The Atlanta Falcons got a Week 7 win that was memorable on its own, but Kendrick Daniels made it feel bigger than a normal Sunday. One week after a frightening injury scare, the rookie linebacker was back on the field, wearing the green dot and running the defense with Divine Deablo inactive.
That was already remarkable enough. Then Daniels turned the game into his own highlight reel.
He played every one of Atlanta’s 66 defensive snaps in the 29-20 victory, and he did it after a Week 6 hit against the Bears that sent him off the field on a stretcher. His facemask collided with Colston Loveland’s knee, his neck had to be immobilized, and he was later taken to the hospital.
The good news kept coming after that, though. Daniels was only taken to Grady Memorial as a precaution, was walking under his own power in the locker room an hour later, and later reports were positive.
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski also said he was not in the concussion protocol.
Even with all of that in the rearview mirror, Daniels was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Friday before suiting up against San Francisco. He didn’t look like a player trying to survive the day. He looked like the guy who helped finish it.
With Atlanta clinging to a six-point lead and just over two minutes left, Daniels tipped a Brock Purdy pass, intercepted it, and returned it nearly 30 yards to set the Falcons up in the red zone. That turnover helped lead to the game-sealing field goal.
He wasn’t done. On San Francisco’s next possession, Jessie Bates III forced a fumble on a catch-and-run by George Kittle, and Daniels was there to recover it and lock down the win. On Atlanta’s final two defensive possessions, he produced a pick and a fumble recovery.
The rookie’s stat line matched the moment. Daniels finished with a career-high 11 tackles, nine of them solo, along with a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.
He also led the Falcons in tackles. Afterward, Stefanski said Daniels received a game ball for what he did.
Daniels called the last week the "craziest of my life", and Stefanski described his performance as "remarkable" and "unbelievable". For a player who was just trying to get back on the field, it turned into a defining night.
It was also the kind of showing that makes a team sit up and take notice. The Falcons found a difference-maker in Daniels, and in a game they won by playing through chaos, he was right at the center of everything.
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Falcons Offense Forced The 49ers Into A Deadline Response
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For San Francisco, the response came quickly after the final whistle, a clear sign the loss carried some urgency beyond the standings. The 49ers moved to shore up the front of their defense after a day in which the pass rush never consistently affected Michael Penix Jr., and the ripple effect of Nick Bosas absence loomed over the whole performance. [Read more 🡒]