Latest news with #Falcons
Black America Web
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Birthday Bash Playlist: 'Forever I Love Atlanta' Essentials
In the heart of the South, where culture, music, and history collide, the acronym 'F.I.L.A.' has become a beloved mantra for many. Standing for 'Forever I Love Atlanta,' F.I.L.A. is more than just a phrase—it's a declaration of pride, loyalty, and love for the city of Atlanta. Popularized in the early 2000s, the term gained widespread recognition through Atlanta's vibrant hip-hop scene, with artists like Young Dro and others incorporating it into their lyrics. It quickly became a cultural emblem, representing the city's unique blend of Southern charm, resilience, and creativity. For locals, F.I.L.A. is a badge of honor, symbolizing their deep connection to Atlanta's rich history, diverse communities, and iconic landmarks. From the bustling streets of downtown to the soulful beats of its music scene, the phrase captures the essence of what makes Atlanta special. Whether it's shouted at a Falcons game, worn proudly on a t-shirt, or hashtagged on social media, F.I.L.A. continues to unite Atlantans and fans of the city worldwide. It's not just a slogan—it's a way of life. This year, #BirthdayBashATL is proud to present the Forever I Love Atlanta set, with performances by Young Dro, Yung LA, J Money, Trinidad James, and Rich Kidz…a nostalgic reminder of what makes the city so special. Check out some of our favorites in our playlist below!
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL.com names 'ballhawking' Falcons safety to 2025 All-Rookie Team
names 'ballhawking' Falcons safety to 2025 All-Rookie Team Xavier Watts was the lone Falcons draft pick to make All-Rookie Team Over the last two years, the Atlanta Falcons have struggled to find an ideal complement for Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III. Richie Grant started next to Bates in 2023, then Justin Simmons replaced him last season. The Falcons did not bring Simmons back as a free agent, instead signing veteran Jordan Fuller and selecting Xavier Watts in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. Atlanta also added versatile defensive back Billy Bowman in the fourth round. Watts was considered one of the draft's biggest Day 2 steals. The Fighting Irish standout recorded six interceptions for an elite defense last season. He was ranked as the 36th player in the class by Pro Football Focus and has a realistic chance to start for Atlanta in 2025. The Falcons committed considerable resources to upgrade their two biggest defensive weaknesses in the draft. The team took Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker and Tennessee edge James Pearce Jr. in the first round, both of whom are expected to start. released its projected 2025 All-Rookie Team, but neither Walker nor Pearce made the cut. Watts was the lone Falcons rookie on the team, with Gennaro Filice praising the young safety's "ballhawking" ability. "Atlanta's defense basically has been an annual disappointment since the team's last playoff appearance in 2017," wrote Filice. "But over the past couple seasons, the unit has rostered one undeniable star in Jessie Bates III. What's better than one ballhawking safety? Two of 'em! Watts, who began his college career as a wide receiver, logged an astounding 13 interceptions over the past two seasons." The Falcons are rightfully high on Watts, which is why they traded up to get him in the third round. General manager Terry Fontenot is clearly feeling the pressure to win as he enters his fifth season with the team. This is likely what compelled him to trade a future first-round pick to move up for Pearce just 11 picks after taking Walker. If you look at the bigger picture, though, Atlanta has limited time to maximize its current talent. The team still has key players, like Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Matthew Bergeron, playing on rookie contracts. On top of that, the Falcons have 26 players set to enter free agency when the 2025 season ends. The team will kick off the season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 7. Players arrive for training camp on July 23.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Falcons WR Returns To His First Sport Of Choice
Former Falcons WR Returns To His First Sport Of Choice originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Jared Bernhardt has returned to the sport that he loves to play professionally. Advertisement Bernhardt will join the Denver Outlaws of the Premier Soccer League. He originally played lacrosse as a member of the Maryland Terrapins, finishing as the team's all-time record holder in points with 290, goals with 202, single-season points with 99, and single-season goals with 71. Falcons WR Jared Bernhardt makes a catch during a preseason game against the New York Jets. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images While there, he would also win the award for the nation's top lacrosse player, known as the Tewaarton, in 2021. After leaving Maryland, Bernhardt joined the Ferris State Bulldogs team to play football at the quarterback position. He was also quite the athlete on the football field. While with the Bulldogs, he threw for over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,200 yards and 23 touchdowns. He would then go undrafted in the 2022 draft, but instead signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an UDFA to play wide receiver. Advertisement Bernhardt made the 53-man roster in 2022 but only appeared in two games for the Falcons, not recording any stats. During a week one preseason against the Detroit Lions, Bernhardt caught a game-winning touchdown pass. The Falcons were down by three with just over a minute and a half to go in the game when Bernhardt made the snag to give the Falcons the lead. It has been an unusual path for Bernhardt to make it to the NFL and then as a professional lacrosse player, but he wouldn't have it any other way. 'I wouldn't change it. As I said, a lot of great experiences, ups and downs, and a lot of good people you meet along the way, and if I didn't do that, I wouldn't have had that stuff. So I'm fortunate enough to have been able to go through all of that.' Related: The Drama Is Over In Atlanta At The Quarterback Position... (For Now) Related: What To Know From The Atlanta Falcons Wrapping Up Their Offseason Program This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons post-draft position preview: Center
The Atlanta Falcons should benefit from continuity on offense this season with 10 of 11 starters set to return in 2025. However, center Drew Dalman signed a lucrative deal with the Chicago Bears on the opening day of NFL free agency, leaving a hole in the middle of Atlanta's offensive line. Since the team didn't add a center in the draft, the Falcons will look to veteran backup Ryan Neuzil to step up in 2025. After starting eight games last season, Neuzil will enter the year as the starter for the first time in his NFL career. Advertisement In today's post-draft preview, we examine the center position, including depth chart, salary cap space and available free agents. Center depth chart Ryan Neuzil Jovaughn Gwyn Matthew Cindric Michael Gonzalez As you can see above, there's no real threat or competition for Neuzil at center. Gwyn is a former seventh-round pick and has only appeared in two career games. Cindric is a former undrafted free agent who spent his first year in Minnesota. The Falcons signed Gonzalez is an undrafted free agent out of Louisville while they waited for Neuzil to sign his contract. 2025 salary cap hits Neuzil: $3,263,000 Gwyn: $1,030,000 Cindric: $840,000 Gonzalez: $840,000 The Falcons signed Neuzil to a two-year, $9.5 million deal in late May. His 2025 salary cap hit is $3.2 million, which isn't bad for a starting offensive lineman. Gwyn has the second-highest cap hit of the team's centers at $1 million this season. Cindric and Gonzalez are outside of the Falcons' top 51 players in terms of salary cap this season ($840,000 apiece). Top free agents available David Andrews (retired) Nick Harris Dan Feeney Nick Gates Advertisement The free-agent center market leaves a lot to be desired. It's clear why the team felt bringing back Neuzil was its best option. Former Patriots center David Andrews would have been a good option but he opted to retire following his release. Dan Feeney and Nick Gates are a few low-end options the team could consider if they don't like their current group. Predictions/expectations for 2025 Neuzil is a former undrafted free agent who's spent his entire career as a backup. He played well in place of Dalman last season and now it's his time to shine. While Neuzil doesn't have much experience, he's in a good spot playing between Pro Bowl guard Chris Lindstrom and former second-round pick Matthew Bergeron. If Neuzil doesn't get the job done this season, perhaps the team will give Gwyn a look. Falcons post-draft position breakdowns This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons position preview: Ryan Neuzil to lead center group
Fox News
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
NCAA baseball team stopped caring about winning to focus on Jesus – then went to the World Series
College baseball nearly saw a miracle at Messiah University this year. The Messiah Falcons made a run all the way to the Division III World Series championship game on June 5 in one of the most historic seasons in program history. But for coach Phillip Shallenberger and his team, the goal wasn't even to get there. Their goal was simply to be good Christians. "It stopped becoming about, like, 'OK, can we win a national championship,' and it started becoming, like, 'How can we point people closer to Christ?'" Messiah pitcher Daniel Knight told Fox News Digital. About halfway through this season, after a 1-6 start, the team underwent a priority shift. No longer did they show up to the clubhouse every day with a main goal to win. Now, they were simply serving Christ. "We used to sit in the video room, and we would show the other pitcher and show what the other team does and really focus on what they were doing," Shallenberger said. "And then at about that point we started shifting toward just diving into the Word a little bit more. Like, 'How does God want us to lead?' "It was a bit more on the devotionals and bit less on the scouts. And that was actually about the time we started to play a lot better." Shallenberger even made his players carry 250-pound crosses as a team workout. "We do that right in the middle of our conference season in between games," Shallenberger said. But one time, Knight did the cross-carrying workout just before a game on April 17 against Eastern. He threw eight and a third shutout innings with nine strikeouts in that game. It marked a shocking turnaround for Knight, who got off to a poor start to the season with a 9.26 ERA. "It was kind of a wake-up call for me is that you know what the most important thing we can do is glorify God and always having that at our forefront if that means sacrificing being at our best physically and the more reason to rely on the Lord and his strength those are the choices that started to be made after that point," Knight said. Knight said the change came on a morning when he was reading scripture and heard God tell him, 'It's not about you.' "When I was focused on myself, I was becoming depressed. And then when I had that shift of God telling me, 'It's not about you,' I saw a change in when I was trying to serve other people, that I was receiving more joy," Knight said. Knight and the Falcons busted out of their 1-6 start with a 16-4 win against Dickinson College on March 4. From there, they became one of the hottest teams in Divison III, winning 16 of their next 19. Along the way, Shallenberger and his players started adding scripture to their play-call wristbands, where they used to place pitches and signs. "It would say, 'Whatever, bunt defense,' or whatever we wanted. But [Shallenberger] also added some sayings, like one was like, 'Surrender your hands' or 'Jesus over everything,'" said infielder Drew Hurst. "So I know for me, there would be multiple times where either I would make an error or strike out to end an inning and then run on the field and maybe be a little bit p---ed off at myself. But he always would put those on as a little reminder of why [we] play this game, and it's not about our performance or what we do win-wise, but how we, with body language on the field, show love to Jesus and the other team and whoever else is watching us." The players also studied characters in the Bible with Paul the Apostle becoming a team favorite. They finished the regular season 27-13 and then stormed through the Commonwealth Tournament, NCAA Regionals, Super Regionals and then the first two rounds of the World Series. They fell short of taking home the trophy, losing to University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in two games. But Hurst, Knight and many of Shallenberger's other devoted players will be back next year for a potential full season of putting faith over wins. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
