When Atlanta Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams put on his jersey for the 2025 season, he expressed visible excitement about returning to the field. “Almost felt like 23 was a new number again,” Hellams said.
Despite his personal satisfaction at being back, teammates describe Hellams as highly competitive and aggressive. “We call him, ‘Bamm-Bamm,’” said Falcons safety Jessie Bates III. “He’s not a happy guy right now. He’s always moving with bad intentions of wanting to go hit somebody. And you need that on the football team.”
Hellams’ return follows a significant setback during last year’s preseason opener when he suffered an ankle injury early in the game against the Miami Dolphins and did not return. Head coach Raheem Morris announced days later that Hellams would miss considerable time due to the injury, which ultimately sidelined him for the entire season.
“I definitely didn’t expect to miss the whole year,” Hellams said.
Hellams fractured his left ankle and had a high-ankle sprain, requiring extensive surgery and rehabilitation while the Falcons finished their season with an 8-9 record.
“I put my faith in God as far as having the attitude that this did happen to me, like it’s something that I can’t take back,” Hellams explained. “So, I tried to rewire my brain from feeling back for me to kind of starting to feel like it was for me.
“That’s hard. That’s hard to do, for sure, to feel like a setback is a part of your process. Because I felt like I had big things going for me last year leading up to my injury.”
Drafted by Atlanta in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft from Alabama, Hellams played all but two games as a rookie and became increasingly involved on defense late in his first season. He recorded 40 tackles (25 solo), along with one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss.
Jessie Bates III praised Hellams’ approach during recovery: “It hurts my heart to this day,” Bates said. “But to watch how he worked and the way that he responded to it, that’s what men do. He’s a true professional.”
Falcons secondary coach Justin Hood also commended Hellams’ engagement during his time off: “I commend him,” Hood said. “‘Marcco was a guy that was still stopping meetings and asking questions because he wanted to understand.”
That commitment has helped him adapt quickly under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich this offseason. In training camp so far, Hellams has competed with veteran Jordan Fuller and rookie Xavier Watts for playing time alongside Bates in the secondary—rotating into first-team reps—and is currently noted as having made an interception during practice.
“It was a heck of a play,” Hood said regarding Hellams’ interception against quarterback Michael Penix Jr., intended for running back Bijan Robinson. “When you watch it, you see that it’s in his body… His growth… It’s just continuing to increase.”
The team held a scrimmage emphasizing starters ahead of Friday’s preseason opener against Detroit at Mercedes-Benz Stadium; while most starters may sit out, there is potential for Hellams’ participation.
“When we put on pads,” Bates added, “you’ll know DeMarcco Hellams is out there.”
His physical style has earned him comparisons with “Bamm-Bamm” from “The Flintstones,” referencing both his strength and sometimes overly aggressive hits—even in practice settings.
“You’re never worried about him being physical at the point of attack,” Morris said about last year’s training camp incident involving wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III. “You’ve always got to worry about him in practice, but he’s gotten so much better.”
Hood highlighted what makes coaching players like Hellams different: “Who he is as a player is who he is as a person… He attacks everything that he does… more importantly… going try his absolute hardest… strain give you everything he’s got.”
Hellams emphasized his desire not only make roster but continue playing: “I’ve been playing football since I was 5 years old,” he said.”I really don’t feel myself when I’m not playing football.”
