How Falcons LB Troy Andersen Found Himself After Injury Heartbreak

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen's promising career arc was stopped suddenly due to injury in 2023. Now, he and head coach Raheem Morris feel positives came from the heartbreaking.

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen is eyeing a breakthrough 2024 season. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- After each Atlanta Falcons home game during the 2023 season, second-year linebackers Troy Andersen and Nate Landman drove back to their apartment together.

The catch? Landman was living the life Andersen expected to be.

Andersen, a second-round pick in 2022, entered last year as a starting linebacker next to Kaden Elliss while Landman served as the backup. It was supposed to be a breakthrough season for Andersen. Instead, his campaign was cut short after suffering a torn pectoral late in Week 3.

Landman took the opportunity and ran, finishing top-10 in Pro Bowl voting among linebackers after recording 110 tackles and seven tackles for loss.

Andersen, conversely, watched from the sidelines. He spoke glowingly of Landman, dubbing the 2022 undrafted free agent a tremendous player who's a throwback, old-school thumper at the position.

And while Andersen learned from watching Landman, the overall experience of having his season snatched away is one he hopes to not relive.

"Well, first off, sucks," Andersen said after Tuesday's OTA practice. "Nobody likes being injured. You just try to stay engaged mentally as best you can. Work on your body. You have a lot of time on your hands. Work on little things you're trying to get better at.

"Stay engaged in meetings, watching games. Just pretend like you're playing even if you're not."

Andersen and Landman watched film together during the season. They'd talk about the games that were just played and those looming ahead. Now, they're two members of a linebacker room Andersen feels could be special this fall.

First-year Falcons head coach Raheem Morris agrees with Andersen. Morris said he's been particularly impressed by the room's communication, singling out Elliss and Landman.

But Andersen is starting to grow more confident in that role. His voice is becoming louder, Morris said, and he's starting to both see and feel Andersen's vocal presence during OTAs.

"I would have to say right now, it's more clarity with the alerts," Morris said. "There's more clarity in what we're doing. There's more clarity in what he's telling his front and that has to come from Barrett Ruud, his linebacker coach, and what we're teaching in the room."

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Andersen believes the rise in his voice is a necessity at linebacker; it comes with the territory of the job, he said, and being comfortable using your voice is paramount for setting the defensive front and making adjustments.

The Falcons have only completed five OTA sessions, but Andersen is already itching to get to training camp - he's used to hitting people. For now, he's reeling in the aggression and easing back into the flow of football activities after extensive time off the field last fall.

And while he may not be able to show off his entire array of skills due to the nature of the sessions, the 6-4, 236-pound Andersen has been an early standout to Morris - in large part because of his athleticism, showcased best by his 4.42 40-yard dash time.

“Fast," Morris said. "Troy is extremely fast. He's quick. He's got great short-space quickness. And right now, we can't tackle, but you just love the approach. And you love all the things that he's going through in his mind, the intent for the ball, his communication level."

Morris noted Andersen's intentionality in improving a phrase the Falcons describe as shoot awareness, which is keeping the ball in the shoot, tackling on the right side and using the right shoulder.

It's the next step in the development of the 25-year-old Andersen, who's still relatively new to the linebacker position after spent the early portion of his college career as a quarterback and running back at Montana State. He didn't start playing linebacker collegiately until 2019, and 2021 was his first year going full-time.

As such, Andersen faced a steep learning curve entering the league. He spent much of his rookie year on special teams, playing 61% of Atlanta's snaps in the game's third phase compared to just 43% on defense.

Be it communication, shoot awareness or understanding concepts, Andersen's come a long way in two years - and he thinks he still has lots more information to absorb.

"You're always learning," Andersen said. "I'm still learning every single day. It is crazy to be going into Year 3. You understand what offenses are trying to do - you understand your job and scheme. Always trying to pick up things and improve is important in this game."

The coaches directly responsible for overseeing Andersen's growth are new. Morris, Ruud and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake were each hired this spring, adding new schematic twists to the product Andersen grew accustomed to last season.

But Andersen said Morris and his staff have been great so far, citing a strong culture that features a friendly environment, hard work and continual support. Andersen is similarly fond of the weight room, nutrition and training room assistants hired by Morris.

Andersen noted he feels good - back to normal, if not better - and has enjoyed his return to the gridiron. He's been fully cleared to participate in OTAs and has no limitations at this time.

At this point in the offseason program, Morris said the Falcons are focused on attention to detail and communication. Learning Lake's base 3-4 defense is another point of emphasis, one in which Andersen particularly relishes.

"I think it's really exciting," Andersen said. "You can see it on the field - everyone wants to play fast, play free, be physical. Communication is getting dialed in. Once we put pads on, I think it's going to be fun and I'm excited to see it come together."

Andersen is in a different spot now than he was a year ago, surrounded by new coaches and facing a fight for snaps with Landman.

Yet the more things change, the more they stay the same. Andersen remains capable of a breakthrough campaign, and regardless of how the Falcons divide snaps at linebacker, he figures to receive a steady dose.

Morris thinks Andersen capitalized on his time away from the game, enhancing his preparation and off-field process. Those habits translate regardless of the system, Morris said.

Suddenly, the once-bright-eyed Andersen has ascended to a leadership role in the heart of Atlanta's defense. He's played just 19 games and made only seven starts, but there's more to his story than the numbers indicate.

And Morris believes Andersen is poised to write a more positive chapter in 2024, sparked by a newfound perspective aided by perhaps the biggest setback he's faced in his young career.

"He doesn’t feel like a younger player to me," Morris said. "He feels like a veteran. He feels like a guy that knows exactly how he wants to get his job done. And he knows his process. He's actually teaching this process to other people. And that's fun to watch."

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