FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons owe Grady Jarrett.
He is well compensated for his labors as a defensive lineman. But the man has put all of himself into making this franchise a winner. He has done nothing but represent the Falcons with professionalism, passion and a heart for the community. He has earned two Pro Bowl berths and this season was the Falcons’ nominee for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for the second time in his career for his excellence on the field and community service.
In 10 seasons, he has played in 152 games, started 137 and missed only 12. That’s a pretty good return on a fifth-round pick from Clemson.
This season, he pushed himself to return from an ACL tear in well under a year. He welcomed his third head coach and sixth defensive coordinator. In return, he got another season without a postseason appearance, the team’s seventh in a row.
Still, Monday, the day after the season ended, he showed his loyalty and commitment to the franchise again by speaking at length with media as players packed up their lockers and said their goodbyes. It was a courtesy that not all of his teammates were willing to extend. And while he well could have, he didn’t turn up the heat on team management to do something to end the playoff drought. He spoke of hope, which is not a language that many Falcons fans are speaking this week.
“I’m not going to give up,” he said. “Nobody that’s involved’s going to give up and nobody wants it more than the people in this building. We didn’t make the postseason, but we’re definitely trending in the right direction.”
For his years of effort, production, leadership, community service and, not least, for his continued trust in an organization that doesn’t merit such faith, Jarrett deserves better from the Falcons in return.
And, for that matter, so do all the diehards who support this woebegone franchise. Seven years without a playoff appearance is long enough.
With Denver making the postseason, the Falcons are now tied with Carolina for the NFL’s second longest active playoff drought. The only team ahead of them is the New York Jets.
The Falcons can fancy themselves as a premier franchise with their sparkling stadium and excellent fan experience. However, there’s something to be said about the company you keep – the Jets and Panthers are easily among the worst-run franchises in the NFL.
Believing they had a playoff-caliber team at the end of last season, the Falcons changed coaches, made the most expensive free-agency acquisition of last year’s offseason in quarterback Kirk Cousins and acquired Pro Bowl defenders Justin Simmons and Matthew Judon. All of that investment returned one additional win, 7-10 to 8-9.
I asked Jarrett if, given that all of the work he put into getting back from his ACL tear only resulted in one more season without a playoff berth, his frustration or hunger was building.
“Most definitely,” he said. “I’m not going to lie. This is frustrating. It’s motivating.”
But, still, Jarrett won’t give up on the only team he has ever played for, one that did reach the Super Bowl in his second season (2016).
“I can’t abort mission or try to think the answer is (going) somewhere else,” he said. “The work that I put in the last seven years with this team, organization, since we’ve been to the playoffs, it counts for something. … And for me to just think the grass is greener somewhere else or go the easier route, I’m not doing that.”
At least Monday, it did not appear that Blank had sweeping moves forthcoming. Coach Raheem Morris met with media Monday, and the way he spoke of his partnership with general manager Terry Fontenot suggested an expectation that both men will remain in the team’s employ. I asked Morris if he knew that Fontenot will be retained.
“I would like to hope so,” Morris said. “For me and Terry, this thing’s just getting started.”
And if Blank believes that’s the wise course, that’s fine. You can argue that Morris needs more time to implement his vision and that, among other effective decisions, Fontenot has assembled what looks like a dangerous trio in quarterback Michael Penix Jr., running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London.
But accountability for that decision goes on Blank. And responsibility to reward Jarrett’s commitment with a playoff berth – and more than that, ideally – rests on his shoulders, as well.
Morris is the sixth coach that Blank has hired, Fontenot the third GM. Blank’s overall record in his 23 seasons, even with the best quarterback in franchise history on the roster for 14 of them (Matt Ryan), is 186-185-1.
Even putting Cousins’ baffling decline aside, this was not a team that was bent on greatness. The defense had no pass rush to speak of through the first eight games and showed little fight and coordination in multiple games, including Sunday’s finale when the season was on the line.
Special teams wasn’t trustworthy. Morris made costly mistakes in game management. Neither of the preseason acquisitions made by Fontenot (Simmons and Judon) worked out. Jarrett lived it all.
“It’s not O.K. that we didn’t make the postseason,” he said.
Jarrett has one more year left on his contract. He’ll turn 32 in April ahead of his 11th season.
“So I’m not tapping out,” he said. “Never tapping out. And it’s O.K. to be disappointed sometimes, but you just can’t be defeated.”
Jarrett’s determination, production and loyalty deserve better than seven consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. It’s on Blank to not fail him and the fans who support his team. It’s been quite long enough.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
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