Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Reveals Biggest Lesson Learned from First Start

Desmond Ridder hopes to apply some of the lessons he learned from his first start with the Atlanta Falcons to this weekend's game.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 22, 2022

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is coming down from the culture shock attached to his first NFL start four days ago.

It was Ridder's first competitive action since the preseason and start since his college days at Cincinnati.

Ridder looked more like a college signal caller than a professional, throwing for just 97 yards in a 21-18 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

While Ridder didn't have much to show in the box score, he took away some intangibles that will help him in his next start Saturday.

"There was a lot to learn," Ridder stated. "Experience was the biggest thing for me - getting out there, seeing the speed of the game, getting the communication going."

It's fair to say Ridder was excitable in his first start, like many rookies are, but the third-round pick will need a little more patience when he faces the Baltimore Ravens this weekend.

"And then also the patience, along with this great line that I have, it gives me the time to be able to sit there and trust them and let things develop," Ridder said. "So, that'll be something that I continue to work on, but just the experience of being out there was big enough of a learning experience that you can have."

Ridder will start in his second NFL game on Christmas Eve when his Falcons face the Ravens. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Published Dec 22, 2022

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.