Desmond Riddder, the first quarterback in team history, is once again the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons.
After being sidelined following an injury he sustained against the Tennessee Titans earlier in the season, Ridder was able to make a comeback when Taylor Heinicke, the Falcons’ replacement, sustained an injury of his own during the team’s most recent game against the Arizona Cardinals.
“We’d assess everything coming off the bye, and Des did a nice job having to come back in that game and give us a chance,” Smith stated on Monday. Des has our utmost confidence and has performed admirably over the past few weeks, in our opinion. I believe he will benefit from the reset.
“If the right people are involved, I believe it can be very beneficial. Recognizing that nobody is perfect but that
everyone has their own motivations is a big part of it. They go beyond simple, instinctive, emotional responses.”
Although losing one’s starting position as a quarterback can be a tough emotional journey, Smith believes Ridder has adapted to the change well. Can Atlanta benefit from his absence from the field for the remainder of the current season?
“I think he’s done a really good job of that and taking advantage of what can be perceived as a major negative and trying to turn it into a positive,” Smith stated.
