Falcons Bet Big on Darnell Mooney—Could He Be the Game-Changer They’ve Been Waiting For?

Darnell Mooney’s first season with the Falcons was nothing short of a resurgence—kind of like hitting the reset button when all seemed a bit stagnant. Remember when he caught fire in his second year with the Bears, hauling in 81 catches for over a thousand yards? Well, the latter two seasons in Chicago were a bit of a step back, yet Atlanta saw something worth banking on—a savvy vertical threat and a reliable pro who could morph into a key piece for their offense. Fast forward, and Mooney’s 64 grabs, nearly a thousand yards, and six touchdowns speak volumes about that faith. Now, with Falcons’ wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard tipping his hat to Mooney’s return to form, the expectations are sky-high—and it’s clear the team’s gunning to lean heavily on his veteran savvy. Surround him with talents like Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson, and you’ve got a recipe that could finally snap Atlanta’s lengthy playoff drought. Intrigued yet? Dive deeper here: LEARN MORE.

“We look at Mooney as, obviously, a yards-per-catch guy, a vertical threat [and] a veteran presence that can help, I think, with each guy in their role,” Hilliard said, via the team’s website. “Considering he was a fifth-round draft pick and earned an opportunity to earn a second contract, he knows what it takes to be a pro. So, we’re going to lean on him a lot more than we did last year and see where that goes.”Mooney had 81 catches for 1,055 yards in his second season with the Bears, but his final two years in Chicago saw him post 71 catches for 907 yards. The Falcons still saw enough to sign him to a three-year contract and that move paid off with 64 catches for 992 yards and six touchdowns. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney got back on track in his first year with the Falcons. Falcons wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard said this week that Mooney “re-introduced himself to the league a little bit last year” and said that the Falcons are looking for him to do even more this time around. The Falcons also have wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and running back Bijan Robinson to deploy around quarterback Michael Penix and having all of the pieces come together could lead to the end of the extended playoff drought in Atlanta.