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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — It was earlier this season when Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone got up in front of his quarterbacks and told his story, revealing his emotions.
He once sat where they did and harbored hopes of a long NFL career.
When Ragone, 43, began to speak to Falcons quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Marcus Mariota, it was from a place of understanding and caution. Ragone understands what happened, why his NFL career didn’t last and his own culpability.
Perhaps more than anyone else in the Falcons’ building, Ragone grasps Ridder’s situation as he becomes Atlanta’s starting quarterback this week. Ragone told himself when he got into coaching, whenever he worked with quarterbacks, he would use his story to highlight what not to do early in an NFL career.