Falcons TE Parker Hesse 'Doesn't Get Enough Credit,' Says Coach

"The things we ask Parker Hesse to do that nobody will ever notice, guy just does his job," coach Arthur Smith said. "You see why he was a captain at Iowa - a defensive end, by the way. Just a thankless professional that doesn't get enough credit."

Jeremy Brener | Jan 10, 2023

Atlanta Falcons tight end Parker Hesse wasn't expected to see the most snaps at the position this year, but sometimes things don't work out the way it's planned.

With Kyle Pitts out for seven games this season, Hesse stepped up and played a key role for the Falcons offense in 2022. While his stats may not show it, Hesse was arguably one of the biggest contributors for the Atlanta offense this season.

Hesse is primarily a blocking tight end, but that position is crucial when implementing a run-first offense like the one the Falcons run. Atlanta ran for 159.9 yards per game, which ranked third in the league behind the Baltimore Ravens (160) and Chicago Bears (177.3), both of whom have more mobility at quarterback than the Falcons.

Without Hesse, the Falcons may not have had a 1,000-yard rusher in Tyler Allgeier, who broke the franchise record for rushing yards as a rookie.

Allgeier is the one who gets the credit for the yards, but a good chunk of those wouldn't have been possible without the offensive line and Hesse.

Follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Get your HOTlanta Falcons game tickets from SI Tickets ... here!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.

Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.

Want even more Atlanta Falcons news? Check out the SI.com team page here

Published Jan 10, 2023

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.