The Falcons have had some rough seasons on defense during their six-year playoff drought, but cornerback A.J. Terrell has been one of the few bright spots since the team drafted him in 2020. While Terrell has been a known commodity in Atlanta, the rest of the NFL often overlooks the former Clemson standout.
People said the Falcons reached on Terrell in the draft while others have criticized his lack of interceptions, he never seems to get the respect he deserves. However, the team changed that narrative by making Terrell the second-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL last week.
On Thursday, the Falcons signed the 25-year-old to a four-year, $81 million extension that keeps him in Atlanta through 2028. Just because Terrell got paid doesn’t mean he’s taking his new contract for granted.
“A lot of people don’t get this opportunity of being able to play at home and, you know, make a statement and be loved by the fans and things like that,” said Terrell. “So I don’t take none of it for granted — never did. When I go out there and play, it’s always for my family, the city and the team, so I’m excited to be here, man. It’s been a blessing for sure.”
Cornerbacks are usually given time to develop but Terrell was thrown into the fire as Atlanta’s replacement for Desmond Trufant. Since joining the team in 2020, Terrell has started 61 games, recording four interceptions and 43 passes defended.
Fans make a big deal about interceptions, but there’s been little reason to throw at Terrell over the last four seasons. When asked about his interception totals, Terrell said he tries not to pay much attention to it.
“The interceptions, they come just off of play how you know the schemes and things that’s drawn up. Just watching film of the X’s and O’s and just making plays when you’re there because once you’ve missed the [opportunity], most likely won’t get it back until it come again. So I try not to pay too much attention to it.”
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