'Future's Bright!' Falcons TE John FitzPatrick Details Injury Recovery, Eyes Breakout
The Atlanta Falcons released their initial 53-man roster this past Tuesday, and 2022 sixth-round pick John FitzPatrick was at the forefront of the headlines.
FitzPatrick, who missed the entirety of his rookie season with an undisclosed injury that is believed to be related to the surgeries he had on both feet earlier in the year, officially made Atlanta's roster in his second attempt, beating out Parker Hesse for the final spot at tight end.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith spoke at length last season about how much he and the coaching staff appreciated Hesse's toughness and willingness to do the dirty work; he played in all 17 games and drew seven starts while flying under the radar on the outside.
As such, Hesse entered camp seemingly in fine shape for a roster spot, and he didn't do much to hurt his stock - FitzPatrick simply won the job, and Smith believes this is only the beginning for the former University of Georgia standout.
"John’s had a good camp," Smith said. "He's taken a lot of reps for us. We think the future is bright with John and he's got to continue to go earn that."
There's little concern about whether FitzPatrick will keep working - after all, that's what put him in position to overcome both the mental and physical hurdles that last year presented.
During his final two seasons at Georgia, FitzPatrick played in every game, capping off his career with a victory in the national championship over Alabama.
So, spending last year not even just on the sidelines, but completely on the shelf with his injuries, created a difficult transition to the sport's highest level ... but he's come out better for it and is thankful he wound up playing for Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot.
"Last year was extremely difficult," FitzPatrick said. "Being on injured reserve all year messes with your confidence. I'm just really appreciative of the people upstairs for knowing the type of player I am (and) for trusting in that, because a lot of teams saw two broken feet going into the draft process and looked the other way."
But the Falcons' brass pride themselves on giving full attention to all of the details; they played the long game with FitzPatrick, who noted the coaches took care of him last year while the medical staff put together a good recovery plan.
The result was a training camp in which FitzPatrick "did (his) thing" and earned a spot on the roster, now positioning himself to make his professional debut on Sept. 10 against the Carolina Panthers.
More likely than not, FitzPatrick will ascend into Hesse's role as the quiet but effective tight end who shines as a blocker and makes an occasional appearance as a pass catcher underneath.
But the 6-7, 250-pounder believes he can be a "big-time blocker, big-time receiver," for Atlanta's offense ... and thinks he fits into the versatile look that Smith and offensive coordinator Dave Ragone have preached this summer.
"Definitely be able to contribute on special teams," FitzPatrick said. "On offense, I like the way coach Rags talks about being positionless. I'm not going to corner myself into any boxes of 'I'm a blocking tight end, a receiving tight end.'
"I can do it all."
The Falcons don't necessarily need FitzPatrick to become an impact pass catcher - they already have Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith at tight end alone - but it's an area he believes he can thrive in nonetheless.
This offseason, the 23-year-old FitzPatrick said he focused on improving his skill set in the receiving game; this included doing speed training in Atlanta, as he worked on getting as fast as possible in and out of breaks and off the line.
FitzPatrick added that the training translates to blocking by getting off the line and into the blocks, which adds another element to an area viewed as his biggest strength.
And still, FitzPatrick didn't know if his work would pay off. He knew he showed well during training camp and felt he took a big step forward in confidence, shown by playing free and loose with no thoughts hanging overhead.
With Pitts, Jonnu Smith and MyCole Pruitt viewed as safe bets to make the roster and Hesse a noted favorite of Arthur Smith's staff, the odds didn't seem to be in FitzPatrick's favor.
Monday night was spent waiting. The Atlanta native was at his parents' house and made sure he had his ringer turned all the way up.
By this point, FitzPatrick's future was entirely up in the air. He could be on the 53-man roster and take a massive step towards accomplishing his dreams, or get waived, which comes with the chance for 31 other teams to claim his services, move him out of his hometown and start the journey all over again.
These thoughts were all present - but vanished in a second when Smith sent out the text: he made it. FitzPatrick was confident that would be the outcome, but he felt relief nonetheless ... and created a core memory in the process.
"It was cool," FitzPatrick said. "It was a long night. I'm excited about this year, excited to contribute and excited to help this team win."
Now, the mission becomes creating several more core memories with his teammates - and if his future is as bright as Smith believes, FitzPatrick may be staring down a long professional career during which he'll get a chance to do exactly that.
