The Atlanta Falcons' offseason has been a bit hectic, to say the least. Even before the first whistle of the regular season, headlines have been filled with stories revolving around fines, pranks and now overly heated practices. For a team trying to set a new tone, these controversies point to issues that could carry over once meaningful games begin.
Falcons dealing with practice scuffles and player conduct concerns
Reports from camp say there was more than one scuffle in Sunday’s practice involving rookie James Pearce Jr. He got into it with two offensive linemen on back-to-back plays during team drills. Seems his anger may have gotten the best of him on those exchanges, but coaches like to see that aggression, only tempered just a bit. When players cross the line in practice, it can sometimes hint at deeper issues with leadership and team culture.
“We’re trying to develop a culture, a style of play for sure, and part of that is the violence with which we play and aggression, the urgency and all that,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich told ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “Today, at times, it went a little too far and we’ve got to learn how to manage that. You’re going to get agitated and, especially when you’re playing really good defense, the offense is going to get very agitated, so you’ve got to anticipate punches being thrown, things being said, people getting pushed. In those moments, you got to thrive and not retaliate, and so it’s a good lesson to be learned today.”
Falcons fined after Shedeur Sanders prank call
One of the most high-profile Atlanta Falcons offseason incidents started at home when defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s son, Jax, used an unlocked team iPad to pull Shedeur Sanders’ private phone number. During the NFL draft, Sanders got a prank call that spread fast on social media, which drew plenty of attention.
The NFL responded by fining the Falcons $250,000 for not protecting sensitive information and hitting Ulbrich with a $100,000 personal penalty. Both accepted responsibility, although the damage was done. Sanders, once a top prospect, fell to the fifth round. The incident raised many questions about the Falcons’ internal culture and control.
Ongoing pattern of controversy in Atlanta
This isn’t the first time Atlanta has faced big fines or public embarrassment. In the past, Atlanta has also been docked a draft pick (and fined $250k) for tampering with Kirk Cousins among other things. Each new headline adds to a pattern that apparently continues to plague the organization.