'Got That It Factor': Inside Atlanta Falcons QB Desmond Ridder, New York Jets Coach Robert Saleh Relationship
It's Feb. 5, 2022, and New York Jets coach Robert Saleh is marching down the sideline at Hancock-Whitney Stadium, eyes fixated on quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Saleh, who's leading the National team in the Reese's Senior Bowl, watched his 13-0 halftime lead dwindle to 13-10 with just over 12 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
With the frequent rotations of All-Star games to maximize exposure for each player, Ridder hadn't played since leading a touchdown drive before halftime.
Saleh approached him with a simple question. He left that interaction with a story he still remembers almost two years later.
"I walked up to him and said, 'Are you ready for this big drive?' He said 'we're gonna score,'" Saleh said. "He went right down, we scored, he walked off the field and he said, 'told you.'"
Ridder led a three-play, 66-yard touchdown drive, hitting now-Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson twice for 48 yards, including a 25-yard score.
The National team held serve, winning 20-10. Ridder went four of six for 68 yards and two touchdowns while adding three rush attempts for 12 yards.
When it came time for the National team to take a knee, Saleh let Ridder do the honors. It was a fitting end that represents Saleh's inner feelings for the former University of Cincinnati signal caller.
"I love Desmond," Saleh said. "Coming out of the Senior Bowl, I was like 'this dude's got that it factor.' He's got a tremendous mindset, tremendous confidence. The whole week was just fantastic."
Despite a strong week in Mobile, Ridder endured a draft day slide, falling to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 74 overall.
Atlanta had traded Matt Ryan a month and a half prior and was poised to start veteran placeholder Marcus Mariota the following season, creating a welcoming environment for Ridder to grow and deliver on the belief he instilled in Saleh.
And in a full-circle moment, when the Falcons selected Ridder, coach Arthur Smith quickly received a text message - from Saleh.
"He's going to be your favorite player, buddy," Saleh told Smith.
That was then, this is now.
Ridder started the final four games of his rookie season, doing enough to give Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot he deserved the keys to the offense in 2023.
The results have been mixed.
Atlanta sits atop the NFC South but has the same 5-6 record it held at this point last year. Ridder was benched for two games in favor of Taylor Heinicke before the bye week but is back in the saddle for the playoff push.
The 24-year-old Ridder is one of only three NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts to throw more interceptions (eight) than touchdown passes (seven). The other two have both been benched - New England Patriots passer Mac Jones and Saleh's former No. 2 overall pick, Zach Wilson.
Perhaps nothing summarizes New York's season better than that - after highly anticipated trade acquisition Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on the season's fourth play, Wilson became Saleh's best hope.
New York is now 4-7 and Saleh's job is on uneven ground.
That's the state of both franchises entering Sunday, when Ridder's Falcons travel to East Rutherford for a matchup with Saleh's Jets, both parties needing wins for different reasons.
Ridder's first year as the primary starter has seen plenty of highs but also considerable lows. He's completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,908 yards while adding 180 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 38 attempts - but with seven fumbles, six lost, to go alongside.
Still, when Saleh turned on the tape, he saw the same things that excited him in Mobile some 22 months ago.
"I think he’s a young, exciting quarterback," Saleh said. "He’s just got that bravado to him, just remembering from the Senior Bowl, that’s contagious."
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder drops back to pass against the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 26, 2023.
Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Saleh was complimentary of the offense around Ridder, starting up front with the offensive line, which has started the same five players each week and is "in sync" with their operation.
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who was the Falcons' linebackers coach from 2016 to 2020 and interim defensive coordinator in his final season after Raheem Morris took over head coaching duties for the fired Dan Quinn, added he feels Atlanta's offensive line is one of the better units in the league.
The Falcons ran for 228 yards in last Sunday's 24-15 win over the New Orleans Saints and have rushed for 412 yards in its past two games. For the season, Smith's rushing offense is the NFL's fourth best.
Both Saleh and Ulbrich dubbed Atlanta's three running backs unique in their style. Rookie sensation Bijan Robinson drew particular praise, with Saleh stating he's dynamic and "going to be special."
Ridder's pass catchers also impressed Saleh, with receiver Drake London and tight ends Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith earning mentions.
Still, the Jets' coaching staff knows Atlanta's identity is playing with physicality and running the ball, which it won't abandon when sledding gets tough.
This makes life easier for Ridder, but Ulbrich was quick to point out he does exactly what's needed of him in big spots.
"The beauty of that offense and that system is that they don’t ask that quarterback to do everything," Ulbrich said. "He’s not the guy that’s got to throw the team on his back. They’re committed to the run game and that’s their identity. That’s what’s going to be the reason that they win or lose.
"When he’s asked to win a third down, or a play pass, or whatever the case may be, he does an excellent job of that. He does."
The Jets have the NFL's second worst run-stopping defense, allowing 140.3 rushing yards per game. They're considerable better against defending the aerial attack, ranking sixth best at 183.2 passing yards allowed per game.
As such, with Atlanta's ground-heavy identity and New York's struggles against the run, it's natural for Jets defenders to overlook Ridder and focus solely on Robinson and fellow running backs Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson.
But Ulbrich has been persistent in voicing his respect for Ridder in team meetings and wants his players to understand the challenge in store.
"Just really letting the guys know this is a real guy," Ulbrich said. "He hasn’t played a ton of ball yet, and he’s not one of the more established quarterbacks in this league, but I was so impressed with him at the Senior Bowl -his command, his leadership, his intelligence."
Most importantly, Ridder wins.
The Louisville, Kentucky, native took his high school to the state finals. He was the third-winningest quarterback in college football history at 43-5 and guided Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff, becoming the first Group of 5 team to make it. He led Saleh to victory at the Senior Bowl.
In Atlanta, Ridder carries a record of 7-6 as a starter. He's 5-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after going undefeated at home in college.
Ridder's numbers aren't overly gaudy, but he's proficient in the area that carries the most weight.
"I think he’s a winner, and he’s proven that," Ulbrich said. "He proved that at high school, he proved that at Cincinnati, he’s proven that with the Falcons. His home record is stellar, and he’s done a lot of nice things there."
Ridder won over the Jets' coaching staff in Mobile. He's now trying to win against them Sunday, strengthening Atlanta's grasp on first place in the NFC South and improving his odds of starting again next year.
In a sense, Sunday's contest brings Ridder's professional career back to where it started - and he's hoping to end in victory formation much like he did that fateful Saturday at the Senior Bowl.
“We’ve got to go on the road against the Jets who are a great team, great up front on both sides of the ball and we’ve got to be able to go out there and get a win,” Ridder said.
