Falcons’ Desmond Ridder picks Mal Mal Pals for My Cause, My Cleats initiative

Ridder will be amongst the group of Falcons showing support for their favorite non-profit organization and causes during their eighth “My Cause, My Cleats” game against the Jets on Sunday.

“My Cause, My Cleats is Mal Mal’s Pals because of my little cousin, Mallory,” Ridder said. “She has Down Syndrome, and so it’s our foundation through downtown Louisville. (We are) just supporting those who have Down Syndrome and just (showing) awareness.”

Ridder didn’t design the cleats.

“No, it’s all them,” Ridder said. “I kind of give the colors, and they have the freedom to do whatever they want.”

He did pick an orange color scheme.

“That’s just part of her colors,” Ridder said.

“My Cause, My Cleats” is a league-wide event.

In total, 43 Falcons players and coaches selected causes to represent:

Player/Coach

Cause/Organization

Micah Abernathy/Ralph David Abernathy III Foundation

Tyler Allgeier/The White Ribbon Project

Jessie Bates III/JB3 Fund

Matthew Bergeron/Football Québec

Natrone Brooks/Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Calais Campbell/The Elephant in the Room

Lorenzo Carter/United Way

Frank Darby/Autism Speaks

Bud Dupree/First 48 Charity

Kaden Elliss/Georgia Kids Belong

John FitzPatrick/American Brain Tumor Association

Tre Flowers/The Giving Flowers Foundation

Joe Gaziano/Jimmy Fund

Richie Grant/At-Promise West Boys & Girls Club

Demone Harris/Center for Black Women’s Wellness

Taylor Heinicke/The Mighty Millie Foundation

Kyle Hinton/Adopt A Classroom

Sarah Hogan/The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund

Mack Hollins/Thumbs Up Mission

Timmy Horne/Play Like a Girl

Grady Jarrett/Grady Gives

Nate Landman/Responder Rescue

Chris Lindstrom/Best Buddies

Drake London/Special Olympics

Liam McCullough/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Kaleb McGary/The Strong Side Foundation

Scotty Miller/Cerebral Palsy Foundation

Storm Norton/Alzheimer’s Association

Jeff Okudah/The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Cordarrelle Patterson/Pregnancy and Infant Loss

Bradley Pinion/Compassion International

Kyle Pitts/Boys & Girls Club

Desmond Ridder/Mal Mal’s Pals

Bijan Robinson/Bijan Robinson Foundation

Matt Schaub/The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund

Keith Smith/Smith Effect Foundation

Andre Smith Jr./Black Women’s Health Imperative

Jonnu Smith/The Nu Family Foundation

A.J. Terrell Jr./Atlanta Mission

Carlos Washington Jr./American Society for Deaf Children

Barry Wesley/Covenant House Georgia

Logan Woodside/Skin Cancer Foundation

T.J. Yates/The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund

Ridder tried to pick Rodgers’ brain at offseason event

Ridder has had some encounters with Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

“We’ve had a few conversations in the offseason,” Ridder said. “I think it was pre-draft. Then obviously, last year, with a company called RX3. They do a charity 7-on-7 tournament, so I was able to be with him for a couple of days. Play with him and play against him in 7-on-7.”

They had a good time away from the rigors of the regular season.

“It was fun being out there in tennis shoes as a quarterback just going around throwing the ball,” Ridder said. “But we’re just having fun. Just talking to him, picking his head about his preparation and how he goes about things. And obviously, his longevity in the league.”

Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP, played 18 seasons with the Packers before he was traded to the Jets this offseason. He had his return-to-play window activated Wednesday. He was on injured reserve after sustaining a torn Achilles in Game 1 of the season.

Ridder said he tried to pick Rodgers’ brain, didn’t want to share any of the secrets he picked up.

“I’ll keep that between us, though,” Ridder said.

Abraham not on list of semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Falcons defensive John Abraham was on the first list of players to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024, but did not advance.

The group of 25 semifinalists was released Tuesday, and former Falcons Devin Hester (2014-15) and Dwight Freeney (2016) advanced.

Also, Robert Mathis, who played at McNair High, and Hines Ward, who played at Forest Park and Georgia, advanced.

The list includes 18 players who were semifinalists for the Class of 2023.

Abraham’s longevity, play and stats are on par or better than the five outside linebackers/defensive ends who are semifinalists.

Abraham played from 2012-14 with the Falcons and Jets. He had double-digit sacks in eight seasons and finished with 133.5 sacks.

Freeney played from 2002-17 and has 125.5 sacks and led the league in sacks one season.

Mathis played from 2003-16 and finished with 123 sacks.

Jared Allen played from 2004-2015 and finished with 136 sacks and lead the league twice, including a 22-sack season in 2011.

James Harrison played from 2002-17 and has 84.5 sacks.

Julius Peppers, who was a first-year eligible selection, has 159.5 sacks.

Also, running back Warrick Dunn, quarterback Michael Vick, linebacker Jessie Tuggle, wide receiver Andre Rison were on the ballot.

Still working on lineups

Through five games this season, the Georgia Tech men’s basketball team has 12 players who have played at least 20 minutes. Seven of those players have started a game, and six have logged at least 80 minutes of action.

Translation? First-year coach Damon Stoudamire is still having to figure out what lineup works best and which players play best with each other.

In Tuesday’s win over No. 21 Mississippi State, Stoudamire started senior Ebenezer Dowuona, an N.C. State transfer, alongside freshman Naithan George for the first time this season.

“We have 10, 11 really good players, and I think I gotta maximize everybody that we have. Right now there’s not a lot of separation. And I’m all right with that,” Stoudamire said. “It’s not how I’ve coached in the past, but it’s how I’m gonna coach to win games. I’m married to winning. I’m not agenda-driven with what I do and how I put guys out there on that court.

“Whatever is best for the team, that’s what Imma ride with.”

With three wins in their first five outings, the Yellow Jackets have six players scoring at least eight points per game. Two such players, veterans Deebo Coleman and Kyle Sturdivant, have exclusively come off the bench.

Playing through pain

Three and half weeks ago, Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter dislocated his right pinkie against the Pelicans.

On Tuesday, Hunter dislocated the same finger and, like the last time, returned to the floor despite the discomfort.

Hunter’s relentlessness does not go unnoticed by his teammates.

Hunter often has the toughest defensive assignment every night, but the Hawks know that as long as his legs work, he’ll play through the pain.

“Sometimes the whole game because obviously he sometimes might get fouls and stuff like that,” Hawks center Clint Capela said. “Every night, he’s the one always on a mission against the best guy, and I try to talk to him by keeping him motivated and focused on that, and I’m trying to say that I’m gonna have his back.”

Talking Braves payroll

The Braves reportedly were interested in free-agent starter Sonny Gray, and the fit made sense. The team needs another high-quality starter and Gray, 34, wanted to pitch somewhere closer to his Nashville, Tennessee, residence. He ultimately signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Cardinals.

Such a contract would’ve made Gray, by average annual value, the highest-paid Brave. It also would’ve been in the realm of the team’s most expensive free-agent acquisition in history. While the Braves have committed several long-term deals to keep their homegrown talent, their priciest free-agent signing remains outfielder B.J. Upton, whom the team signed to a five-year, $75.25 million contract in 2013.

Perhaps that changes this offseason or in the nearer future.

-Staff writers Chad Bishop, Lauren Williams, Gabriel Burns and D. Orlando Ledbetter contributed to this report.