Former Falcons Player Provides Glowing Endorsement of Kevin Stefanski Hire

The Atlanta Falcons officially introduced Kevin Stefanski to fans on Tuesday, and one former player seems to be thrilled with the hire. Todd McClure, who played offensive line with the franchise for 13 years, took to social media to express his excitement for the decision.

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“I’m just gonna say this. Watching the pieces come together for my Atlanta Falcons. This has the makings of a team that you are going to look at your schedule and say. Whew, that is going to be a challenge. #earnit”

I’m just gonna say this. Watching the pieces come together for my @AtlantaFalcons. This has the making of a team that you are going to look at your schedule and say. Whew that is going to be a challenge. #earnit
— Todd Mcclure (@ToddMcclure62) January 27, 2026

His hashtag of ‘earn it’ is a reference to Stefanski’s opening comments after Matt Ryan, a former teammate of McClure’s, introduced him.

“The easy thing is to talk about it. It's very, very easy to sit up here and talk about it. We will be about that work. We will put in the work, and it's going to be hard work. We'll put in the work to being a smart football team, to playing a smart brand of football. We will earn that toughness. I believe that physicality and playing this style of football is earned and we will earn that. I cannot wait until April 7th. That's when we start the offseason program. I can't wait to get our players in the building,” Stefanski said Tuesday.

Stefanski and Ryan preached an identity of toughness, with a firm commitment to running the football. As a former offensive lineman who started 144 consecutive games between 2001 and 2010, it is unsurprising that McClure would be a big fan of that mentality.

McClure was affectionately known as ‘Mud Duck’ while he played center for the Falcons. He is remembered for his outstanding leadership both on the field and inside the locker room, but also as one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history.

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He was given his rightful place in the Falcons’ Ring of Honor in 2022. He joined the franchise greats like Claude Humphrey, Steve Bartkowski, Roddy White, and more.

The opinion of the franchise icon will likely resonate with Falcons fans who are expecting the franchise to ‘earn in’ in 2026. The franchise has fallen on difficult times, but a new head coach has brought a new sense of urgency to the building. Now, the hope is that it translates to the field.