Atlanta Falcons Broadcaster Wes Durham Previews the Upcoming Season

Wes Durham has served as the Voice of the Atlanta Falcons since 2004. Additionally, he is a college football and basketball announcer for ESPN and the ACC Network. I recently had the chance to chat with Wes about his enthusiasm for the upcoming season and the training camp competitions to keep an eye on this summer.

Craig: Have you bought into the hype surrounding Michael Penix Jr.?

Wes: You have to remind yourself that Michael is an “older young player” in the NFL. One of the things that he brings to the table is a lot of experience from all different levels. I think he arrived a year ago as an accomplished college player who was clearly ready for the next step, but because of the things he had been through at both Indiana and Washington during his college career, he showed remarkable patience, and I think that will serve him well as this season unfolds.

Craig: Are you confident he’s the future “face” of the organization?

Wes: This might not be a popular opinion, but for me, Bijan Robinson is the face of the franchise right now. I think QB is a position where many fans think of that title, but in the case of the Falcons, I think Robinson has the potential to be one of the league’s showstoppers for seasons to come.

Craig: I've written pieces this summer stating that the opener vs. Tampa is a critical game to set the tone for the season. Maybe not a must-win but an important one. Would you agree?

Wes: I don’t know that one game is more important than any other for Atlanta. The first four games before the “bye week” all seem pretty important to me.

Craig: On July 23rd the Falcons will officially open camp. What position battles are you most intrigued by?

Wes: Two on defense will be interesting for me. The opposite corner from AJ Terrell is one I’ll pay close attention to for sure. Mike Hughes, Clark Phillips, and who else might emerge there. The second one is at Linebacker, where I think Divine Deablo looked strong in mini-camp, and I think could end up being one of the most underrated signings of the off-season.

Craig: I'm curious if you still get butterflies on gameday pulling into the stadium?

Wes: Not like you would think. The chemistry and friendship Dave Archer and I have built in the last 21 years doing the games actually gives us a lot of confidence, so it's a different kind of excitement than butterflies, but it's been a professional thrill to do these games with “Arch” for so many years. We both are grateful to Mr. Blank and the organization for their long-term support of our broadcasts.