Falcons playoff memories: Jeff Merrow
Who: Jeff Merrow
Starring role in Falcons' history: Merrow played defensive end for the Falcons from 1975-83, appearing in four playoff games. Merrow is eighth among the team's career sack leaders. On Jan. 9, 1983, Merrow played with his broken forearm in a cast in a first-round playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, a 30-24 loss at the Metrodome that ended the team's strike-shortened season.
What he recalls: We just weren't playing well. We just didn't have our groove going at that time. [Coach] Leeman [Bennett] was fired after the game. I don't remember us playing good defense or good offense. I'm thinking, What happened to our ballclub? What has happened?
In ‘82, by that point, with the strike year and everything, our team really took a couple steps back that year, for whatever reason. Coaches were blaming it on players; players were blaming it on coaches.
Where is he now? Merrow, 57, is married with three sons in their 20s and lives in Buford. He runs a company with his brother and with ex-teammate Don Smith that sells service equipment for large vehicles.
About the Author
Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.
