Ex Falcons First Round Pick Signs with AFC East Team

While Aaron Rodgers didn't attend the New York Jets' minicamp, former Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley did - and capitalized.

Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takkarist McKinley signed with the New York Jets. | Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takk McKinley has a new home.

The New York Jets announced Thursday they've signed McKinley following a tryout Wednesday during mandatory minicamp.

McKinley, 28, was a first-round pick by the Falcons in 2017 and spent the first four seasons of his professional career in Atlanta, accumulating 17.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss and 45 quarterback hits across 49 games with 25 starts.

A former standout at UCLA, McKinley enjoyed a fast start with the Falcons, totaling 13 sacks in his first two campaigns. He took a step back in his third season, logging 3.5 sacks in 14 games, starting all but one.

The Falcons didn't pick up McKinley's fifth-year option, making 2020 a contract year. He began the year strong, starting the first four games while registering one sack and seven quarterback hits, but he suffered a groin injury that rendered him inactive for the next month.

McKinley, a native of Richmond, Calif., requested to be traded and later sent a series of tweets expressing his distaste about Atlanta not fulfilling his request. On Nov. 9, the Falcons waived McKinley, officially ending his drama-filled tenure.

Two weeks later, the 6-2, 260-pound McKinley joined the Las Vegas Raiders but never played due to injury. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in the spring of 2021 and appeared in 11 games with two starts before tearing his Achilles on Dec. 21. He finished the year with 18 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

On Sept. 16, 2022, McKinley joined the Tennessee Titans' practice squad but was signed by the Los Angeles Rams less than a week later. He played in four games with the Rams, making one tackle, and was released Oct. 18.

The Dallas Cowboys signed McKinley to the practice one month after he departed Los Angeles, and he spent the remainder of the 2022 season on the practice squad. He re-signed with the Cowboys in the spring of 2023 but was released in June and didn't play in the NFL last season.

McKinley's winding path, which professionally started in Atlanta, now has a new stop - one in which he hopes nets better results than his previous homes.