Former Georgia tight end John Fitzpatrick made the Atlanta Falcons’ initial 53-man roster.
The Falcons drafted Fitzpatrick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft after a four-year career for the Bulldogs.
Falcons Wire writes Atlanta’s decision to keep Fitzpatrick over veteran tight end Parker Hesse is a surprise after Hesse played in all 17 games for the Falcons last season.
Fitzpatrick wasn’t a player who jumped out on the stat sheet while at Georgia. He had just 17 career receptions for 200 yards and a touchdown. It’s Fitzpatrick’s reliability as a blocker that allowed him to play in 38 career games for the Bulldogs.
Fitzpatrick and Atlanta will kick off the 2023 season at home versus the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. ET.