BREAKING: Falcons Interview Lions’ Ben Johnson After Win vs. Buccaneers – NFL Tracker

BREAKING: Falcons Interview Lions’ Ben Johnson After Win vs. Buccaneers – NFL Tracker

Keep up to date with all the latest Atlanta Falcons and league-wide news with our NFL tracker.
JAN 21 FALCONS INTERVIEW JOHNSON Despite many already predicting the Atlanta Falcons to hire Bill Belichick, they are continuing the interviewing process.
As announced by the Falcons’ official Twitter account, they completed their latest interview with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
With the Lions win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday to advance to the NFC Championship game, the Falcons had to conduct a virtual interview with Johnson as his current team is still in the postseason.
JAN 19 BELICHICK TO FALCONS HEATING UP The Atlanta Falcons are making moves towards finalizing their head coaching job.
According to 11 Alive News reporter Maria Martin, Belichick’s potential staff
members are inquiring about Falcons personnel as things “heat up” in the negotiation process.
This news comes after a report from The Athletic that Belichick and Falcons owner
Arthur Blank ate dinner together Thursday before the legendary coach has
his second official “interview” with the franchise.
JAN 18 FALCONS INTERVIEW BRIAN JOHNSON The Atlanta Falcons are
continuing to add to their coaching interview list.
The team announced that Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has interviewed for the position.
Johnson’s Eagles were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Monday night’s Super Wild Card loss.
JAN 15 WILLIAMS REQUESTED TO INTERVIEW Atlanta Falcons special
teams coordinator Marquice Williams continues to generate interest from teams around the league.
According to NFL Network, the New England Patriots have requested to
interview Williams for their vacant special teams coordinator position under new head coach Jerod Mayo.
Williams was previously requested for the same interview by the New York
Giants, but Atlanta denied the request, as it’s capable of blocking any interviews leading to a lateral move.
The Falcons have blocked several other interview requests, including those
involving defensive coordinator Ryan
Nielsen and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford.
JAN 7 PANTHERS TD REVERSED The Carolina Panthers need to win in today
in order for the Atlanta Falcons to reach the playoffs.
The Panthers were about to take a 7-0 lead against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
after a D.J. Chark long touchdown, but the call was reversed after it was
revealed that the receiver fumbled just before the goal line.
A Falcons and Panthers winning combination will clinch the NFC South for Atlanta.
DEC 27 KOO WINS WEEKLY AWARD The ever-consistent Younghoe Koo earned another notch under his belt, as the NFL named the Atlanta Falcons kicker the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.
In Sunday’s 29-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Koo made all five of his field goals, with the longest coming from 47 yards out, and both PATs. His five field goals on the day tie a career-high in a single game.
This is the second time Koo has won the award this season. He previously won it
in Week 7 after making three field goals, including a 51-yard game-winner as time
expired, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 15 games this season, Koo has made 30 of 33 field goals and 23 of 24 extra points.
DEC 19 FALCONS RELEASE ROOKIE The Atlanta Falcons announced on Tuesday that they have released rookie defensive
lineman Travis Bell after just two games with the club. A day later, Bell was
picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals off waivers.
Bell was a seventh-round pick by the Chicago Bears in April’s draft and ended
up on their practice squad after roster cutdown day. The Falcons then signed him to their active roster on Oct. 31, and
he appeared in the team’s last two games while recording a tackle in each.
DEC 15 HURST OUT FOR SEASON Despite the news about Hayden Hurst’s post-
traumatic amnesia and working towards returning, the former Atlanta Falcons
tight end is being shut down for the season.
According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, the Carolina Panthers are placing Hurst
on injured reserve, ending his 2023 season.
The Falcons and Panthers are set to kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET inside Bank of America Stadium.
DEC 13 BATES LEADING PRO BOWL VOTES Atlanta Falcons defensive back
Jessie Bates III could be well on his way to his first Pro Bowl.
Bates is leading all NFC safeties in Pro Bowl voting, according to the NFL.
Bates has recorded 101 tackles, five interceptions and a touchdown in his first season with the Falcons.
DEC 10 RIDDER GO-AHEAD TD After trailing by two scores in the fourth
quarter, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder ran the ball in from six
yards out to take the lead against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ridder then found receiver Drake London for the 2-point conversion to
take a 25-22 lead with 3:23 to go in the game.
DEC 7 HURST GIVES RETURN UPDATE Despite the news about Hayden Hurst’s
post-traumatic amnesia, the former Atlanta Falcons tight end is working towards returning to action this week.
The Falcons play the Carolina Panthers in Week 15 at Bank of America Stadium.
DEC 6 PRAYERS FOR HURST Current Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst has been diagnosed with post-
traumatic amnesia following a big hit he took in their Week 10 loss to the Chicago
Bears, per a tweet from his father, Jerry Hurst.
“[Hurst] has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Amnesia by an independent neurologist as a result of the hit he took
in Chicago November 9,” Jerry Hurst wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. “Slow
recovery, don’t know when he’ll be back. Prayers appreciated!”
After spending the first two years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, the former 2018 first-round pick out of South
Carolina was traded to the Falcons ahead of the 2020 season. From there, Hurst
would total 792 yards and nine touchdowns during two seasons in
Atlanta before spending last year with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hurst was in the midst of his fifth year in the league, where he had totaled 184
yards and a touchdown on 18 receptions in nine games for the Panthers.
DEC 5 JETS CUT BOYLE AFTER FALCONS START Tim Boyle is looking for a new job
after his second start of the season against the Atlanta Falcons.
According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, the New York Jets are cutting
Boyle after he was benched in Sunday’s loss against the Falcons.
Boyle completed 14 of 25 passes for 148 yards and an interception against the Falcons.
DEC 3 TERRELL LEAVES WITH INJURY Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell is
questionable to return to Sunday’s game against the New York Jets after exiting with a head injury.
Terrell suffered the injury after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Jets running back Breece
Hall on New York’s first offensive drive in the first quarter.
He remained down on the field for multiple minutes before walking off under his own power and entering the
blue tent. He later walked to the locker room.
In Terrell’s absence, fourth-round rookie cornerback Clark Phillips III has taken the field.
DEC 1 KOO IN THE RECORD BOOKS Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo is
now atop the all-time leaderboard for field goal percentage.
Koo surpassed Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who dipped just below 90
percent after missing a field goal in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Koo is at 90 percent even and looks to improve that mark Sunday when the
Falcons visit the New York Jets. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *