Atlanta Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom has been playing with a heavy weight on his shoulders ever since joining the NFL as a rookie in 2019 when his mother, Dawn, was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer.
And ahead of the Falcons’ Week 16 matchup against the Detroit Lions, Dawn’s battle with cancer came to an end as she passed away on Tuesday, December 21.
The courage Chris Lindstrom displayed this week as he dealt with the passing of his mother Dawn on Tuesday is an overlooked storyline in today’s victory. #Lindstromstrong 💪🏼💚
Chris addressed the loss of his mother following the Falcons’ 20-16 win over the Lions, in which he played a key role in.
“It’s been crazy but I’m very grateful to play for an organization and for Mr. Blank and coach Smith and coach Quinn,” he said during the Falcons’ post-game press conference. “I was able to be with her the last couple of weeks and I was there with her Tuesday when she passed with my whole family. And just very, very grateful to be a part of an organization where I was able to go home and have those moments with her. [I’m] just really, really appreciative and my whole family is to this organization and all of the outreach we have received from the people of Atlanta.”
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Lindstrom Has Yet to Allow a Single Sack
While Matt Ryan was sacked three times against the Lions, Lindstrom was not the one to blame.
The third-year guard, who has allowed zero sacks this season, was Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded offensive lineman in Week 16, earning a 92.5.
Top-5 #Falcons PFF Offensive Grades vs. Lions (Week 16)
1. TE Kyle Pitts – 92.9
2. RG Chris Lindstrom – 92.5
3. QB Matt Ryan – 87.5
4. C Matt Hennessy – 84.3
5. WR Marvin Hall – 76.4
Even though what has been going on behind the scenes, Lindstrom has been bringing his all every single week. And it seems that’s what his mother, who has been there since day 1, would have expected from her son.
“She took me to my first day of football,” Lindstrom said of his mom last season, via the Atlanta Falcons’ official website. “She actually tried to get me dressed my first day of football; I wore thigh pads where my knee pads were supposed to be. She’s that type of mom – every single practice, every single game. … She’s extremely outgoing, extremely friendly, but then also tough as nails, too. She’s kicked my butt more than once.”
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Falcons’ Star Guard Continues to Excel Following His Mother’s Death