The Atlanta Falcons announced six captains for the 2020 season on Thursday. Those players are wide receiver Julio Jones, quarterback Matt Ryan, linebacker Deion Jones, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, center Alex Mack and safety Ricardo Allen.
Jones, 31, is a seven-time Pro Bowler and is widely viewed as one of, if not the best, wide receiver in the NFL. Ryan, 35, remains one the league's premier quarterbacks as he continuously ranks at the top of the league in passing yards year in and out. Jarrett, 27, is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance and was named second-team AP All-Pro after his stellar 2019 season.
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Jones, 25, is the heartbeat of Atlanta's defense in the middle of the field as the team's starting linebacker for the last three seasons. Mack, 34, has started every game since joining the Falcons in 2016 and continues to play at a Pro Bowl level. Allen, 28, has evolved into one of Atlanta's most vocal players on defense and continues to show his value with his leadership in the secondary.
Jones, Mack, Allen and Ryan were Atlanta’s team captains in the 2019 season. Jones and Jarrett are first-time captains for the Falcons.
This year's captains were announced at the Falcons' final practice before roster cutdowns at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The six players found out they were going to be captains when videos of their families announcing the news appeared on the video screen inside the stadium.
The Falcons open the season with a home matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 13.
Your 2020 Atlanta Falcons Team Captains: Quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones, center Alex Mack, safety Ricardo Allen, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Deion Jones.