Former D.C. Defenders Wide Receiver Elevated to Atlanta Falcons 53-Man Roster

Former D.C. Defenders wide receiver Chris Blair has been elevated to the 53-man roster for the Atlanta Falcons for their matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Aug 9, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Chris Blair (19) runs with the football before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

One of the best wide receivers in the D.C. Defenders' young franchise history will get a shot at playing in a regular season game Sunday.

ESPN Atlanta Falcons beat writer Marc Raimondi reported Saturday that Chris Blair was elevated to the 53-man roster for their matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The #Falcons have elevated WR Chris Blair and CB Kevin King to the 53-man roster for their Week 1 game tomorrow against the Steelers, the team announced. Blair and King were both standouts for Atlanta during the preseason.

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 7, 2024

Blair was one of the top receivers for the Defenders in the XFL in 2023, with 25 receptions for 584 yards and three touchdowns. He played a key role in helping the Defenders make the XFL Championship game before they lost to the Arlington Renegades in the title game, where he caught three passes for 29 yards.

His stint in the XFL helped Blair get signed by the Falcons, as he spent last season mostly on their practice squad with one game appearance. He was brought back this year as he performed well in preseason with eight receptions for 154 yards in three games. His NFL career originally began with the Green Bay Packers in 2021.

The UFL this season had two players make 53-man rosters in the NFL with Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates landing on the Detroit Lions and Arlington Renegades defensive lineman Jalen Redmond making the Minnesota Vikings.

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