Falcon Report

Falcons LB Troy Andersen Creates 'Good Problem' in Atlanta

Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Troy Andersen shined in his first NFL start with 13 tackles. Will he continue to get large chunks of playing time?

Jeremy Brener

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When the Atlanta Falcons selected Troy Andersen in the second round of this year's NFL Draft, they knew they found someone special.

On Sunday, part of the glitz surrounding Andersen was on full display, recording 13 tackles in his first start during a win against the San Francisco 49ers. Andersen drew the start after Mykal Walker was sidelined with an injury, but the rookie played like a seasoned veteran.

"It's a hard transition to the NFL," head coach Arthur Smith said. "Rookie seasons are long for all of the guys, whether they're an early pick or a late pick. Troy took a lot of snaps yesterday, and we've got a good problem." 

Andersen has played mostly on special teams through the first third of the season, and he made a touchdown-saving play against the 49ers on Sunday.

"Troy's doing a really good job on special teams," Smith said. "I know they ended up getting a touchdown off it, but that play he made on the one punt return where they spun out of there, you got to see his speed - he can accelerate as well as anybody. He has a huge impact on the game when he's out there. Wasn't perfect, but glad we have him, and it's fun working with him."

Andersen is proving to be everything the Falcons have thought he was, and it appears what we have seen so far is only scratching the surface.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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