Atlanta Falcons Defensive Line's New Motto 'GTFO' Symbolizes New Edge, Attitude

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons’ defensive line is wearing its mission on its wrist, embroidered in bold letters: “GTFO.” 

Get. The. [Expletive]. OFF. 

Rather than "OUT," the defensive line wants a quick first step or "get off" as well as get off the field on third down more often than they did in 2024, finishing 31st in the NFL in 3rd down conversion rate.

For a defense trying to turn last year’s softest spot into the backbone of a playoff push, it’s not just a slogan, it’s a mindset that has been crackling through training camp like a live wire. 

This team lacked an edge in 2024. DeMarcco Hellams did his part on Friday night, as have the rookie edge rushers throughout training camp, but the defensive line will be expected to follow suit if they hope to reach their goals this season. 

GTFO has embodied the demeanor of this new-look defense. They hit hard. They play fast. They talk a lot of smack. 

That energy was reflected in their first preseason game, and there was no collective unit that must personify it more than the Falcons’ defensive line. 

The front seven forced three fumbles (two from Hooker, another from Kyle Allen), collapsed the pocket, and all around made life miserable for the Lions’ quarterbacks on Friday. The Falcons will need a lot of that this fall. 

After taking pseudo redshirt seasons as rookies, Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus both flashed some of that potential on Friday that the Falcons saw in last year’s draft. Both had a pair of tackles, while Dorlus picked up a sack and a fumble recovery. 

Performances like that will be counted on throughout the season from a group that lost veterans like Grady Jarrett and Eddie Goldman over the offseason. The defensive line returns just one player with more than two starts to his credit (David Onyemata). 

The veteran defensive lineman has been a quiet, steady hand for the Falcons over his two seasons in Atlanta. Onyemata has accounted for 95 tackles and 7.0 sacks over his 30 starts. 

“I think DO [David Onyemata] has been under the radar, and let’s keep it that way,” defensive line coach Nate Ollie joked on Monday. “I’m excited, really excited to see what he does for us this year.” 

This season, more than ever, the Falcons will need Onyemata to step up. 

“We all lead in different ways,” the veteran said about filling the leadership void on the roster. “You lead the guys in however way seems right to you, and you go from there.” 

 
The front office, knowing that the room was set to lose a lot of that experience this offseason to pair with Onyemata, made a point to supplement some of that in free agency. Specifically, they targeted Morgan Fox, a savvy veteran entering his ninth NFL season, having not missed a single game since 2018. For his career, Fox has appeared in 120 games with 34 starts, totaling 183 tackles, 33 TFLs, and 27.5 sacks. 

“This guy has had a lot of success in the league for a long time with his pass rush,” Ollie said about Fox, before pointing out how quickly he’s taken on a mentorship role. “And he’s really taken those young guys under his wing and then kind of being an extra coach in the locker room for these guys.” 

This pair of veterans has led by example, with how they prepare and how they attack every play. This is especially true with the glaring lack of experience that surrounds them. 

To combat that, Ollie says the Falcons will take a committee approach in the trenches while counting on several different players to make an impact with energy on every snap. 

“We’re just rolling. That’s just how we are, and how we have to play up front,” Ollie said about their rotation. “We’re asking these guys to get off, get off, get off [and] run in that dark room. It’s hard for guys to do that about 40 plays in a row, so we gotta roll and keep these guys fresh.” 

Orhorohoro, Dorlus, Fox, and Onyemata will mesh with Zach Harrison, Ta’Quon Graham, and Kentavius Street, and all should get plenty of run in a steady rotation this season. For Ollie, as long as they “rep the style,” they will have a place in that mix. 

“We’re talking no weak links,” he said. “Anybody who’s on that field, I don’t care who you are – undrafted, first-round pick, second-round pick – we expect you to go out there and compete. That’s getting off the football, running in the dark room.” 

The Falcons will be counting on the development of this unit if they wish to play postseason football for the first time in seven years. 

In 2024, the Falcons finished 31st in pressure rate (28.1%), 23rd in EPA per rush, 29th in EPA per pass, and 29th in EPA per play allowed. The unit particularly struggled in third-down situations, giving up the second-most touchdowns (18) and having the third-worst EPA per play in those moments.

That all changes if the defensive line makes the strides in 2025 that the front office is hoping for.

This team’s playoff hopes may ultimately come down to whether “GTFO” is just a catchy slogan or a true identity shift. If this summer’s swagger carries into the regular season, Atlanta’s long drought could finally end. 

If not, it’ll be another season of what-ifs in Flowery Branch.