Positive Drake London Injury Update From Atlanta Falcons HC Raheem Morris

The Atlanta Falcons lost their season opener 23-20 NFC South foe Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were without the services of wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who had missed all of the preseason with a shoulder injury suffered on the first day of training camp, and Drake London also injured a shoulder in the fourth quarter and missed the final drive. 

Head coach Raheem Morris revealed in Wednesday’s presser that both receivers would be practicing later that same day. 

“The first three [London, Mooney, Jack Nelson] will be practicing today,” Morris said on Wednesday morning. “They’ll be going and giving us opportunity, and we’ll see, you know, as far as Mooney and play and all those things, but get them out to practice, and that’s always fun.

“You know, putting them back into all the stuff that we’ve been doing, and we’re going to look toward the end of the week and see what they’ve got going on.”

While the Falcons haven’t seen Mooney beyond limited practice last week, London’s injury happened late in the fourth quarter on Sunday. 

“I mean, Drake [London] is like, Drake is ultimately tough, and he is what he is. We know Drake. I do expect him to play. That’s not saying that he is, but when you ask me, Do I expect him to play? Of course.” 

London recorded eight receptions for 55 yards in Atlanta’s first game of the season against Tampa Bay. He was injured after landing awkwardly on a play that could have been a touchdown but was ultimately ruled incomplete. 

London was out on the field for the very next play, a fourth and goal from the four, in which quarterback Michael Penix Jr threw an incomplete pass to running back Bijan Robinson. However, offsetting penalties gave the Falcons another chance to convert the touchdown. Although London was out on the field for the play in which Robinson drew the flag.

He did not see the field for the corresponding play in which Penix scored on a four-yard touchdown run and didn’t return on the final drive. 

The good news is that it seems that Morris expects that London will play on Sunday, but reading between the lines, that says as much about London’s mentality as it does his health. London will go out there with one arm if the Falcons would let him. 

Mooney injured his shoulder on the first day of training camp, coming down hard after making a tough catch. The receiver would go on to miss the rest of camp and all three of Atlanta’s preseason games. He finally returned back to practice two weeks ago, and was considered a game-time decision for the Falcons’ Week 1 matchup. He was officially ruled out roughly two hours before Atlanta’s season opener on Sunday. 

Casey Washington took Mooney’s place in the lineup and was on the field for 95% of the Falcons’ offensive snaps. He finished the game with three catches for 33 yards on six targets. 

Mooney was sorely missed on Sunday, with the Falcons unable to get anything going down field. Atlanta would love to get both Mooney and London back, as they were one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL last season. 

The Atlanta Falcons will be looking to bounce back in Week 2. Atlanta will be on the road, facing off against a 2024 playoff team in the Minnesota Vikings. Kickoff is Sunday at 8:20 p.m. EST with television coverage on NBC.