ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons donated more than $231,000 to the Emory Department of Orthopaedics on Monday.
Kyle Pitts, Justin Simmons, A.J. Terrell and Tyler Allgeier — along with team mascot Freddie Falcon — delivered the donation to Dr. Scott Boden, M.D., who is director of Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center at Emory Healthcare, the official team healthcare provider of the Atlanta Falcons. During their visit, the players also handed out T-shirts and rally towels, took photos with staff, and raffled off four tickets to the Falcons' next home game against the Dallas Cowboys.
"I think it's fun to meet the people that put in all the work behind the scenes," Simmons said. "You can tell how excited they were."
Emory Healthcare became the official team healthcare provider of the Atlanta Falcons more than a decade ago. The Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center opened one of its ten regional clinics at the Falcons' training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga., in 2021 and see players, as well as members of the community needing orthopedic, sports and spine treatment.
The donation continues that relationship to support medical research and treatment.
"We're grateful for the Atlanta Falcons donation," Boden said during Monday's visit. "This donation will help to fund ongoing research into new treatments to promote faster healing of cartilage, muscle and bone, as well as ground-breaking research into sports performance and injury prevention."
While the research will help athletes at every level, the Falcons players in attendance understand how important the research is, especially on a Monday recovery day.
"It means everything," Simmons said. "I think having the ability to give back and to sew in that way, we may see some smaller increments of benefits but to know that it's going to help in the long term of research and development. I think that's the long game. It's really exciting to see where this is heading because we know how important it is to stay on top of your body and all the work that needs to be put into it."
Emory Healthcare and the Atlanta Falcons officially open new orthopaedics clinic and sports performance and research center.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
Scenes from the Emory Facility Walkthrough at the Atlanta Falcons Headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday February 20, 2021.
