The Atlanta Falcons have been a disaster over the last seven years. They haven’t finished with a record above .500 over that stretch and have zero postseason berths. However, nobody can say they are boring.
From the shocking pursuit of Deshaun Watson that pushed Matt Ryan out of Atlanta to the Game of Thrones internal battle around Bill Belichick to Kirk Cousins’ albatross contract, the Falcons have been tied up in more drama than just about any other organization despite being among the most boring teams on the field.
However, that is set to change with Michael Penix Jr. under center. He’ll be the team’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, and if his first three games are any indication, Penix will have the keys to the Falcons franchise for the next decade-plus. Much like Matt Ryan, he’ll bring a certain level of stability that hasn’t been present in years. He’s that exciting and has all the pieces he could possibly want around him to be successful.
The Falcons offensive line has been a top 10 unit for several years, led by All-Pro Chris Lindstrom. Bijan Robinson is a top-three running back in the league, and it might not be long before he’s crowned the best. Drake London is an emerging star at receiver, and Darnell Mooney isn’t a bad second option on the outside. Perhaps the Falcons could add one more weapon this offseason, but Penix didn’t have much trouble finding success with what he has right now.
His emergence makes the Falcons must-watch television again, and that could lead to the Falcons being featured on Hard Knocks in 2025. Among the 32 NFL franchises, Atlanta is just one of four that could be forced to appear on the HBO production.
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As far as the Falcons are concerned, the opportunity to be on Hard Knocks certainly feels like a double-edged sword for the fans.
On the one hand, who wouldn’t want to get a deeper look at what’s going on in Flowery Branch? We all certainly have questions that need to be answered about the current regime. On the other hand, this is a franchise that seemingly can’t help but embarrass themselves at every turn. Putting what goes on behind the scenes on national television for the world to see would surely find a way to end up horrendously.
Regardless, I’m here for it. I hope the NFL forces the Falcons to be on Hard Knocks in 2025. They are certainly the most interesting among the franchises that could be forced to do it by the league.
Bring on the drama. Every bit of it.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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