Atlanta, GA
Falcons ‘Really Confident’ in Rookie LB Before First Start vs. Bucs on TNF
When the Atlanta Falcons’ defense takes the field Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rookie linebacker JD Bertrand is expected to be in the middle of it.
Bertrand, drafted in the fifth round out of Notre Dame this April, is next-in-line for Atlanta at linebacker after Troy Andersen was ruled out Wednesday with a knee injury. Andersen started the past three games in place of Nate Landman, who’s on injured reserve with quad and calf ailments.
The 24-year-old Bertrand played eight defensive snaps Sunday after seeing just one — the first of his NFL career — the week prior. Bertrand has recorded two tackles thus far, both on special teams, where he’s played 85% of Atlanta’s snaps.
Now, Bertrand is in the spotlight, seeing his first taste of extensive action on Thursday Night Football — and he feels prepared.
“Any opportunity, I’m going to continue to be ready and I think that’s been my job up to this point as a backup,” Bertrand said. “If the opportunity appears Thursday, then I’ll be sure I’m ready.”
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who’s often referred to Bertrand by his “Captain America” nickname, echoed similar sentiments surrounding his belief in Bertrand’s readiness.
“I told you I was really confident in JD a long time ago,” Morris said. “It’s his opportunity to go out there and get ready to go play, and play alongside Kaden [Elliss], and I feel really good about what he’s done. I feel really good about his progress. I feel really good about what he did in the preseason.
“Then we had a chance to get him out there and go with some of our guys, get ramped up in special teams, the proving ground for us, and now we get a chance to get him out there, get some live bullets, man. I’m fired up to see him.”
Confidence in Bertrand stems from the way he’s played since the Falcons started rookie minicamp May 10. Be it OTAs, training camp or the preseason, Bertrand continually turned heads.
But he also proved Atlanta’s coaching staff correct in its pre-draft evaluation of his skill set, defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake said.
“He sees it really, really well — it’s the reason why we drafted him,” Lake said. “We can see and feel his football instincts. Once he arrived here, all of those traits showed up in practice. He got a few reps this last Sunday, played really well.”
Bertrand, who stands 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, has spent much of the early part of the season preparing for his special teams snaps. This week, ahead of his expected starting opportunity, he’s shifted the balance to be more defense-heavy.
That process includes understanding the game plan as its installed, watching previous games and matching defensive calls to different plays their opponents have run this year.
Once Bertrand feels comfortable and confident pairing any call to any offensive play shown on film, he feels ready — but the chance he received to get his feet wet Sunday against the New Orleans Saints gave him another sense of belief.
“I think last game, it’s just continuing each time you play, you gain a little bit more confidence and a little bit more [of] knowing you can do it,” Bertrand said. “So, that’s what I gained from last week.”
Bertrand also banked more reps with Elliss, who’s played every defensive snap this season for the Falcons. Bertrand noted he has a strong off-field relationship with Elliss which leads to strong communication on it.
At middle linebacker, communication is critical. It’s particularly important Thursday, as Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s history with Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay spearheads an offense with shifts, motions and a chance to stress defensive communication.
But the Falcons believe Bertrand is more than capable of rising to the occasion, even on a short week.
“He’s such an adult and a mature young man,” Morris said. “He takes care of himself. He’s one of the guys you would say, if it was a rookie, you’d worry about him in a short week, but he’s just not like that. He takes care of his body. He’s always conscientious of what he needs to do.
“He’s always conscientious in his book and his study habits, the things that he does with his position coach, the things that he does with his coordinator. He’s been in the mix so much.”
From his habits and offseason performance to the film the Falcons watched when they drafted him, Bertrand has given Atlanta many reasons to believe. It doesn’t mean there’s nothing to fear, but rather the Falcons are confident in who Bertrand has proven to be.
“I’m not saying I don’t have any concerns with him, but I got very few or very limited that don’t really come to mind,” Morris said.
Bertrand prepared like a starter even during his time as Atlanta’s fourth-string linebacker, Morris said. He took plenty of reps with the first-team defense during camp, giving Morris a baseline to predict a strong outing from Bertrand on Thursday night.
“I got a feeling he’s going to go out there and play really well,” Morris said.
Lake agreed.
“Us as coaches, we’re expecting no drop-off,” Lake said. “We have a lot of confidence in JD.”
Now, Bertrand gets the opportunity to prove the Falcons right — in front of a national audience under the primetime lights. Toss in the allure of the Alpharetta, Ga., native making his first start in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Bertrand is under immense pressure.
But rather than feeling stressed, Bertrand has a different emotion — one that properly represents the Falcons’ internal feelings ahead of the first start any of their rookies have made this season.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Bertrand said. “I think probably leave it at that — it’s just an exciting time and I’m excited for whatever opportunity I do get going forward.”
The public is getting its first look at the two pandas that will be heading from China to Zoo Atlanta.
NBC’s Janis Mackey Frayer was able to visit female Fu Shuang and male Ping Ping before they make the nearly 8,000-mile flight. The giant pandas are both 6 years old and are headed to the United States as part of a new decade-long conservation agreement between China and the U.S.
Ping Ping’s keepers say he tends to follow them around, which is atypical behavior for a panda, but may be because of the food they have for him. Fu Shuang — which translates to “double happiness” — is playful, but nervous, and enjoys placing her chin on her paw. She also likes apples and has a penchant for finding them.
“Because we will hide pieces of apples, for example under the tree … she can find them everywhere,” panda keeper Wang Shun told Mackey Frayer, noting her “clever” behavior.
The pandas are part of an international cooperative research agreement on giant panda conservation between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, a renewal of panda diplomacy between America and China that began in 1972.
“Zoo Atlanta is delighted and honored to yet again be trusted as stewards of this treasured species and to partner with the China Wildlife Conservation Association on the continued conservation and research efforts that are the most important outcomes of this cooperation,” Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond B. King said in a statement in April.
“We can’t wait to meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and to welcome our Members, guests, city, and community back to the wonder and joy of giant pandas.”
Pandas are already at zoos in Washington, D.C., and San Diego. Zoo Atlanta maintained a panda agreement with China from 1999 until 2024, when Lun Lun and Yang Yang went back to their home country, along with their two youngest cubs.
Animal behaviorist James Ayala marvels at how pandas mature.
“You see cubs and they seem so cuddly and clumsy and cute. And then they grow up into these big, majestic bears,” he told Mackey Frayer.
Fu Shuang and Ping Ping will be transported further south into a mountainous region where they will be prepped to make the trip to the U.S. It is unknown when they will leave.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Soccer fever took over The Battery Atlanta on Thursday as fans gathered outside Truist Park for a rare chance to see the FIFA World Cup trophy in person.
Children kicked soccer balls across the plaza while crowds counted down to the dramatic reveal of the iconic trophy, widely considered the most coveted prize in international sports.
The appearance marked the first public viewing of the FIFA World Cup trophy in Atlanta.
“It’s the real trophy,” said fan Abdulrahman Dwead. “Nobody is allowed to touch the actual trophy unless you won it or are the president of FIFA. So, me standing beside that cup, that’s an honor to me.”
The trophy stop carried extra significance because Atlanta is one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Local fans said the event gave them a deeper sense of excitement ahead of the tournament.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said Melissa Richardson. “It’s something that doesn’t happen often and to be here in this moment is very important to me.”
The trophy was displayed outside the ballpark before moving inside Monument Garden during Thursday night’s Braves game, allowing ticket holders another opportunity to see the historic prize.
Organizers said the event gave thousands of fans a rare chance to experience a piece of soccer history in Atlanta.
“I’m so happy that Atlanta will host eight games,” Dwead said. “I’ve been here in Atlanta for almost 14 years and I love Atlanta so much.”
Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.
The Atlanta Dream are undefeated heading into their home opener and still finding ways to improve their roster.
The Dream announced Wednesday the signing of forward Amy Okonkwo to a developmental contract. It’s the latest roster move for an Atlanta team that is 2-0 and gearing up to play Sunday against the defending champion, Las Vegas Aces.
Okonkwo brings an impressive résumé despite her young career.
She most recently attended training camp with the Dallas Wings ahead of the 2026 season and appeared in eight games with Dallas during the 2025 WNBA season, averaging 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting better than 60 percent from the field. She recorded a career-high 20 points against Phoenix on Sept. 11, 2025, and made history as the first undrafted player since 2000 to average 10 or more points while shooting 60 percent or better through her first two WNBA games.
Her international résumé is equally impressive. Okonkwo has earned back-to-back FIBA Women’s AfroBasket MVP honors in 2023 and 2025 while helping Nigeria’s national team capture consecutive gold medals. Collegiately, she played at USC before finishing her career at TCU, where she earned 2018 Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year honors.
Okonkwo joins a 12-player roster that includes Naz Hillmon, Te-Hina Paopao, Jordin Canada, Angel Reese, Aaliyah Nye, Rhyne Howard, Madina Okot, Allisha Gray, Isobel Borlase, Indya Nivar, Sika Kone and Brionna Jones.
The signing caps a busy stretch of roster moves for Atlanta.
Earlier this month, the Dream claimed guard Aaliyah Nye off waivers after she was selected by the expansion Toronto Tempo in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft and subsequently waived on May 7. Nye brings championship pedigree to Atlanta, having been a member of the 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces as a rookie, appearing in all 44 regular season games and finishing fourth among franchise rookies in made three-pointers with 37.
A guard out of the University of Alabama, Nye is one of the sharper shooters in the league. She finished her college career with 389 three-pointers across stops at Alabama and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. In her final season with the Crimson Tide, she earned Second Team All-SEC honors after averaging 15.2 points per game and setting the program’s single-season record with 111 made three-pointers.
To make room for Nye, the Dream waived guard Holly Winterburn, a move that came with an emotional cost. Winterburn, a Northampton, England native who went undrafted in 2025 before signing with Atlanta as a free agent, said she learned she had been cut just before boarding the bus for the team’s first game of the season on May 9.
“I thought my welcome to the W moment would happen on the court, not as I’m getting on the bus for my first ever game,” Winterburn wrote on Instagram. “But that’s the reality of this business and I will always be grateful for the opportunity Atlanta gave me. I’m built for this.”
Winterburn did not stay without a job for long. The Portland Fire signed her to a developmental contract shortly after her release.
After Tuesday’s road win in Dallas, the Dream return home Sunday to face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at 1:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
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