Jordan Fuller, a safety in the NFL, is preparing for a new chapter with the Atlanta Falcons. Having previously trained with Jessie Bates III and faced him at the Super Bowl, Fuller will now join Bates as teammates for the first time.
Bates shared his enthusiasm about Fuller’s move to Atlanta: “I know everything Jordan is about,” he said. “When he hit me up and was like, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about coming to Atlanta.’ I was like, ‘Why wouldn’t you come to Atlanta?'”
Fuller signed with the Falcons on March 20 after a stint with the Los Angeles Rams where he experienced both highs and lows. Drafted in 2020 as a sixth-round pick, Fuller quickly earned a starting role but faced setbacks due to injuries. Despite missing the playoffs in 2021 because of an ankle injury, he played a crucial role in getting the Rams to their Super Bowl LVI victory against Bates’ former team, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Falcons secondary coach Justin Hood commented on Fuller’s experience: “Talk about a Super Bowl champion, right? Somebody that’s been through it. He’s a veteran. He’s seen it all – the ups, the downs.”
Injuries continued to affect Fuller’s career; he played only three games in 2022 due to a hamstring issue. After not being re-signed by the Rams at the end of 2023, Fuller joined the Carolina Panthers where he became an immediate starter despite another hamstring injury early in his tenure.
Bates believes that this move offers Fuller an opportunity for rejuvenation: “I just think that he’s excited to have a fresh start,” Bates said. “You have so many expectations when you hit free agency and stuff like that… I think this is just another stepping stone in his career where he wants to prove to everybody that he can play ball.”
Raheem Morris, who coached Fuller during his time as defensive coordinator for the Rams from 2021-23 and now leads as head coach of the Falcons, also supports Fuller’s potential contributions: “There’s a bunch of familiarity for me,” Fuller noted regarding working under Morris again.
With Justin Simmons entering free agency after being Bates’ partner last season, there is an open spot alongside Bates in Atlanta’s defense. While competition exists from players like Kevin King and DeMarcco Hellams among others during training camp later this year; currently healthy heading into organized team activities (OTAs), Fuller aims at securing significant playing time moving forward.
“He’s a great add to our room,” Bates concluded about his new teammate’s impact beyond football skills alone.
