Steelers Week 1 Opponent, Falcons Land Pro Bowl OLB Matthew Judon in Massive Trade
The New England Patriots are trading four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that Atlanta is sending New England a third-round pick to the Patriots in exchange for Judon.
Schultz also said that several teams were interested in Judon, but it ultimately came down to the Chicago Bears and Falcons, with Atlanta nailing the deal.
Judon is due $6.5 million in the final year of his deal. After back and forth negotiations this summer, Judon reportedly didn’t accept New England’s offer, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Judon had an animated exchange with Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo last month when he sat out of drills.
Judon, 31, is a four-time Pro Bowler with 66.5 career sacks. He spent his first five seasons (2016-2020) in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, recording 34.5 sacks. Judon had banner years with New England in 2021 and 2022, posting 28 sacks and earning Pro Bowl honors in both seasons.
Prior to the start of the 2023 season, Judon was ranked 33rd by fellow players for the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023. He suffered a torn lower bicep in Week 4 and was placed on injured reserve.
Judon will now lead a Falcons’ edge rusher group that features Arnold Ebiketie, Lorenzo Carter, Demone Harris and James Smith-Williams. He certainly will be a handful for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ tackles in Week 1. When healthy, Judon is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
The Steelers’ Week 1 game against the Falcons in Atlanta has several storylines. The main one will be Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith returning to Atlanta after being fired as the team’s head coach at the end of the 2023 season. The Steelershttps://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1788262343274627470″>
also added four players this offseason who played in Atlanta for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith — Scotty Miller, Cordarrelle Patterson, Van Jefferson and MyCole Pruitt.
Mike Tomlin will also go up against his prodigy Raheem Morris in Week 1.
“I didn’t, but I knew he did,” Morris said during a recent appearance on The Pivot when asked if he smiled when he saw the first game was against Tomlin. “I can speak for Mike on that note, but he was on this show when he proclaimed me as the best head coach that wasn’t a head coach, right? I know when he looked at it, he gets himself some little pride out of that because that’s my older brother. I got two older brothers because you know his brother Ed (Tomlin), but those are my brothers. That’s part of my family. That’s part of my makeup.
“I know when he looked at that, he had such a sense of pride because he knows that he’s going to walk right in my locker room and we’re going to dap it up and we’re going to go out there. But I’m not going to let him lull me to sleep either. He’s still Tom Brady, he’s still Batman. Batman will shake your hand, love you up.”
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