Falcons’ Jamal Agnew plans to revive the return game
FLOWERY BRANCH — Former Pro Bowl return man Jamal Agnew plans to breathe some life back into the Falcons’ return game.
Agnew will handle the kickoff and punt returns for the Falcons, who are set to face the Buccaneers at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in their season opener.
“I can’t wait to get into that end zone again,” Agnew said.
Over his career, Agnew has averaged 10.3 yards on 124 punt returns and has scored four touchdowns. He has averaged 25.5 yards on 122 kickoff returns and has scored two touchdowns.
“We’re very excited to have Jamal here,” special-teams coordinator Marquice Williams said. “He’s a dynamic dual returner.”
In the 2021 season, he returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, which was tops in the NFL that season.
Agnew, 30, was drafted in the fifth round (166th overall) by the Lions in 2017 out of San Diego.
As a rookie, he led the league with 447 punt return yards and two touchdowns.
“It’s all about trust,” Agnew said. “Trusting the other 10 guys out there with you. I’ve got a lot of experience returning kicks, but I could not do it without the other 10 guys out there.”
The Falcons moved on from returner Avery Williams, who was signed by the Eagles in the offseason and released Aug. 26.
The Falcons have been fine-tuning their return game over the offseason and in training camp.
“We are getting on the same page with how I’m going to be back there expecting things to be blocked,” Agnew said. “How they expect me to hit the holes and stuff like that. It’s all about trust and decision-making and being fearless and hitting it.”
When in Detroit, Agnew studied under one of the greats in Leon Washington, who returned eight kickoffs for touchdowns, which at one time was tied for the NFL record (The record now is held by former Falcon Cordarrelle Patterson, who has nine).
“I feel like he kind of took my return game to the next level,” Agnew said. “He helped me a lot.”
Agnew is a fan of the new kickoff rules.
“I feel like it’s going to be a bigger part of the game, just because of the major touchbacks this year,” Agnew said. “I feel like a lot of fans don’t really realize if (the ball) touches (the) end zone and doesn’t touch the field of play, it’s to the 35.”
The Falcons are prepared for the rule changes and more kickoff returns.
“(There’s) going to be a lot more strategy from the kicking-game perspective,” Agnew said. “That’s why we have two guys back there to cover more room. Because you know these guys (the kickers) are going to be spraying it all over the place, so you’ve got to put two guys over there to cover more ground.”
Agnew believes teams won’t go for the touchback because the ball will come out to the 35-yard line.
“It’s going to be a big part of the game,” Agnew said. “Teams are going to be trying to avoid kicking it through the end zone. Now, you get the ball at the 35. You get two first downs, that’s at 50-yarder (field goal). To me, the kickoff is back. I love to see that to be honest.”
Agnew was with the Lions from 2017-20. He signed a three-year $21 million contract with Jacksonville in 2021.
Agnew suffered a lower leg fracture near the end of the 2023 season. He signed with Pittsburgh last season in November, but never played.
Agnew, a former defensive back, will provide depth to the wide receiver corps.
In addition to the return game, the Falcons wanted to improve their overall units, which have been led by Pro Bowler KhaDarel Hodge and DeAngelo Malone.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. was re-signed to help on the coverage units.
“I think we’ve got a lot of good players,” Ford said. “We all have to come together, play together as one big unit. I feel like we have the talent to be a really good unit. Sunday will do all of the telling.”
Both Agnew and Ford, who also played with the Lions, are reuniting with Williams.
“It’s an honor to work with Quice,” Ford said. “That’s who I have been working with for most of my career, five out of the eight seasons. It’s an honor to be back with him.”
There are some benefits to working with your former coach.
“He knows my game,” Agnew said. “I know what he’s expecting inside of the (special) teams unit. It’s just a privilege to be working again alongside of him.”
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
