 44, takes over for Dan Quinn, who was jettisoned on Sunday. 

Morris served as the Buccaneers’ head coach from 2009 to 2011. He’s been with the Falcons since 2015, earning a promotion from secondary coach to defensive coordinator in 2020. Now, he’ll get a chance to audition for the top job as he tries to turn things around from 0-5. It all starts on Sunday, when the Falcons face the Vikings in Minnesota.

The Falcons bounced Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff on Sunday, leaving team president Rich McKay to oversee the roster. Dimitroff had served as the Falcons’ GM since 2008. Quinn, hired in 2015, was moments away from winning a Super Bowl less than four years ago. It’s been all downhill since then, and that NFC championship team fell apart rapidly. They managed to go 10-6 the following year but were 7-9 in each of the past two, and of course started this season 0-5. All in all, Quinn finished his run at a nearly even 43-42 through five-plus seasons.

Of course, there’s plenty of blame to go around in Atlanta. Even with tremendous talent at the skill positions, the Falcons will need a major overhaul this spring.

Falcons Fire Dan Quinn, Thomas Dimitroff

October 11th, 2020 at 8:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The writing was on the wall, but it’s official now. The Falcons have fired both their head coach Dan Quinn as well as general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the team announced Sunday night.

It was clear to just about everyone that Quinn was going to be fired any week now, but the firing of Dimitroff was less widely speculated on. With the house cleaning, team president and CEO Rich McKay will takeover running the football operations for now, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeted. Quinn is now the second head coach to be shown the door after Bill O’Brien was let go by the Texans earlier this week.

It’s been a remarkable fall from grace for a head coach who was moments away from winning a Super Bowl less than four years ago. It’s been all downhill since then, and that NFC championship team fell apart rapidly. They managed to go 10-6 the following year but were 7-9 in each of the past two, and of course started this season 0-5.

Quinn’s seat was scorching hot last year, but he managed to save his job temporarily as the Falcons closed the season strong. The Falcons are now in a very interesting spot as a franchise, as Matt Ryan and Julio Jones aren’t getting any younger at 35 and 31 respectively. Those guys likely have a couple of high level years left, but a new regime may be interested in looking toward the future.

Quinn developed a reputation as a defensive guru during his time with the Seahawks, but during the Falcons’ most successful times it was always the offense carrying the team. Quinn’s defenses became progressively worse, making the situation untenable.

He coordinated Seattle’s legendary defenses in 2013 and 2014, winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the team. Dimitroff was the Patriots’ director of college scouting before owner Arthur Blank hired him to be Atlanta’s GM in 2008. His first draft pick was none other than Ryan, and his firing ends one of the longest recent front office tenures.

No interim coach has been announced, but at 0-5 there’s very little hope of a postseason berth. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, recently a head coach with the Bucs, would be a natural candidate. With Ryan, Jones, and Calvin Ridley there’s still plenty of talent at the skill positions, but the rest of the roster is in need of a major overhaul.

Quinn finished his run at a nearly even 43-42 through five-plus seasons as the Falcons’ head coach. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on all the fallout, and if you clink the link to the team’s announcement at the top you can read quotes from Blank and McKay on the firings.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/20

October 10th, 2020 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is the latest barrage of Saturday minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Badara Traore

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Greg Mabin

Washington Football Team

South Notes: Texans, Titans, Bucs, Terrell

October 8th, 2020 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill O’Brien‘s final weeks with the Texans were trying, with the team going 0-4 and the former head coach-GM’s near-universally panned DeAndre Hopkins trade benefitting the Cardinals early. But the since-fired HC also was involved in some internal turmoil, with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reporting O’Brien engaged in heated disputes with J.J. Watt and first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver at a recent practice (Twitter link). O’Brien also verbally sparred with other staffers in his final weeks, per Wilson. That can be expected given the Texans’ start, but the Watt argument may have been a tipping point. The dispute with Watt — arguably the defining player in Texans history — resulted in O’Brien losing the team, in the view of one source (via ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini). The O’Brien-Watt argument took place days before the Texans’ loss to the Steelers.

Here is the latest from the South divisions, moving first to more Titans news:

  • At least three separate Titans offsite workouts took place last week over a multiday period, veteran NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky notes. A group that included Ryan Tannehill was spotted working out Sept. 30 at Montgomery Bell Academy, an area high school, while Kuharsky reports a different group — comprised of defensive backs — worked out at a park near Belmont University that day. Multiple workouts took place at the park near Belmont, per Kuharsky, who adds that Mike Vrabel said during an Oct. 1 Zoom call he told players not to conduct offsite workouts. The NFL is now investigating the Titans for this, and punishment for the coronavirus-stricken team could be severe. Tight end MyCole Pruitt, one of the Titans’ positive testers, was not at the offsite workouts, per Titaninsider.com’s Terry McCormick (on Twitter).
  • Prior to the Titans being barred from their headquarters, the NFL showed images of players and staffers walking around the team’s facility without masks, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Aside from players during workouts, team personnel are required to wear masks inside team facilities. Twenty-three Titans players and staffers have tested positive for COVID-19.
  • Good news for the Falcons on the virus front. First-round cornerback A.J. Terrell returned to practice this week, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets. Terrell missed Atlanta’s past two games after being placed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list just before the Falcons’ Week 3 game.
  • For the sect of non-Chris Godwin fantasy managers who might have missed this (and the narrower swath of LeSean McCoy deep-league GMs), both Buccaneers will miss Thursday night’s game against the Bears. The Bucs declared Godwin and Shady out. This marks Godwin’s third missed game this season; he is battling a hamstring injury. Mike Evans, however, will play, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Evans was a game-time decision because of an ankle injury.
  • Eli Apple is set to miss more time. After successfully rehabbing one hamstring injury, the Panthers cornerback has encountered another. Matt Rhule said the recent acquisition pulled his other hamstring, per Joe Person of The Athletic (on Twitter). Apple missed Carolina’s first three games because of his initial hamstring injury. He has played just six snaps (all on special teams) this season.
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