Matt Ryan
FILE - In this July 29, 2019, file photo, Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo watches a drill during NFL football training camp in St. Joseph, Mo. When the coronavirus pandemic forced everyone indoors — away from their everyday environments — creativity was the key. To working. To keeping in touch. And, for those making their living playing on football fields, to thinking up ways to bond as teammates. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
NFL teams went high-tech for team bonding this offseason

By Dennis Waszak Jr. Jun. 19, 2020 11:20 AM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2019, file photo, Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Snow walks the sideline in an NCAA college football game against West Virginia in Waco, Texas. Carolina Panthers new defensive coordinator Phil Snow has a monumental task ahead of him, returning the once proud Carolina defense to among the best in the league without retired linebacker Luke Kuechly. Carolina's defense is coming off a season in which they allowed 29.4 points per game, the second-most in the league. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson, File)
Snow faces huge task restoring once-proud Panthers defense

By Steve Reed Jun. 17, 2020 05:58 PM EDT

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2016, file photo, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. Kaepernick was a second-round draft pick in 2011 who the next year led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl. By 2016, he had begun kneeling on the sideline at games during the national anthem to protest social injustice and police brutality.  Soon after, he was gone from the NFL, and he has not played since. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
NFL commissioner Goodell encourages team to sign Kaepernick

By Joe Reedy Jun. 15, 2020 11:25 PM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 22, 2018, file photo, Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson (26) stands for the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn. NFL players who want to kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism have far more support than Colin Kaepernick did four years ago. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)
Despite far more support, kneeling might not be widespread

By Rob Maaddi Jun. 11, 2020 05:14 PM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2019, file photo, Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Los Angeles. Gurley has passed his physical, clearing the final hurdle for his return to Georgia with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons said Tuesday, June 9, 2020, Gurley passed his physical a day earlier in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
Todd Gurley passes physical with Falcons, impresses Ryan

Jun. 09, 2020 04:23 PM EDT

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2020, file photo, NFC quarterback Drew Brees, of the New Orleans Saints, (9) looks to pass during the first half of the NFL Pro Bowl football game in Orlando, Fla. Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn says the NFC South “is turning into Quarterback South.” The priority to “bring it” on defense was evident in the NFL draft. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Brees, Brady give 'Quarterback South' top 2 all-time passers

By Charles Odum Apr. 29, 2020 12:19 PM EDT

FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2020, file photo, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown (5) runs during the second half of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game against Minnesota in Tampa, Fla. The Carolina Panthers selected Brown with the seventh pick in the first round of the NFL draft. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Panthers make history, use all 7 picks on defensive players

By Steve Reed Apr. 25, 2020 09:21 PM EDT

En esta foto del 29 de febero del 2020, el lineman defensivo Yetur Gross-Matos corre en el combine, la exhibición de talentos para la NFL, en Indianápolis. (AP Foto/Charlie Neibergall)
Panthers get defensive in NFL draft to battle NFC South QBs

By Steve Reed Apr. 24, 2020 07:57 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 27, 2020, file photo, Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown listens during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. Brown is a likely first-round pick in the NFL draft Thursday, April 23, 2020. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File)
Panthers choose Brown over Simmons with No. 7 overall pick

By Steve Reed Apr. 23, 2020 09:26 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 26, 2008, file photo, Matt Ryan, a quarterback from Boston College, speaks at a news conference after being selected third overall by the Atlanta Falcons during fthe irst round of the NFL football draft in New York. Ryan has started all but three games over his 12-year career, earning four Pro Bowl appearances and the NFL’s MVP award in 2016, when he led the Falcons to only the second Super Bowl appearance in team history. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
Matty Ice gets nod as Falcons' greatest success on draft day

By Paul Newberry Apr. 21, 2020 05:56 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2014, file photo, Georgia running back Todd Gurley (3) celebrates with fans after defeating Vanderbilt 44-17 in an NCAA college football game in Athens, Ga. Gurley will be making a homecoming to the state of Georgia when the former Georgia Bulldogs standout begins the second phase of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Gurley says deal with Falcons 'like a little homecoming'

By Charles Odum Apr. 10, 2020 03:29 PM EDT

Falcons to wear all-black home uniforms as part of redesign

Apr. 08, 2020 10:32 AM EDT
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are moving to black pants with black jerseys for their home uniforms in 2020 as part of a redesign the team says respects...

FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2019, file photo, New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater throws before the New Orleans Saints host the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. The Carolina Panthers have worked out a deal with Teddy Bridgewater to replace quarterback Cam Newton. A person familiar with the deal says Bridgewater is taking a three-year, $63 million contract after winning all five of his starts for New Orleans last season. (David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP, File)
Bridgewater ready to be a starting QB again in Carolina

Mar. 26, 2020 05:50 PM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2017, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates a touchdown by running back Dion Lewis during the second half of the team's NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Foxborough, Mass. Brady’s .774 regular season winning percentage ranks first in the Super Bowl era among quarterbacks with at least 50 starts. With 249 victories overall, including playoffs, he’s won almost as many games in two decades as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won (273) in the franchise’s 44-season history. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Tom Brady over Jameis Winston easy decision for Buccaneers

By Fred Goodall Mar. 25, 2020 05:48 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2019 file photo, New Orleans Saints offensive guard Andrus Peat (75) sets up to block during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla. Saints free agent left guard Andrus Peat has agreed to a five-year contract keeping him in New Orleans, general manager Mickey Loomis said. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Brady, Gurley: From 2019 Super Bowl foes to same division

By Barry Wilner Mar. 20, 2020 05:51 PM EDT

FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019 file photo, Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley II carries against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif. The Los Angeles Rams have released running back Todd Gurley, their superstar running back with a massive contract and a troubling injury history. The Rams made the move Thursday, March 19, 2020 several minutes before roughly $10 million in the three-time Pro Bowl selection's contract became fully guaranteed. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)
AP source: Falcons agree to 1-year deal with Todd Gurley

By Charles Odum Mar. 20, 2020 09:04 AM EDT

A ticket holder pauses outside a closed Goodyear Ballpark, spring training home of the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds baseball teams, reading a sign as to where he might get a refund for a canceled game, Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Goodyear, Ariz. Major League Baseball has suspended the rest of its spring training game schedule because if the coronavirus outbreak. MLB is also delaying the start of its regular season by at least two weeks. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Latest: Big South Conference cancels all spring sports

By The Associated Press Mar. 18, 2020 01:34 AM EDT

FILE - In this March 12, 2020, file photo, goals used by the NHL hockey club Nashville Predators are stored in a hallway in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The Ottawa Senators announced late Tuesday night, March 17, 2020, one of their players has tested positive for COVID-19, has mild symptoms and is in isolation. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
The Latest: First NHL player has coronavirus

By The Associated Press Mar. 17, 2020 03:14 PM EDT

FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019 file photo,Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) warms up before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo. Now that we know Philip Rivers won't be leading the Chargers into SoFi Stadium in September, the muddied waters of NFL quarterbacking have been cleared a bit. Just a little bit. Not knowing where Rivers might be headed if anywhere in 2020 doesn't simplify things at all. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
Analysis: Offseason Fix: Where are the free QBs headed?

By Barry Wilner Feb. 12, 2020 02:36 AM EST

FILE - This is a 2019 file photo showing Mike Mularkey of the Atlanta Falcons NFL football team. Atlanta Falcons tight end coach Mike Mularkey is retiring after 25 years in the league. Mularkey is retiring after a one-year second stint in Atlanta. He is a former Tennessee Titans coach and also served as a head coach in Buffalo and Jacksonville. (AP Photo, File)
Falcons' Mularkey retiring, Joe Whitt to coach secondary

Jan. 09, 2020 04:31 PM EST