Falcons Coach Makes First Remarks About Matthew Judon Trade

The Falcons pushed more chips into the middle of the table Thursday.

Atlanta declared it was going for it in the 2024 season when it signed Kirk Cousins to a very expensive contract over the offseason. Cousins was brought in to lead an offense that seemingly was a quarterback away from being a potent group, but questions remained about the defense.

The Falcons tried to alleviate some of those concerns a few weeks before the start of the regular season when they acquired Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots. Speaking with the media after the deal was finalized, head coach Raheem Morris explained how the star pass-rushed appealed to Atlanta.

“Anytime you can add a dog, really, to your group and have him be able to come be a part of that, that is exciting,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said, per the team’s official website. “I think we have excitement for that. I think he has excitement for that. I think a couple of our players that actually know him personally have excitement for that.”

The excitement is warranted, but the trade wasn’t made without risk. The 32-year-old Judon is coming off a season-ending injury and clearly covets a big payday. There’s a chance the Falcons gave away a 2025 third-round pick for a player who’s declining and is set to leave in free agency next spring.

But for Atlanta, those potential problems are for another day. The focus now is putting together a team that has a legitimate shot at reaching Super Bowl LIX.