Year in review: 25 sports stories that moved Georgians in 2025
Everyone loves a winner. Some of us love underdogs even more.
Sports have a way of bringing out our rooting interest in so many forms, and the past year gave Georgians reasons to celebrate, commiserate and get irate.
Georgia continued its run as one of college football’s elite programs, winning the SEC again and contending for a national title. For a while, it looked like Georgia Tech’s magical ride would carry a generation of Yellow Jackets fans all the way to the College Football Playoff, as well.
And the Dream ... well, they had a dream season and made the summer a playground of possibilities, with an exciting run to the WNBA playoffs.
A new year will bring change for the managers of the Braves and Atlanta United, as it did for a new Hawks general manager. What happens with the Falcons’ leadership isn’t clear, but they continued their run on the treadmill of mediocrity.
This year was full of news, but beyond those headlines, there were others that captured our hearts, brought positive vibes and made us care more about those around us.
Here are 25 sports stories (in no particular order) that moved us in 2025:
Braves’ Brian Snitker retires; Walt Weiss named successor
In 49 seasons with the Braves, Brian Snitker has seen it all, and he reached an apex when he was named manager in 2016. Snitker announced his retirement Oct. 1, though he’ll stay with the organization as an adviser.
Snitker led the Braves to the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons, with six consecutive division titles. He capped his achievements with the World Series title in 2021 and also was manager of the year in ‘18.
Walt Weiss, who had a 14-year playing career, will take over as the manager.
National League wins historic All-Star Game in Atlanta
The National League looked to have the All-Star Game in hand, jumping to a 6-0 lead, but the American League rallied to tie the score at 6-6 in the ninth inning, sending the Midsummer Classic to a deciding home-run derby.
Phillies star Kyle Schwarber was the brightest of stars, hitting a home run on each of his three swings in the tiebreaker format, pushing the NL to a victory in the first-ever swing-off to decide the game.
MLB hits home run with Hank Aaron tribute
With Atlanta hosting the All-Star Game, all eyes of the baseball world were focused on Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta. MLB made the most of the opportunity, with a fantastic display honoring Braves icon Hank Aaron.
The tribute featured a 3-D video projected onto the field, along with the radio call of Aaron’s legendary play and a fireworks trail retracing the path of iconic home run No. 715. His widow, Billye Aaron, was in attendance at Truist Park and received a standing ovation.
It turned out to be a lasting moment of All-Star Weekend.
Ronald Acuña Jr. returns with a bang
Braves star Ronald Acuña missed a year because of an ACL injury, and he returned in style, hitting a home run on the first pitch of his first at-bat of the season. He was slated to compete in the Home-Run Derby during All-Star Weekend, but was replaced by Matt Olson because of injury.
Acuña had a standout season, earning his fifth All-Star selection and giving the Braves a boost, before their season went south following a slew of injuries. The 2023 NL MVP hit .290 with 21 home runs and a .935 OPS and was named NL Comeback Player of the Year.
Hurston Waldrep saves the day in Bristol
The Braves won the inaugural Speedway Classic, the first MLB game in Tennessee, topping the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 behind two home runs from Eli White.
Beyond the game’s headlines was the story of relief pitcher Hurston Waldrep, who was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett after rain postponed the Bristol game until the next day, Aug. 3. Waldrep, 23, arrived after being picked up by a a car service at 5 a.m. and pitched 5⅔ innings and allowed only one run.
Falcons select UGA’s Jalon Walker in first round
The Falcons have little history in taking players from the University of Georgia in the NFL draft. Since 1966, it’s been a constant: the Falcons had never selected a Bulldogs player in the first or second round.
That ended in April, when the Falcons selected edge rusher Jalon Walker with the No. 15 pick, looking to improve their defense. The Falcons also got another building block by selecting edge rusher James Pearce Jr. after sending their 2026 first-round pick to the Rams.
Michael Penix Jr. suffers partial ACL tear
The Falcons and coach Raheem Morris gave quarterback Michael Penix Jr. the keys to the offense this season. The second-year QB started the final three games last season, and being named the starter over Kirk Cousins was a nod toward the future.
The full picture of that future will have to wait, as Penix suffered a partially torn ACL in his left knee in a loss to the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 16. Cousins returned as the starter for the remainder of the season and led the Falcons to victories over the Buccaneers and Cardinals.
Where that leaves the veteran QB — and the long-term outlook for the position — is uncertain.
Falcons miss the playoffs ... again
The opening loss to the Buccaneers in the final seconds was a heartbreaker and the 30-0 loss to the Panthers in Week 3 was a head-scratcher. That was just the start of a roller-coaster ride that will end with the Falcons missing the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
Point to the injuries to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London or the overtime losses to the Colts and Panthers or the kicking woes throughout the season, but the end result is the same: the Falcons continue to struggle.
They don’t have their first-round pick, either, having sent it to the Rams in the draft-day deal for Pearce.
Ex-Falcons star Sean Weatherspoon giving back through coaching
Former Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon went through a personal family tragedy but re-centered himself and found inner peace through working with young people.
Weatherspoon became the head football coach at Pace Academy in Buckhead, and in the process, he was able to connect with his son and to make an impact in his community. He wanted to work as an intern with the Falcons before tragedy struck, but his grassroots approach in giving back has made him a mentor and hero.
Big offseason changes for Hawks
The Hawks had a busy offseason, with a shake-up in their front office and some key additions to the roster. They fired Landry Fields in April, who had been with the team since 2020, and they promoted Onsi Saleh to general manager.
Saleh was active in reshaping the roster, trading for Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, signing Luke Kennard in free agency and adding Georgia’s Asa Newell in the draft.
The bigger draft-night coup for the Hawks was acquiring an unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans for moving down from pick No. 13 to No. 23. With the Pelicans struggling, that likely will be a lottery pick — and could end up in the top five of a robust draft class.
Jalen Johnson makes early All-Star push
With Trae Young sidelined for much of the early part of the season because of a knee injury, the Hawks needed others to pick up the scoring load. Enter Jalen Johnson, who is putting up All-Star numbers and averaging career highs in points and assists.
Johnson has six triple-doubles already this season, after totaling just two in his previous four seasons.
The Hawks had a good start to their season, but the injuries to Young and Kristaps Porzingis have hurt, and they’ve hovered around .500 through December. Getting healthy will be a key to a potential surge in the second half of the season.
From the field to the courts for Gainesville
Gainesville High School had its second-round playoff game in hand, with a 42-0 lead over Brunswick. Then things got weird.
An all-out altercation that involved about 80 players ensued, and the GHSA suspended 38 Gainesville players from the next game for their involvement in the fracas. The drama moved from the football field to the courtroom.
The school appealed the GHSA’s decision and a Superior Court judge issued a restraining order. The GHSA repealed the suspensions and Gainesville, a heavy underdog, beat Hughes, 40-32.
Gainesville’s playoff run ended with a loss to Thomas County Central in the 5A championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Updates to high school playoff seeding
The GHSA is updating its seeding process for sports using tournament brackets, beginning with the 2026-27 season. The new process will utilize the organization’s Post Season Rankings, its own ratings system.
Another model considered was a system created by Loren Maxwell, which is more complex and takes more factors into account. The new PSR model will no longer give priority to a team’s region finish, except to ensure region winners get a top-16 seed.
Maxwell said he was “pleased and honored” the GHSA considered his model and hoped it wouldn’t be the last time.
Check out all the football state champions here
Buford opens $62 million football palace
In July, Buford High School opened its new football mecca, Phillip Beard Stadium, which had a price tag of nearly $62 million. The new facility seats nearly 10,000 and has 15 luxury, climate-controlled suites, along with a huge video board.
Buford has been a fixture on the national scene for years, including televised matchups on ESPN. Buford won the 6A state championship this season, the 15th in the school’s history, and they are in contention for the consensus national title.
Honoring high school coaching icon Sonny Smart
Sonny Smart, architect of championship programs at Bainbridge and Rabun County, died in January at the age of 76 after complications from hip surgery. He suffered the injury while in New Orleans to watch his son, Georgia coach Kirby Smart, face Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
The elder Smart retired from coaching in 2005 but laid the groundwork for his son’s success in coaching.
Georgia makes it back to College Football Playoff
Despite some key departures from the roster, Georgia picked up where it left off following the loss to Notre Dame in last season’s playoffs. The Bulldogs had an early stumble against Alabama, but they ran the table the rest of the way, including a spirited win over Georgia Tech in the regular-season finale to finish 11-1.
They capped 2025 with a convincing 28-7 victory over the Crimson Tide in the SEC championship game to get their payback. Georgia earned the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye in the CFP, where they’ll face Ole Miss in a quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
No Carson Beck, no problem
After quarterback Carson Beck announced that he was heading to the NFL, he changed his mind and transferred to Miami. Beck had a 24-3 record as the starter at Georgia.
The Bulldogs pushed ahead with Gunner Stockton as their signal-caller, and he didn’t miss a beat. Stockton finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting and helped Georgia to the SEC championship and another spot in the CFP. Beck helped Miami get in the playoff field, as well.
“I wouldn’t be the person or player I am today without Georgia, and I’ll always be a Bulldog,” Beck said at ACC Media Days in July. “I am very appreciative of my time there.”
McConaughey talks Sanford Stadium
Count Matthew McConaughey among the fans of the atmosphere at Sanford Stadium. The actor was in attendance for his first Texas-Georgia game in Athens and raved about the atmosphere.
“This crowd was loud from the beginning,” McConaughey said. “Especially that first half and then the second half when they started to boat row (us). They were still really loud, but they were one of the higher decibels that I’ve heard.”
Georgia beat Texas 35-10 on their way to winning the SEC championship.
Haynes King becomes a Georgia Tech folk hero
At the beginning of the season, if you had Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, then ... well, you would have been in a select, small group of soothsayers. King finished 10th in Heisman voting, but for much of the season, he was firmly in the conversation, as Tech racked up wins.
The expectations for the Yellow Jackets were measured, but Tech took its fan base on a magical ride this season. They won their first eight games, including a surprising win over then-No. 12 Clemson, but stumbled toward the end of the regular season, losing three of their final four games.
King finished as the ACC player of the year, as well as the offensive player of the year, and the Jackets finished the season against BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. As he exits the college stage, King will go down as one of the all-time greats at Tech.
AD J Batt leaves for Michigan State
Athletes aren’t the only ones hopping from one school to another, seeking better opportunities. In June, J Batt entered the administrator portal, leaving Tech to lead Michigan State‘s athletic program.
Batt has been with Tech for less than three years and had signed a contract extension in December. According to reports, Batt got a significant raise to join a former colleague, Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz, in East Lansing.
“Opportunities often require good timing,” Batt said. “It is an excellent time for Michigan State.”
Brad Guzan retires
Brad Guzan was one of the originals. In Atlanta United’s first season in 2017, he was on the roster, and he later became captain following the 2019 season.
Guzan, 41, was a standout goalie and played in 304 matches for Atlanta United, a franchise record. He played at South Carolina and Chivas USA, as well as for the U.S. national team.
In retirement, Guzan said he plans to spend more time with his wife and four children.
Changes for the Five Stripes
Atlanta United president Garth Lagerwey left the team in December, having taken multiple leaves of absence this year to focus on his cancer treatment.
Lagerwey had been with the team since November 2022, looking to build on the success the team had in its early years, winning the MLS Cup in 2018, following its inaugural season in ‘17.
Moving forward, Atlanta United also will have a new manager, bringing back Gerardo Martino, who led them to the Cup win.
Dream season: Atlanta rises in WNBA
After finishing with only 15 wins last season and barely making the playoffs, the Dream had the best season in franchise history, doubling their win total.
The Dream lost to the short-handed Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs, but they made their mark in the turnaround season.
First-year coach Karl Smesko was a finalist for coach of the year and in the process, he helped make the Dream a local favorite for their grit and success. Allisha Gray earned an All-Star selection and was in the MVP conversation for most of the season.
Rory McIlroy wins the Masters — finally
It was only a matter of time — and make no mistake; it already had been a long time — but Rory McIlroy was going to win another major. It just so happened that it was the Masters, where McIlroy was able to complete his career grand slam in the labyrinth that is Augusta National.
McIlroy, 35, outlasted Justin Rose on the first playoff hole and earned his first major win since 2014. With the victory, he became the sixth golfer to earn the career grand slam.
“I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” McIlroy said.
Oui! Coco Gauff wins French Open
Former Atlanta resident Coco Gauff won her first French Open singles title, with a three-set triumph over top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka on June 7. At 21, she became the youngest American to win at Roland Garros since Serena Williams’ title in 2002.
It’s the second career Grand Slam title for Gauff, who lost to Iga Swiatek in the French Open final in 2022.
About the Author
Rod Beard is the Senior Sports Editor for pro sports at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joining the team after 20-plus years at The Detroit News, where he was a beat writer for the Pistons for seven years, after five years covering the Michigan men's basketball team.
