FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Calvin Ridley returned to the Falcons after spending some time away from the team due to a personal matter. He has been a full participant in this week's team activities and is ready to get back it on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
The receiver expressed that point on Thursday afternoon in his first public comments since his time away, a stretch that included the Week 5 victory over the New York Jets in London.
"It's feels great," Ridley said. "…I was around my family; I was tired of sitting down. I was able to get back when the team got back [from England] and get running and stuff. It felt great to be around the guys. Ready to play some football."
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Ridley chose to keep his personal matter private, other than to say he spent the time away resting and with family.
He didn't engage with questions from media requesting further details surrounding his absence but understands why people are curious about his status, especially "in today's world."
"For me personally, it shouldn't matter because – mind your business," Ridley said. "But, in today's world, yeah, I do. To me, I don't think it should. If I say it's personal, it's personal."
Ridley was focused on and excited about the prospect of playing on Sunday against Miami, especially with the full complement of Falcons skill players available now that he's back and Russell Gage is returning from injury. Add those two to a group that includes Kyle Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson and the Falcons offense could he hard to handle.
"We're dangerous," Ridley said. "When everyone's up and playing, we should be able to move the ball on anybody, score on anybody. Personally, that's how I feel. I know my teammates feel like that, too."
Falcons Final Whistle | A Postgame Podcast
The game is over, but the show goes on. Falcons Final Whistle brings you all the post-game analysis and instant reactions you could ever need, all in time for your Monday morning commute. Hosts Will McFadden and Tori McElhaney break the game into quarters, reliving the most important moments and dropping in their insights along the way.
