Van Jefferson Trade to Arthur Smith's Atlanta Falcons Brings Life Full Circle

"I remember memories of us coming to the games," newly acquired Atlanta Falcons receiver Van Jefferson said of his dad, Shawn's, time with the Dirty Birds.

Van Jefferson, the Atlanta Falcons' newest receiver, has long had NFL eyes watching him.

Jefferson, acquired via trade Tuesday in the midst of his fourth season with the Los Angeles Rams, is the son of former NFL player and current Carolina Panthers receivers coach Shawn Jefferson.

During the younger Jefferson's years in high school, his father worked as the receivers coach for the Tennessee Titans, where he met a young offensive assistant named Arthur Smith.

One night, Shawn brought Smith to see Van, then a highly touted recruit heading to Ole Miss, play at Ravenwood High School. Smith walked away impressed with Van's talent, unsurprising considering Shawn's decade-plus NFL career.

Smith and the elder Jefferson coached together from 2013-2015, with the former staying on staff after a change at head coach and the latter departing for the Miami Dolphins.

During this period, Van continued starring on the gridiron and eventually emerged as Florida's top pass catcher as a senior in 2019, leading the team in receiving yards with 657, just ahead of now-Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

The following spring, Jefferson was drafted in the second round by the Rams, and two years later, he was a Super Bowl champion who'd established himself as the team's No. 2 wideout behind Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp.

Now, some 20 months after reaching that status, Jefferson's looking to rejuvenate his career ... and he's back not only with Pitts, but also Smith, who's in the midst of his third season as Atlanta's head coach.

It's also an opportunity for Van to follow in his dad's footsteps, as Shawn played for the Falcons from 2000-2002. Across 45 games together, Shawn caught 1,755 yards and five touchdowns as his career began to wind down. Van and Shawn will see each other Dec. 17 in Carolina.

The theme of Jefferson's arrival in Atlanta is excitement - be it Smith, quarterback Desmond Ridder or the wideout himself, there's lots of optimism surrounding the pairing.

Smith noted he knows a lot about Jefferson from watching him as a younger player and working alongside his father, but that wasn't the reason for the trade.

That past relationship does, however, give Smith confidence in the person he and general manager Terry Fontenot are adding to the locker room.

“You feel good and know what he’s about," Smith said. "Obviously, the tape matches it, too. It’s not just the personal relationship, but you feel good about bringing him into our locker room with the characteristics.”

Smith joked that Van is faster, smarter and better looking than Shawn, thanks to his mother, but was serious when discussing his hopes for the trade.

It's clear that Atlanta appreciated the manner in which Los Angeles conducted the swap, which also included the Falcons sending a 2025 sixth-round pick and receiving a 2025 seventh-round pick.

Fontenot and Rams general manager Les Snead share a good working relationship, and there's plenty of mutual respect between the two organizations. Smith pointed out the same is true with the Detroit Lions, as opposed to other teams around the league who are "comical" in how they approach trades.

The mission is that it's a win-win for both teams, Smith expressed, and his attention is now turned to whether Jefferson capitalize on the opportunity at hand.

“It’s a pick swap and a chance for a guy to have a change of scenery that’s been a good player that we feel like can fit," Smith said. "We’ll have to see. It goes both ways. Gives him an opportunity. That’s all you can promise.”

Van Jefferson joins an Atlanta Falcons offense deep with playmakers / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Jefferson ended his Rams career with 101 receptions for 1,499 yards and 10 touchdowns across 49 games with 30 starts. Much of his production came in 2021, when he caught 50 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns.

The 27-year-old had his 2022 season compromised by multiple knee surgeries that kept him without a catch until Week 10, and he hauled in only eight passes in the first four games of this season.

But Smith was quick to point out that Jefferson has proven he can succeed at the sport's highest level, and a change of scenery may be all he needs.

Jefferson is fond of Ridder, citing his recent breakout performance while noting that he's played well this season. The feeling between the two sides is mutual, and Ridder is looking forward to the challenge of developing chemistry with his new target.

"Obviously, never thrown with him or done anything before, coming into a new offense for him," Ridder said. "It's going to take a little time to get connected, get on the same page, make sure that we're communicating, and then the physical part of it, I'm going to see out there in practice how routes are run, how he gets in and out of his breaks.

"Then it just becomes the mental part, can we catch him up as quick as possible to get him out there and get him on the field playing."

Neither Jefferson nor Smith wanted to put a timeline on when he'll be able to play; the latter said it's a wait-and-see situation regarding how the week plays out and didn't declare a status for this Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders.

But whenever the 6-1, 200-pound Jefferson hits the gridiron, he'll do so with the potential to give Atlanta's offense the vertical presence it's lacked thus far.

Scotty Miller is currently the lone such player in Atlanta's receivers room, but he has just two receptions through five games, both coming in last Sunday's 21-19 win over the Houston Texans.

And so, Jefferson figures to take over the top spot as downfield threat, with his 4.39 40-yard dash time and track record of big play ability only supporting this idea.

Regardless, Jefferson's glad to be back in the south. He grew up in Jacksonville and went to high school in the Nashville area. It's much closer to home than Los Angeles was, though he said his daughter isn't excited about changing schools.

But really, seven-year-old Bella may be the only one not fully sold in Atlanta, an ironic twist in what's proving to be a transition filled with family ties.

And Jefferson, who's in the final year of his rookie contract, is ready to remind the league just how good he once was, and how important he can still be as the Falcons seek to make the postseason for the first time in six years.

Winning is priority No. 1 ... but Jefferson still remembers the days of staying in Marietta when his dad played for the Dirty Birds, and he's determined to create similar memories in his newfound second chance.

"Just to be here where my dad played is great," Jefferson said. "Hopefully I can continue that legacy and play good football."