Kirby Smart Details Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Falcons Relationship Growth

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart outlines how his program's relationship with the Atlanta Falcons has grown.

The Georgia Bulldogs held their annual pro day event in Athens this afternoon, as hundreds of NFL scouts, GMs, and coaches converge on the classic city to see this year's class of Bulldog prospects in person.

One of the many organizations who were present for the event was the Atlanta Falcons, who are located just over 40 miles away from the Bulldogs' facility. In recent years, There has been a growing perception among fans that the Falcons have an aversion towards drafting Georgia players, and fans of both programs have voiced their frustrations.

However, the relationship between the Falcons and Bulldogs may be growing stronger, as Atlanta has recently made a handful of moves that would suggest it is looking to become more involved in the acquisition of Georgia Bulldog players.

Following Pro Day, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart mentioned the Falcons' presence and stated that the team has reached out to him multiple times and offered to host Smart and his staff for practices in Atlanta.

Kirby Smart Talks Relationship With Atlanta Falcons

Georgia coach Kirby Smart speaks to the media on the first day of spring football practice in Athens, Ga., on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. News Joshua L Jones | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I got to talk to Kevin [Stefanski] for a while, Matt [Ryan] for a while. Both are great guys that I have known for a long time. They have welcomed us to their organization and said 'Practices are open, you guys can come watch.' They've got a lot of personnel here today," said Smart. "I think they know what this university has to offer, and the fact that they can get some players here helps their organization."

According to reports, the Falcons sent more than 30 representatives to Athens for today's event and remained present for all Georgia players participating in Pro Day workouts. While this does not guarantee the team will be drafting a Bulldog this year, it does suggest massive growth and cooperation between the two organizations.

The Falcons have also made recent strides to "strengthen" the connection between Georgia players and Atlanta. The organization has already signed two former Bulldogs this offseason (Channing Tindall and Azeeze Ojulari), and selected linebacker Jalon Walker in the first round of last year's draft.

Whether the Falcons opt to select another Bulldog this year will be revealed later during the NFL Draft. This year's event is scheduled to begin on. Thursday, April 23rd in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will conclude on Saturday, April 25th.