Falcons Do Not Need Hall's Drama

Posted: Nov 05, 2008

I found a headline in the AJC that absolutely astounded me in the wake of ex-Falcon DeAngelo Hall being released from the Raiders; “Should the Falcons bring D. Hall back”? Obviously there are many good moves the Falcons organization has made since hiring new GM Thomas Dimitroff and new Coach Mike Smith. The drafting of franchise quarterback Matt Ryan and the signing of running back Michael Tuner have probably received the most attention, but I believe the trading of the malcontent Hall for a 2nd and 5th round pick has done as much to shape the new philosophy of Atlanta than anything else. The new brass clearly sent a message when they shipped off the Pro Bowl cornerback in the offseason, and the new Falcons have moved forward with their youth to the tune of a 5-3 start.

Many fans and pundits weren’t sure that Atlanta would have five wins for the entire season, but after the regime change, an incredible Draft (Ryan, leading tackler Curtis Lofton, Harry Douglas, Chevis Jackson), and a new attitude, things on the field have improved. I do understand that it takes talented players to win in the NFL, but it’s clear that the Falcons have an entire team pulling in the same direction. While it’s always tempting to sign a super talent and hope the problems do not arise, the rebuilding project in Atlanta is just going too well to risk messing up team chemistry with DeAngelo Hall.