Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Falcons Restructure Jessie Bates Contract; Have One Roster Spot to Fill

Published

1 week ago

September 5, 2024

Atlanta Falcons Restructure Jessie Bates Contract; Have One Roster Spot to Fill

The Atlanta Falcons have created $7.5 million in cap space, restructuring the contract of All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III on Wednesday.

Atlanta converted $11.25 million of Bates’ contract into a signing bonus for salary cap purposes, according to NFL insider Aaron Wilson. As a result, Bates’ cap hit dropped from $17.5 million to $10 million. The cap number will rise to $22.25 million in 2025 and $22.27 million in 2026.

The Falcons now have $6.464 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap. Atlanta needed the salary cap relief to sign another player — the active roster currently holds only 52 players, with one spot remaining open.

Since trading backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke to the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 28, the Falcons have left the final roster spot vacant. They now have the financial freedom to address it — thanks in part to Bates, whose value off the field is nearly as impactful as he is on it.

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Last season, Bates led the Falcons in tackles with 132 while recording six of the team’s eight interceptions. He also had three forced fumbles, a trio of tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 11 passes defended.

Among defensive backs league-wide, Bates trailed only Minnesota Vikings standout Camryn Bynum (137) in tackles, while his six interceptions were the third-most. As a result, Bates earned his first career Pro Bowl appearance while being named second-team All-Pro for the second time in his six-year career.

Now, Bates is helping the Falcons’ front office — beyond proving them right for their four-year, $64.02 million investment last spring.

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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta United Unified Team wins to go unbeaten for second straight season | Atlanta United FC

Published

3 hours ago

September 15, 2024

Press Room

Atlanta United Unified Team wins to go unbeaten for second straight season | Atlanta United FC

The match was competitive, and good sportsmanship was on display between the two sides. When Atlanta United player Steff Walker and a Nashville defender ran out of real estate and into the signage behind the goal after both went for the ball, the two players shook hands and walked off the light collision. After the final whistle, both teams shook hands, received medals and gathered together for a joyful group photo.

This was the final match for the Atlanta United Unified Team this season. They finish 2024 unbeaten for the second consecutive season, which is the first time in program history!

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Atlanta, GA

Mason Schermerhorn laid to rest

Published

11 hours ago

September 14, 2024

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Mason Schermerhorn, a 14-year-old student who was killed during the Apalachee High School shooting was remembered fondly at his funeral in Jefferson, Georgia on September 14. Hundreds of people turned out wearing red, his favorite color.

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Atlanta, GA

L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta Braves: How to live stream for FREE, time, channels

Published

19 hours ago

September 14, 2024

Press Room

L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta Braves: How to live stream for FREE, time, channels

The Atlanta Braves won an important game on Friday night at Truist Park, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first of a four-game series.

They’ll hope that sets the tone for an important late-season series as they chase the New York Mets for the third and final wild-card spot.

Game 2 is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. EDT and you can watch it on the MLB Network or live stream it on ESPN+, fubo TV (add-on, FREE trial), Sling TV (add-on, discount) or DirecTV Stream (add-on, FREE trial and discount).

Jack Flaherty (12-6, 2.86 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 180 strikeouts) will start for the Dodgers and Chris Sale (16-3, 2.38 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 213 strikeouts) will try to improve on his CY Young Award chances when he takes the ball for the Braves.

The Braves are 6-4 in their last 10 games.

Spencer Schwellenbach, who started the season in the Class A Sally League, surrendered two runs on four hits in six strong innings on Friday night.

Gio Urshela and Jorge Soler went deep for the Atlanta Braves as the Braves scored five times in the first two innings and put the game away early.

Atlanta remained a game behind the Mets for the NL’s final wild-card spot.

WATCH: MLB Network or live stream it on ESPN+, fubo TV (add-on, FREE trial), Sling TV (add-on, discount) or DirecTV Stream (add-on, FREE trial and discount)

Meanwhile, the Dodgers came in with a five-game lead over Arizona in the NL West. LA’s magic number was 11 to clinch their 12th division title in the last 13 years.

Los Angeles also started a rookie, Landon Knack, who didn’t fare nearly as well as Schwellenbach on a night where showers sent fans scattering for cover a couple of times but never halted play.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas (11) celebrates his solo homer with Shohei Ohtani (17) in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)AP

Miguel Rojas hit a solo homer for Los Angeles. But the top three in the Dodgers order — Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — went 0 for 11.

Ohtani went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts, putting a hold on his quest to become the first player in MLB history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a season. The Dodgers star is at 47 homers and 48 stolen bases with 15 games left in the regular season.

The teams match up Saturday for the fifth time this season. The Dodgers lead the season series 3-1.

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