The Atlanta Falcons made a massive decision at the quarterback position this week when they announced that rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder would be the team’s new starting quarterback, taking over for veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota who previously held that position for the entire season.
During an interview this week, Desmond Ridder sounded confident about the opportunity to start for the Falcons, saying “this is what they’ve been preparing me for.”
“I’m prepared for this,” Ridder said, according to the Atlanta Falcons team website. “This is what they’ve been preparing me for. They didn’t want to baby me. . . . It means going about the game plan how a 12-year vet, an eight-year vet, whatever it may be, would. Not putting on a wristband — making me memorize every single play call, all the ins and outs, all the checks, all the cadence, just taking it like I’ve been in the league for eight years.”
It’s good that Ridder is confident, because with Mariota stepping away from the team for medical reasons and going on the IR after knee surgery, there are no longer any backup plans for the Falcons if Ridder can’t get the job done. And there’s still a real chance for this team to make the playoffs.
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