getty Former running back Todd Gurley #30 of the St. Louis Rams.
The Los Angeles Rams released star running back, Todd Gurley on Thursday. The Atlanta Falcons didn’t hesitate to bring the UGA football alum back home Friday morning.
Gurley didn’t seem to be very bummed of the news after making a joke on Twitter.
Damn I got fired on my day off😂 #QuaratineAndChill
Of course, he had to throw in the trending hashtag #QuarantineAndChill after losing his job in the midst of the virus.
After Gurley signed with the Falcons, the NFL’s official Instagram account posted a graphic of Gurley on their Instagram in a Falcons uniform.
Gurley commented on the NFL’s post, “@rams thanks for the check today.”
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Shade Behind Gurley’s Comment
Gurley throwing shade to the Rams stems from the fact that they had released him to free up salary cap space.
By releasing Gurley before 4 p.m., the Rams got out of $10.5 million in salary and bonuses they were set to owe him. However, they still had to give up $7.5 million to him.
So, the Rams showing Gurley the door wasn’t such a terrible thing. He got to have his cake and eat it too. He’ll head to Atlanta on a one-year, $5 million deal.
Not Ending On a Bad Note
While Gurley did throw shade and make jokes about the Rams releasing him, he made sure to thank them. They did, after all, give him his first job in the NFL.
Love LA Forever TG Out✌🏾#IAmLAfootball
That’s cute. But you’re ATL football now.
Gurley’s LA Career
Gurley came out of Georgia making a name for himself in the 2015 NFL draft. The Rams ended up drafting Gurley as their first-round, No. 10 overall pick.
Gurley spent five seasons with the Rams and was two years into a four-year, $57.5 million extension before he was released by them. At the time, it was the biggest NFL contract.
It wasn’t long before Gurley made a name for himself in the NFL as many analysts projected he would. He had a breakout season in 2017, leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 13 and tallying a total of 1,305 yards.
Once again in 2018, Gurley led the league in rushing touchdowns with 17 along with 1,251 rushing yards. He also played a pivotal to the Rams making the Super Bowl where they lost to Tom Brady and the Patriots. He was named an All-Pro again that season.
2019 was Gurley’s worse performance. He developed arthritis in his knee and you could tell it dampened his ability to play. He had the lowest number of carries and finished the season with only 857 rushing yards. However, he still managed to score 12 touchdowns. Not bad for a bad knee.
Gurley’s bad knee is a concern to many fans and the Falcons staff. But, they wouldn’t have throw money at him if they didn’t believe he still had some juice left.
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