Atlanta Falcons Ex Desmond Ridder Never Requested Trade, Raheem Morris Says

Even though the writing was on the wall, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder kept going about his business as usual.

Jan 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) during / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

When the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins earlier this month, it effectively forced them to make a decision with their existing quarterbacks.

One of, if not both, of Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke would have to go. Atlanta could hang on to one of them as Cousins' new backup, but retaining both was simply not practical.

In the end, the Falcons decided to ship Ridder off to the Arizona Cardinals in a deal that netted them young receiver Rondale Moore in return. On the same day, they effectively guaranteed that Heinicke would stick around as they paid out his $1.32 million roster bonus.

Jan 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) during / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

While the writing may have been on the wall for Ridder, the young quarterback never explicitly asked for a trade, earning respect from head coach Raheem Morris.

"He was in, working out, doing things he was supposed to do," Morris said, per the Falcons' official site. "The opportunity presented itself for him to get a new start, and an opportunity presented itself to us to add speed to our room and do some things with our receivers. ... I am excited for him to get a fresh start. I am excited for us to get a fresh start at wideout, get some speed in our room and develop some things. I think the trade married up for both of us."

General manager Terry Fontenot previously said that multiple teams called on Ridder, but the Cardinals' offer was ultimately the most-appealing one.

Over his brief time with the Falcons, Ridder completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,544 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He showed some flashes of solid play, but overall, his time in Atlanta was largely a disappointment.

Now, Ridder has a chance at a fresh start as Kyler Murray's backup. At the very least, it seems that he's more than willing to put his head down and do whatever it takes to help his team.