AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann
With Julio Jones ready to suit up for the Tennessee Titans, it’s time for the Calvin Ridley era to really begin in Atlanta. And he’s ready for the responsibility.
Ridley, whose fifth-year option was picked up in May, told reporters Tuesday he feels “no pressure” to step in for Jones, who was traded to the Titans in exchange for a package of draft picks earlier this month.
That attitude is part of what he’s taking from Jones, noting that he believed the star’s confidence was the key to his success:
“Just the confidence [Jones] has every week and being the No. 1 receiver and going out to work every day, I feel like you have to believe in yourself. And by my second year, that’s when I realized that’s what he’s all about, confidence. So when I realized that, I just started to think that, I didn’t think that I’m better than him, but I just believed in myself and I really think that made me a better player. I really believe in myself.”
Ridley was already the de facto leader in the receiving corps for the Falcons last season, with 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns through 15 games. He saw an increased role with Jones limited to nine games due to injuries in 2020.
The team’s No. 26 overall pick in 2018, Ridley posted career highs in yards as well as targets (143) and receptions (90) last season, and he did all of that while playing through a foot injury that required surgery this offseason.
While he hasn’t practiced fully with the team yet, he said he plans to be ready for training camp next month.
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