FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Falcons News Now is your home base for everything happening in and around Flowery Branch, even when the games aren't on the schedule.
The offseason is where Sundays are built, and each week we bring you a clear-eyed look at how the Falcons are shaping the future: roster decisions, contract moves, draft buzz, coaching priorities and the players working to earn their next opportunity.
From front-office strategy and practice intel to emerging storylines and long-term vision, this isn't just a recap of headlines — it's context for what's coming next in Atlanta.
If it matters inside this building, it belongs here.
So if you eat, sleep, and breathe Falcons football, this is your inside edge all year long. Every move, every trend, every storyline, all in one place.
The News, Now
Key developments across the organization, from the front office to the coaching staff and everything in between
This past week was the inaugural girls flag football week presented by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and hosted by the Atlanta Falcons. Along with highlighting the work across nearly a decade of work, the Falcons hosted a free girls flag football clinic, where girls were able to come to the Falcons practice facility to practice their skills.
Former and current Falcons players led the girls through drills and practice.
"This was an amazing opportunity — actually a new opportunity for me — to learn so much about what's going on," Jalon Walker said.
"I heard earlier that you can get college scholarships from girls flag football now which is just amazing. So, having these girls come out here to show their talent, to come out and enjoy themselves? It's great."
One of the best stories to come out of the clinic was 11 girls from Valdosta High School made the six-hour trip to Flowery Branch to attend. According to head coach Sandy Turner, they wouldn't have missed it.
"We just have a microcosm of what's going on for girls flag football," Turner explained. "The first year, girls were hesitant. ... But our numbers have constantly risen. More girls are interested, and actually we have started a middle school league, because it has taken off so much."
To end the week, the GACA All-Star games were played at the Falcons facility. Along with the games, two-time gold medalist in women's flag for the Mexico national team Diana Flores spoke to the girls invited to represent their programs at the games.
"I almost can't believe where we are today when looking back and seeing where we came from," Flores said. "Nobody talked about the sport. Nobody knew what it was. Nobody believed in the game. And now, thanks to organizations like (the Falcons), people who believed in maybe what even we couldn't see or imagine years ago, it's now a reality. It's going beyond what we could have ever dreamed."
Fan Zone Highlights
Tweets, videos and podcasts you may have missed
In the Nest
Behind-the-scenes stories, locker room insight into team culture
On the team side, the Falcons continued to fill out pieces of its coaching and front office staff this past week. They made two hires. On the coaching staff, Jordan Reid joined up as an assistant quarterbacks coach, while Shawn Heinlen became the Falcons' director of college scouting.
Over 16 seasons of work with the Bills, Heinlen worked his way up from a college scouting administrator from 2001-03 to an area scout from 2003-17. Thereafter, Heinlen made the move to the Philadelphia Eagles as their Southwest area scout in 2018. It was there Heinlen first crossed paths with new Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham, who was the director of college scouting for the Eagles at the time. For the last four seasons, Heinlen has worked closely with some members of the Falcons' current coaching staff, too, as he was a Southwest area scout for the Cleveland Browns.
Meanwhile, coaches continue to evaluate the 2025 roster and how it could evolve in 2026.
Defensively, Jeff Ulbrich expressed support in bringing ILB Kaden Elliss back this season. Elliss is expected to be a free agent at the start of the new league year this March. That is, if the Falcons don't strike a deal with him to keep him in Atlanta. If they can't, Ulbrich said with conviction that "to replace Kaden would take more than one human being."
"He gave us this really unique flexibility," Ulbrich explained. "I mean, to think a guy could play world-class line of scrimmage play, but at the same time, you could stack him behind the ball, and he could play world-class stack linebacker play."
Offensively, Tommy Rees and Kevin Stefanski are drawing on their own past experiences to help solidify their present in Atlanta. Still, they're not here to re-invent the Falcons run game wheel. They're looking to evolve it. Philosophically, marrying the wide-zone game the Falcons have found success in the last few years with some gap style stuff, too.
"I think that's a really good place to start when you're talking about run game," Stefanski said. "I do believe you can't be good at everything. I don't believe you can be so diverse that you're trying to live in every single world. I think you have to hang your hat on specific things."
Offseason Intel
Upcoming important dates and information
This past Tuesday, Feb. 17, officially opened the franchise and transition tag window. The deadline to tag a player is 4 p.m. ET on March 3. This is in an important activation for Kyle Pitts, who is a candidate to receive this type of tag.
As stated in our free agency list, the franchise tag cost for a tight end is just north of $16 million this offseason, according to Spotrac. As a franchise, the Falcons have only used a franchise tag on three individuals: punter Michael Koenen (2009), cornerback Brent Grimes (2012) and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (2019). The Falcons have until March 3 to make a decision about whether or not to extend the tag to Pitts.
Next up on the offseason docket, the NFL Scouting Combine, which kicks off this week. Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski will be in attendance, stopping by the Atlanta Falcons booth on Radio Row as well as meeting with other media throughout Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Stay up to date on all of the combine happenings on AtlantaFalcons.com.
