Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons announced Wednesday the seating capacity at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the 2020 NFL season will be reduced to between 10,000 and 20,000 fans to provide space for social distancing.

The stadium typically holds 71,000 people. The NFL has mandated that attending fans must wear masks at any league game this season.

NFL Vice President of Communications Brian McCarthy confirmed the use of masks will be a leaguewide mandate:

For those wondering, yes, it is league-wide: fans at NFL games this season will be required to wear face coverings pic.twitter.com/D139KGKQ4r

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) July 22, 2020

The Falcons said season-ticket holders will be asked to rank each of the team's first four home games if they wish to attend a game amid the coronavirus pandemic. A second survey will be sent out in October to cover the remaining home games, if necessary.

Atlanta's first game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set for Sept. 13 against the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL and the NFL Players Association remain in discussions to finalize the details of the 2020 season, including health protocols.

The union reportedly informed players Tuesday there won't be any preseason games this year, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

According to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic, the NFL will allow individual teams to set their own capacity levels.

Without exhibition contests, the first game of the year will see the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans on Sept. 10.

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Bleacher Report's David Gardner interviews athletes and other sports figures for the podcast How to Survive Without Sports.

Todd Gurley had a disappointing 2019 season. He's ready to bounce back in a major way in 2020. 

The Atlanta Falcons running back told Odell Beckham Jr. on The Bigger Picture that he's been working hard this offseason:

.@TG3II ready to remind the world what he’s about 💯 pic.twitter.com/nf3Fuk5muL

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 14, 2020

You can see the full interview, which also includes Victor Cruz and Cam Newton, below: 

Gurley, who turns 26 on August 3, rushed for 857 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, catching 31 passes for another 207 yards and two scores. For most running backs, exceeding 1,000 yards from scrimmage with 14 total touchdowns would be a great campaign. 

But for Gurley, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro who rushed for 1,000 or more yards in three of his first four seasons, it was considered a down year. The Los Angeles Rams cut him in the offseason in an effort to free up salary-cap space. As a result, Gurley had to take a one-year deal in Atlanta due, in part, to his lengthy history of knee injuries. 

Now, the NFL's 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year seems motivated as ever to prove he still ranks among the game's top running backs as he prepares to make his Falcons debut. 

An ESPN poll that asked 50 NFL coaches, executives and players their top 10 choices for each NFL position in 2020 placed Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones first on the wideout list. 

In a poll conducted with 50 NFL executives, scouts and players, ESPN ranked the top 10 wide receivers for this upcoming season. pic.twitter.com/AnAXYtAHxJ

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 10, 2020

One NFL coordinator's thought process included a unique description of Jones' game.

"He's an avatar," the coach said per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "There's only one of him."

The 6'3", 220-pound Jones has amassed no fewer than 1,394 receiving yards in each of his last six seasons, including a career-high (and NFL-high) 1,871 in 2015. He snagged an NFL-best 136 passes that year as well.

Jones has led the league in receiving yards per game three times and yards from scrimmage once during his nine-year career, all of which has been in Atlanta.

Jones has received praise from some of the game's all-time greatest players, including Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald:

Larry Fitzgerald has mad respect for Julio Jones ✊

‘He's the best I've ever seen’pic.twitter.com/ccxa1eLF8K

— Yardbarker (@yardbarker) July 3, 2020

The stats supporting Jones' case as the game's best wideout are numerous, with a few examples below:

Since 2013: #JulioJones has, get this, AVERAGED 110 receptions for 1,644 yards every 16 games.

That is more than Randy Moss’ career high of 1,632 in 2003.

That’s what Julio has AVERAGED, every year, for nearly a decade.

Every compliment you’ve heard has underrated him. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/bYIztPAQBo

— Ryan Michael (@theryanmichael) July 8, 2020

Most games with 5+ catches and 50+ receiving yards since 2018:

◻️ DeAndre Hopkins (25)
◻️ Julio Jones (25)
◻️ Travis Kelce (24)
◻️ Keenan Allen (23)
◻️ Michael Thomas (23)
◻️ George Kittle (22)
◻️ Robert Woods (21)
◻️ Davante Adams (20) pic.twitter.com/p60zXZIgno

— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) July 8, 2020

Most receiving YPG in a season
(min. 14 games played)

Charley Hennigan - 124.7
Calvin Johnson - 122.8
Josh Gordon - 117.6
Julio Jones - 116.9
Jerry Rice - 115.5
Antonio Brown - 114.6
Lance Alworth - 114.4
Isaac Bruce - 111.3
Charley Hennigan - 110.4
Antonio Brown - 109.5

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) July 2, 2020

Jones edged New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who set an NFL record with 149 receptions last season, for the No. 1 spot. Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro, took third.

The ex-Alabama star, who went sixth overall in the 2011 NFL draft, will look to have his seventh consecutive 1,300-yard season beginning Sunday, Sept. 13, when the Falcons host the Seattle Seahawks to kick off their campaign.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Wednesday the team's offensive talent is on par with the star-studded group that helped lead the organization to the 2012 NFC Championship Game.

Ryan discussed the current weapons at this disposal, led by one of the NFL's best wide receiver duos in Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, compared to that 2012 roster during an appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast (via Will McFadden of the Falcons' official website):

"We had a pretty good unit in 2012 with Roddy White, Julio Jones, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez—those guys were all pretty good. I've got to imagine that this is right up there with them.

"You're talking about Julio in his prime, Calvin Ridley going into year three coming into his own. You've got Todd Gurley, who is hungry who wants to prove it this year. Hayden Hurst, another guy, first-round draft pick who just ended up in a spot where, the way they were running the football, it was no fault of his own [that he didn't have the stats]."

Atlanta is coming off a disappointing 2019 season that saw the club miss the playoffs with a 7-9 record.

The offense remained effective, however, ranking fifth in yards per game (379.7) and third in passing yards (294.6) thanks in large part to the trio of Ryan, Jones and Ridley.

Devonta Freeman was the team's leading rusher at 656 yards, though. So the front office signed Gurley, the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, with the hope he could bounce back after lingering knee issues plagued his final few years with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Falcons acquired Hurst in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens to replace Austin Hooper, who signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in free agency.

A full-strength Gurley is an upgrade over Turner, who earned two Pro Bowl selections but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry during the 2012 season. That said, Hurst can't quite match Gonzalez, who posted 93 catches for 930 yards and eight touchdowns in the penultimate season of his career.

All told, it's a fair overall comparison, though Ridley is still on a proving ground compared to White, a member of the team's Ring of Honor.

"It's got to be right up there, I think so," Ryan told Long about the current Falcons offense. "I've been lucky, I've had some great guys that I've played with."

Atlanta's outlook is still dependent on improvement on the other side of the ball, though. It ranked 20th in total defense (355.8 yards allowed per game) during the 2019 campaign.

The Falcons used their first two draft picks on defensive players, selecting Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell and Auburn defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, and signed defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency.

Their high-powered offense paired with the upgrades on defense give them a great chance to post a bounce-back season, though playing in the stacked NFC South may limit their record's upside.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank will donate the personal proceeds from his upcoming book Good Company directly to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta.

The team announced Blank's intentions Wednesday, adding that he will also make an initial contribution of $300,000.

Arthur Blank is giving back once again.

The personal proceeds from his upcoming book, ‘GOOD COMPANY’ will go to The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Blank will make an initial contribution of $300,000.

Learn more and pre-order at https://t.co/2v816n5vbb pic.twitter.com/7GmalJZ8eC

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) June 24, 2020

Blank's story follows his journey from co-founding The Home Depot to turning the Falcons into a success by replicating the values and culture established at the home improvement company, which he left in 2001.

The donations come at a time when protests against systemic racism and police brutality are being held nationwide after the recent police killings of Black people.

"When good companies put the well-being of their customers, their associates and their communities first, financial success will follow," Blank writes in his book. "The entrepreneurs and business leaders of today and tomorrow have an extraordinary opportunity: to prove that through upholding values we can create value—for the company, for the customer and for the community."

Good Company is due out September 15.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is donating $470,000 "to seven organizations that are focused on creating systemic change and ending the disenfranchisement" of black, indigenous and other people of color.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation continues its long-term commitment for racial justice and supporting democracy by investing $470,000 in new grants to seven organizations that are focused on creating systemic change and ending the disenfranchisement of BIPOC. pic.twitter.com/qbZT4HQsRL

— Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (@BlankFoundation) June 18, 2020

In March, the foundation pledged almost $5.4 million in aid for organizations in Georgia and Montana to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Along with the upheaval caused by the pandemic, the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have led many Americans to demonstrate and protest for meaningful actions to address systemic racism and police brutality.

Blank issued a statement on the matter in May:

"A number of events over the last couple of weeks have reminded us again that the long, worthy quest for equal justice, civility and unity in America is far from over. People are scared and in pain. Their frustration is real, and it must be acknowledged and addressed. More must be done to address systemic racism. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. More must be done to bring people together through meaningful change."

Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned earlier this month after an officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks outside of an Atlanta-area Wendy's on June 12.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who launched a GoFundMe to help the black community, said, "We cannot continue to lose lives due to police brutality":

#RayshardBrooks pic.twitter.com/2P7KrYouyt

— Matt Ryan (@M_Ryan02) June 15, 2020

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard Jr. has filed 11 charges, including felony murder, against former officer Garrett Rolfe, who was fired after shooting Brooks.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Wednesday and discussed a number of topics related to the ongoing social justice movement in the United States against systemic racism and police brutality:

Noah brought up the NFL's recent support of Black Lives Matter and ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been out of the league for three years after protesting systemic racism and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in the 2016 NFL season. 

He asked Ryan where he wanted to see the league "going forward from here":

"Of course, we would have liked for this to have taken place much sooner than it has, but we can't really change what has happened up until this point. We can only control the change that we can have moving forward.

"And I think within the last couple of weeks you have seen positive steps in the right direction, but we need to continue to take those steps, and we need to continue to push forward.

"I feel like I can no longer sit on the sidelines and just kind of let it happen the way other people want it to happen. I think it's our responsibility as leaders and as players in this league who have a platform to be able to speak to continue to push the narrative forward and to make the change that we want to make."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently released a video lending his support for Black Lives Matter and apologizing for how the league handled kneeling protests. He also publicly expressed that he hoped a team would sign the 33-year-old Kaepernick. 

We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv

— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2020

Noah also asked about Ryan's experiences given events that have occurred in Atlanta and Georgia at-large, including the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks:

"Well it's been difficult to see everything going on in our city and in our state. Your heart goes out to their families and their loved ones because it's just deaths that shouldn't have happened. That's been part of me wanting to speak out, help out in ways that I can.

"You mentioned I don't have these other ties to my professional life right now. We have this time, we have this opportunity to be able to put our energy and effort into that, and I think it's an important thing to be able to do that right now because we need to make a change. The way things have operated and the way things have gone up until this point isn't good enough. My hope is to be able to use the platform that I have to create awareness and help in ways that I can help."

Ryan released a statement following the death of Brooks, a 27-year-old black man who was shot twice in the back by police after they were called to a drive-thru in Atlanta where Brooks had fallen asleep in his car on June 12. The police officer, Garrett Rolfe, has been fired and charged with felony murder and 10 other charges, per CNN.com.

Noah also asked about how and why Ryan decided to use his platform to speak out and create change:

"Well No. 1, this was something that my friends and my teammates were saying. As I was listening, some of the comments that were made were that we appreciate you guys having our back and telling us that you support us, but I think it will help more if you did it publicly and you were able to go out and use the platform that you have to encourage change.

"So that was one of the parts, just as a friend and listening to my friends and my teammates, it just seemed like that was the next step that needed to happen because what we had been doing up until this point hadn't really worked. So, if you continue to try and do the same things you've done up until this point, you're going to continue to get the same results.

"So for whatever reason, the timing, I felt like I had to do it because I regretted not doing that up until this point. I regretted just staying on the sidelines and not helping out in the ways that I could, so it really stemmed from conversations that I've had with my friends about what can I do to make a difference."

Ryan started a GoFundMe called Advancing The Lives (ATL) Of The Black Community. The 12-year veteran donated $500,000 to kickstart the cause, which has raised $1.26 million toward its $2 million goal as of 12 a.m. ET on Thursday. All proceeds will go toward supporting the black community in Atlanta.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn will have no problem supporting players if they choose to protest during the national anthem prior to games in 2020.

Per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Quinn said "hell yeah" he would offer his support "if and when the players choose to protest, in whatever way they choose."

The potential for NFL players kneeling during the national anthem has increased amid the ongoing social unrest across the country following the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks.

CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported he's hearing from players and agents that there could be kneeling "en masse in a large-scale display of solidarity with those who continue to protest in the streets against police brutality and the systematic killing of people for the color of their skin."

Quinn, along with several Falcons coaches, executives and players, took part in the "Buckhead4BlackLives" march June 7 to the Georgia governor's mansion.

"Yeah, the locker room is a special place," Quinn told Ledbetter last week about the protest. "But I also recognize that not everybody has the same experience when they leave the locker room, and I hate that. That's not OK."

In the aftermath of Colin Kaepernick protesting police brutality and systemic racism during the 2016 season, 15 Falcons players formed a social justice committee in October 2017 to promote and facilitate change in the Atlanta area.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan issued a statement Monday after an Atlanta police officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks on Friday. 

"I spent the weekend trying to wrap my head around the killing of Rayshard Brooks," Ryan said. "To be completely honest, I can't. Rayshard Brooks should be alive—end of story. We cannot continue to lose lives due to police brutality."

#RayshardBrooks pic.twitter.com/2P7KrYouyt

— Matt Ryan (@M_Ryan02) June 15, 2020

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said police arrived at a Wendy's restaurant after receiving a report about a man asleep in a parked car in the drive-thru, per CNN.

The officers said Brooks failed a field sobriety test. He then resisted arrested, and witnesses said he took one officer's taser. Brooks began running away when one officer fired three shots in his direction.

The Fulton County, Georgia, Medical Examiner's Office said Brooks was shot twice in the back and ruled his death a homicide.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard questioned the officer's decision to fire his gun at Brooks.

"He did not seem to present any kind of threat to anyone, and so the fact that it would escalate to his death just seems unreasonable," Howard said to CNN's Fredricka Whitfield. "It just seems like this is not the kind of conversation and incident that should have led to someone's death."

Brooks' killing comes amid nationwide protests across the United States against systemic racism and police brutality.

Ryan donated $500,000 to start a GoFundMe called Advancing the Lives (ATL) of the Black Community, with the money eventually going toward local social justice initiatives.

The San Francisco 49ers are the reigning NFC champions, and they look even stronger on paper this summer. 

The New Orleans Saints have won three consecutive NFC South crowns and are the winningest team in football dating back to 2017. 

The Seattle Seahawks haven't endured a losing season in nearly a decade and are always a contender with quarterback Russell Wilson. 

The Los Angeles Rams are 16 months removed from a Super Bowl run, the Philadelphia Eagles' roster remains loaded with championship pedigree, the Minnesota Vikings are coming off a playoff run of their own, the Green Bay Packers can't be counted out as long as they have Aaron Rodgers, the star-stacked Dallas Cowboys aren't flying under anyone's radar, and the retooled Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals are both, in the words of Mugatu, "so hot right now."

None of those 10 teams won more games during the second half of the 2019 NFL season than the Atlanta Falcons, and yet none have lower Super Bowl odds than an Atlanta team that is listed as a 25-1 shot to win the NFC in 2020. 

Those odds suggest the public is viewing Atlanta similarly to the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and New York Giants, which is a tremendous oversight considering those teams won a combined 15 games last year.

The Falcons are the conference's Rodney Dangerfield this offseason. They deserve more respect and attention after winning six of their last eight games and outscoring the competition by the second-highest margin in the conference during that stretch. 

I understand there's probably a fear that finish was fool's gold. I get that the Falcons might seem untrustworthy considering their lack of consistency ever since losing Super Bowl LI in horrific fashion. They've been stumbling as a result of that, and they've often been ravaged by injuries in recent years. 

But last year's shocking late-season run—which included thrilling road victories over the Super Bowl-bound 49ers and the juggernaut Saints—might be an indication the Falcons have finally recovered from that demoralizing blow. 

The prospect has to be intriguing to those who are hoping the team has another run in it with a core similar to the one that averaged an absurd 33.8 points per game in 2016. Who's to say the Falcons can't rediscover that groove with 2016 MVP quarterback Matt Ryan and superstar receiver Julio Jones leading the way?

Throw in six-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, and the three players whom Pro-Football-Reference deemed to be the most valuable from that 2016 team remain on the roster. The Falcons also still have head coach Dan Quinn, left tackle Jake Matthews and key defenders Grady Jarrett, Deion Jones and Keanu Neal. 

But because the Falcons were technically 7-9 in 2019, and because their offseason has been boring relative to the splashy Buccaneers and Cardinals, nobody's really talking about Ryan, Quinn and Co. right now. 

Still, considering their salary-cap constraints, there was a lot to like about the Falcons' offseason.

After only one team registered fewer sacks last year, they upgraded the pass rush by essentially swapping out the disappointing 27-year-old Vic Beasley Jr. (18 sacks the last three years) for high-ceiling 25-year-old Dante Fowler Jr. (9.5 sacks in his last 10 games). They also added 2018 first-team All-Pro running back Todd Gurley on a low-risk deal. And while they could miss departed Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper, replacement Hayden Hurst was a first-round pick just two years ago. 

The 26-year-old former Baltimore Raven became expendable due to the presence of Mark Andrews, but he was one of just five qualified tight ends to average at least 11.0 yards per reception and catch at least 75.0 percent of the passes thrown his way last year.

Ryan is fired up about him. 

"I've been incredibly impressed with Hayden's work ethic," the 35-year-old quarterback said this week, per Kelsey Conway of the team's official website. "He's got great speed, great athleticism. Wants to be a great player … the effort, the attitude all of that stuff is there. He fits in well with the group of guys we have."

Hurst has star potential, Ryan has borderline Hall of Fame credentials, Jones is a seven-time Pro Bowler, and 2018 first-round pick Calvin Ridley has gone over 800 yards in each of his first two seasons, compiling 17 touchdown receptions in the process. Toss in Gurley's exceptional skill set as a rusher and receiver, and you have a skill-position group that could do significant damage. 

Protection and continuity along the offensive line have been issues in recent years, but 2019 first-round picks Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary flashed down the stretch as rookies and look primed to take off in support of Mack and Matthews. 

The defense might still be viewed as a liability, but they surrendered only 18.6 points per game during that hot second half last year. Fowler should help up front, Jarrett is excellent, and there's still hope for 2017 first-round defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley. Jones looks to be back on track after a foot injury derailed his 2018 campaign, and Neal should be on pace to return from an Achilles injury. 

They've also been hit particularly hard by injuries on that side of the ball the last couple years, and the law of averages will eventually favor them in that realm. It could also help that they used their top two draft picks on defensive players A.J. Terrell and Marlon Davidson. 

The Falcons might have more potential flaws than some of the NFC's so-called elite teams, but they also have a scary, overlooked combination of playoff pedigree and balanced talent. Ruling them out would be foolish.

     

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012. Follow him on Twitter: @Brad_Gagnon.