Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank put his confidence behind Desmond Ridder, which the young quarterback appreciates.
On Tuesday, Blank said he and the organization “feel pretty strongly” about Ridder as their future quarterback. Per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, Ridder discussed the endorsement the following day.
“That’s comforting for me obviously knowing that Mr. Blank and everyone in the organization believes in me and my skill set,” Ridder said. “At the end of the day, for myself, it’s about putting a higher expectation than even what they have for myself and going out and trying to exceed that and be better.”
Falcons QB Desmond Ridder calls Arthur Blank’s support “comforting.”https://t.co/i71h8bvOiH
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) August 2, 2023
Ridder replaced Marcus Mariota late in his rookie season. The third-round pick went 73-of-115 for 708 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in four games.
Blank said Ridder has “really progressed” during his time in Atlanta and is having an impressive training camp.
“He’s been a strong leader since he’s shown up here,” Blank said, via NFL.com. “Continued to develop. Worked well with Mariota last year, learned a lot from Marcus. He’s a learner, and he’s got a lot of humility.
As the year progressed, he had an opportunity to play, and I think he played at a very competitive level.”
Atlanta signed veteran Taylor Heinicke, but Ridder is poised to begin 2023 as the starter. He could have a full season to validate Blank’s trust and prove he’s the team’s long-term option under center.