After parting ways with longtime franchise cornerstone Matt Ryan after 14 years, sending him to Indianapolis, the Atlanta Falcons used the 76th overall pick on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft to potentially find his replacement in former Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Following his emotional reaction to fulfilling his lifelong dreams, Ridder spoke with the NFL Draft crew on ABC about how confident he is in his future in the league--so much so that he guaranteed something that Falcons fans haven't experienced in their entire franchise's history.
“They’re going to get everything out of me,” Ridder said on ABC’s draft show. “A Super Bowl out of me… I’m not leaving until I get a Super Bowl.”
Ridder's confidence maybe just a reflection of his competitive edge, (otherwise he probably wouldn't have made it this far as an athlete) but it will be a tough challenge as Atlanta is currently one of only 12 NFL teams that have yet to win a Super Bowl ring, appearing in two Super Bowl with their last coming in 2017 when they famously blew a 28–3 lead to the New England Patriots.
As good as Ridder might be, he's still a ways away from being named the starter of an NFL franchise. Not to mention the Falcons are in full rebuild mode and seem content with Marcus Mariota as their starter for 2022, singing the former No. 2 overall pick to a two-year deal.
In his four years at Cincinnati, Ridder threw over 2,000 yards each season with his best season coming in 2021, when he finished with 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns, completing 64.9% of his attempts on the year. In his collegiate career, Ridder finished with 10,239 passing yards.
Ridder helped Cincinnati to the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff last season, ultimately losing to No. 1 Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. The Bearcats' appearance in the CFP was the first time a "non-power-5" conference was represented since the advent of the playoff system.
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