Grady Jarrett is headed back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 6, and the Falcons-Bears matchup comes with the kind of emotional pull the NFL always seems to find a way to deliver.
Atlanta will see a few familiar faces on the Chicago side, with Gervon Dexter Sr., Olamide Zaccheus and new general manager Ian Cunningham all tied to the Falcons in some way. But Jarrett is the name that changes the feel of this one. He spent his first 10 seasons in Atlanta, became a fan favorite, made two Pro Bowls and signed with the Bears during the 2025 offseason after it became clear the Falcons weren’t going to keep him long-term.
Jarrett addressed the media on Wednesday and used one word to sum up his time in Atlanta: "grateful". That tracks with the path he took here. He was nearly part of a Super Bowl LI win, he’s an Atlanta native, he went to Clemson, and he built a huge part of his life in this city.
Now he returns as a Bear, even if the fit on paper is different from the one he had in Atlanta. The 33-year-old doesn’t match the vision Jeff Ulbrich and Nate Ollie have for this defensive line, but that won’t make the reunion any less meaningful. It also shouldn’t make it any easier to ignore his production.
Jarrett has started all five games for Chicago this season and has nine pressures. Eight of those pressures came in just two games, which makes this a pretty intriguing test. He’s no longer in the prime version of himself, but he’s still a solid interior lineman and a player who can affect the pocket.
That’s what makes the matchup with Atlanta’s offensive line worth watching. Jarrett said he respects the group, and that makes sense considering how many of these linemen he knows well. He played with everyone except Jawaan Taylor, spent plenty of time battling Jake Matthews and Chris Lindstrom in practice, and even crossed paths with Matthew Bergeron for two seasons.
There’s a lot of familiarity packed into this game, which can cut both ways. Atlanta’s line has mostly held up this season, and the Falcons should have the size edge against Chicago’s defensive front. That’s not ideal for Jarrett.
Even so, he still brings real pass-rush ability. According to ESPN research, his 22% pass-rush win rate ranks fifth among all defensive tackles, with only Brandon Dorlus and Gervon Dexter among the three players ahead of him. The flip side is that he has slipped quite a bit as a run defender.
That matters here because Atlanta wants to play physical football and build its offense around winning at the line of scrimmage with Bijan Robinson and the run game. In other words, this isn’t the easiest setup for Jarrett to turn a homecoming into a personal victory, even with the emotions running high.
The love between Jarrett and the Falcons is still there. Week 6 just asks a different question: can he make the reunion feel like more than a warm welcome back?
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