FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have designated defensive lineman LaCale London to return from injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday.
London was placed on injured reserve back on Nov. 1 due to a knee injury. That timeline means he missed the minimum of four games on the dot: the Week 9 loss to Minnesota Vikings, the Week 10 loss to Arizona Cardinals, the Week 12 win over New Orleans Saints and the Week 13 win over New York Jets. The Week 11 bye surely helped with rest and recovery.
Now that London's 21-day window is open, he must either be activated to the 53-man roster or placed on season-ending injured reserve by the end of the three-week period. London could also be released or traded before the deadline.
This move comes as the Falcons prepare to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for their Week 14 rematch.
London, a 6-foot-2 and 297-pound tackle, was signed to the Falcons' active roster Oct. 24. He had previously been on the practice squad but elevated three times. He played in the Week 6 loss to the Washington Commanders, the Week 8 win over the Buccaneers and the Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Through those three games, London recovered a fumble and made four tackles.
The Falcons are London's second NFL team, originally signed on May 15, 2023. He played for the Chicago Bears in 2021, where he appeared in one game but didn't record any stats.
