The frustration spilled over at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, and Drake London was right in the middle of it.
During Atlanta’s 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 2, the Falcons’ offense was already drawing heat from the crowd, with fans even chanting for the fourth-string quarterback to enter the game. In the middle of that rough afternoon, London got into a verbal back-and-forth with someone in the stands, and teammate Olamide Zaccheaus had to step in and hold him back.
Afterward, London said the exchange came after a fan said "personal stuff" to him, and he made clear he felt disrespected.
"I'm going to be honest here, I don't take light to disrespect at all," London said. "I don't care who you are.
I'm a man, too, at the end of the day. So, if you want to get on a personal level, I can get there, too, but it's not the right thing to do.
So, I got to take accountability for that, and I got to push forward and be the bigger man in some of those situations.
"But with how the game was going and what was said to me, I don't like it," London said.
When asked whether the exchange was with a fan, London kept it simple: "It was somebody."
On the field, London was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise ugly offensive showing. He caught four passes for 51 yards, which stood as Atlanta’s top receiving total by a wide margin in Week 2.
The quarterback situation didn’t help. With Michael Penix Jr. still out while recovering from an ACL injury and Tua Tagovailoa dealing with an oblique injury, veteran Cooper Rush got the start again. He finished 10-of-17 for 86 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble before being replaced by undrafted rookie Jack Strand, who also threw a pick.
Still, London put the onus on the entire group to produce no matter who’s under center.
"I think we as playmakers, us in the backfield, us on the outside, on the wing, we got to go out there and make plays regardless," London said. "We're all in the league for a reason, right?
We're all good football players. I don't care if you're fourth string or you're the starter."
London signed a four-year, $141 million extension with Atlanta this offseason, a deal that keeps him with the Falcons through the 2030 season.
In Other News...
Falcons Captain Had A Blunt Response To Fans Booing Sunday
The mood turned quickly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday as the Falcons home opener slipped away in a 34-3 loss to the Panthers, and the boos that followed were hard to miss. For a team trying to settle in early at home, it was the kind of afternoon that leaves little room for spin, and linebacker Divine Deablo, one of Atlantas captains, did not try to offer any.
Deablo took accountability for the performance and did not place blame on the crowds reaction, a stance that matched the tone set by fellow captain Jessie Bates III. For the Falcons, the bigger issue was not the noise from the stands but the way the game unraveled, and how quickly their first home chance of the season became a frustration for everyone involved. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Offense Is Becoming An Early Problem Fans Feared
Through two weeks, the Falcons have landed in an unwelcome spot near the bottom of the leagues latest NFL power rankings, sitting 32nd after a start that has only deepened early worries about the offense. The updated list paints Atlanta as a team still searching for answers, with little evidence so far that the unit is close to finding the rhythm fans expected heading into the season.
The concern is less about one rough Sunday than the broader feeling that this could linger if the offense does not quickly stabilize. Miami is only one spot ahead at 31st, which underscores just how shaky the early-season picture looks for both teams, but for Atlanta the bigger issue is whether the problems on offense are becoming a pattern rather than a short-term slump. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Protection Suddenly Rests On A Rookie In A Brutal Spot
The Falcons right tackle situation has turned into one of the bigger concerns heading into Week 3 against the Packers. Jawaan Taylor is questionable with a rib injury, and if he cannot go, Atlanta may have to turn to rookie Ethan Onianwa, who has yet to appear in a regular-season game.
For a team already trying to settle things up front, that would be a tough place to ask a rookie to learn on the fly. Onianwa struggled in the preseason, so the Falcons are staring at a spot where protection could come down to a first-year player in a very unfriendly matchup. [Read more 🡒]