The biggest move of the Falcons’ offseason was inking Drake London to a four-year, $141 million contract extension. The deal makes him the third-highest paid pass catcher in the league — a well-deserved moment for a player who embodies everything the Falcons are trying to build in Atlanta.
“Drake is one of the more competitive people I have ever been around,” veteran left tackle Jake Matthews said, via Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “He hates to lose, hates to let his teammates down. He’s just a stud. He’s going to be the last one to take credit, too, which I have always admired about him. One of my favorite teammates to be around.”
Bijan Robinson, who could soon be receiving a lucrative extension of his own, echoed those sentiments, calling London one of his favorite teammates of all time.
London isn’t cut from the same cloth as most wide receivers. It’s not all about flash and stats, even though he’s provided plenty of both through his first four seasons in the league. He’s just as invested in burying a defender’s facemask in the run game to spring Robinson for a 10-yard gain as he is catching passes.
That’s a rare trait, and it suggests there’s really only one thing on London’s mind when he takes the field on Sundays. Winning.
“I always thought it would be so sick to win a Super Bowl in Atlanta,” London said. “No matter who you are, you’re going down as a legend in Atlanta and I want to be legendary.”
“I’m forever indebted to Atlanta soil,” he continued. “It says a lot about a person staying for a long stint at an organization.”
Drake London is now the highest-paid wide receiver in Falcons franchise history — a title that carries heavy weight when you consider the names that came before him. Most notably Julio Jones, who will go down as one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play the game.
London hasn’t come close to matching Jones’ numbers through the early part of his career, but there’s every reason to believe his best football is still ahead of him. In each of his four seasons, he’s started the year with a different quarterback — and despite that, he’s produced like a top-10 receiver. If the Falcons can ever find some continuity at the position, legendary might end up being the perfect word to describe Drake London’s career when it’s all said and done.
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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)