Sports
Sports

Ex-Jacket Burden signs with new pro football league team in Atlanta

Former Georgia Tech offensive lineman Freddie Burden (DAVID BARNES / SPECIAL)
Former Georgia Tech offensive lineman Freddie Burden (DAVID BARNES / SPECIAL)
By The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Aug 6, 2018

Former Georgia Tech offensive lineman Freddie Burden is among the first 100 players to sign with the new Alliance of American Football professional league.

According to a release by the league, the standard Alliance player contract offers players a base salary of $250,000 over three years and the league launch date is February 2019. Burden will play for the league’s Atlanta franchise, whose offensive coordinator will be former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

Burden is one of five players signed to the Atlanta franchise. Two others include cornerback Shaq Wiggins, the former metro Atlanta high school star who played at Georgia, Louisville and Tennessee, and cornerback Laronji Vason, who played at Wake Forest before ending his college career at West Georgia in 2016.

Former UNC defensive back Desmond Lawrence and former Campbell defensive back Carlos Merritt round out the five Atlanta signees.

» Michael Vick will lead offense of new pro team in Atlanta

About the Author

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
More Stories

Keep Reading

Behind a balanced offense and a raucous home crowd, the Dream punched their ticket to the WNBA postseason on Friday. “We clinched (a playoff berth), but still that doesn’t mean our spot can’t change,” the Dream's Rhyne Howard said postgame. (AJ Mast/AP)

Credit: AP

Dream clinch playoff spot, continue push for higher seeding

The Atlanta Dream rolled past the shorthanded Dallas Wings 100-78 on Friday at Gateway Center Arena, punching their ticket to the WNBA postseason.

Dream partners to eliminate $10M in debt for Atlanta families

The partnership — between the Dream, Cash App and ForgiveCo — will affect more than 3,500 recipients who have debts that range from $500 to $80,000.

Dream loss to Aces hurts, but confidence remains high

The Latest

National League baserunner Ronald Acuña Jr., of the Atlanta Braves rounds third base to score against the American League during the first inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Jason Getz / AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Atlanta TV sports listings

Dream clinch playoff spot, continue push for higher seeding

Ben Shelton out of the US Open after injuring shoulder against Mannarino

Featured

An aerial view captures a large area under construction for a new data center campus on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Developed by QTS, the data center campus near Fayetteville is one of the largest under construction in Georgia. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Georgia could restart regional energy, water reviews for data center proposals

Georgia is weighing rule changes to once again make certain data centers disclose information about their resource requirements to local planning authorities.

From Ponzi fallout to party power: Frost dynasty clings to Coweta GOP

By the end of the two-hour meeting, Brant Frost V had stepped down as Coweta County GOP chair. But in a show of his continued influence, he took on a new role.

After a decade of delays, $148M renovation to Cross Keys High begins

The $148 million project is expected to be completed in 2028. The school, which serves about 1,600 students, will remain open during construction.