Former Atlanta Falcons Wide Receiver Returns to Lacrosse

Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver, Jared Bernhardt, has returned to his lacrosse roots. He's now playing for the Denver Outlaws in the Premier Lacrosse League.

Bernhardt originally went to college for lacrosse. He played at Maryland and ended as their all-time leader record holder in points (290), goals (202), single-season points (99) and single-season goals (71), as well as being the 2021 Tewaaraton Award Winner, an award given out to the nation’s top lacrosse player.

Bernhardt then transferred to Ferris State to play football. In his lone season with the Bulldogs, he threw for over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,200 yards and 23 touchdowns. In 2022, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent to play wide receiver.

Bernhardt appeared in two games for the Falcons during the 2022 season. However, he did not record any counting stats. He did have a game-winning touchdown in Week 1 of the 2022 preseason against the Detroit Lions.

That time Jared Bernhardt scored a game-winning touchdown in an NFL preseason game 🙌

(via @AtlantaFalcons) pic.twitter.com/GfasOPR6dG
— TLN 🥍 (@LacrosseNetwork) June 2, 2025

With roughly 90 seconds left to go in the game, and the Falcons down three, Bernhardt made an impressive touchdown catch with Lions cornerback Cedric Boswell draped all over him.

Bernhardt was cut from the Falcons' reserve/injured list in 2024 and tried his hand in the CFL before heading back to the professional lacrosse ranks.

It’s been an unusual path to this point, but Bernhardt has no regrets.

“I wouldn’t change it. As I said, a lot of great experiences, ups and downs, and a lot of good people you meet along the way, and if I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have had that stuff. So I’m fortunate enough to have been able to go through all of that.” Bernhardt said, via Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun.

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