Falcons coach Dan Quinn talks a lot about the “brotherhood” that he says bonds his team. Falcons players talk all the time about the brotherhood, too. To me it all sounds like rah-rah college stuff, the kind of thing that would inspire eye rolls from hardened professionals. But, hey, Falcons players certainly seem to believe they’ve got a real brotherhood and they think it’s helped them. That’s all that matters.
Still, I’ve always wondered if the brotherhood would survive when it clashes with business. Don’t forget that Quinn has a lot of power in the Falcons’ front office, more than most coaches. What happens if a player goes to the Falcons asking for more money but the brotherhood won’t go to the bank? How would the rebuffed player and his teammates react to that?
We'll get the first test with Devonta Freeman, who is publicly complaining about his number of touches while angling for a contract extension. No doubt Freeman, an overachieving fourth-round pick, is underpaid by NFL star running back standards. I don't blame he and his agent for agitating for a raise using public pressure, which is the only real leverage they have. (The timing is awful, though, because Freeman's complaints are drowned out by everything Super Bowl.)
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Freeman wasn't in the mood to talk about his contract by the time the Falcons made it to the NFL's ridiculous "opening night" media event on Monday. Recently he said he's proven he's the best back in the NFL because he's gotten more chances to "showcase" his talents.
I already know the Falcons' counter to that narrative because offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's said it during the playoff bye week: “I think the thing that’s helped 'Free' the most is Tevin (Coleman) staying healthy because Free had to carry the load most of last year and I think it wore him down a little bit.”
Certainly Freeman would feel better about splitting time if he got a better contract. Freeman’s agent told AJC colleague D. Orlando Ledbetter that she’ll have talks with GM Thomas Dimitroff after the season.
Quinn played down any potential distraction for the Falcons because of Freeman's complaints. I also doubt it will matter much this week. But, at some point, this thing could come to a head.
If Freeman doesn’t get a new deal, will he blame Quinn for not opening the books? Will he blame Quinn, by way of Shanahan, for not getting him more touches? Could Quinn plausibly play good cop to Dimitroff's bad cop when everybody knows the coach has so much sway with the owner?
There's brotherhood, and there's business. Sometimes the two don't mix.
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