After a dominating team performance on Sunday at the Georgia Dome, one could have argued for several players on Atlanta's roster to be awarded the game ball.
But head coach Dan Quinn decided to give it to someone no one could have predicted.
Sure, Matt Ryan threw for 392 yards, Julio Jones caught nine passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns and Jalen Collins forced a fumble that served as the game-changing play.
However, the game ball was awarded to someone who overcame a significant challenge off the football field, the week prior.
Andy Levitre's wife, Katie, went into labor prior to the Falcons' divisional-playoff game versus the Seattle Seahawks.
Katie sat in the stands of the Georgia Dome with the other 71,000 fans watching her husband and his team advance to the NFC Championship.
Little did Levitre know walking off the field that his day was about to get even better when a team staff member shared the news that his daughter was on the way.
After the game, the Levitres went back to their house for a bit before driving to the hospital to give birth to their daughter, Lily.
Quinn got wind of the news and decided to acknowledge Katie's toughness, so during Atlanta's team meeting today, he presented the game ball to Levitre to give to his wife on behalf of the team.
"We gave Andy Levitre's wife a game ball because it was a week late, and we put 'ultimate toughness' on it," Quinn said. "She had gone into labor during the game, but waited it out. So we thought that was definitely worth the game ball. She doesn't know that yet, so if she's watching [this press conference], Andy will bring that [home] today."
Coincidence? I think not.
