The Falcons may have lost De’Vondre Campbell to the Arizona Cardinals, but they hit the jackpot by adding former L.A. Rams pass rusher Dante Fowler to the roster in free agency.
The Rams tried to keep Fowler, but he opted to go with the Falcons on a three-year deal worth up to $48 million.
Falcons reporter Kelsey Conway caught up with Fowler while in quarantine to discuss the upcoming season.
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A Special Relationship
Fowler played for the Florida Gators when Falcons head coach Dann Quinn was the defensive coordinator for Florida.
It’s not every day and NFL player gets to reunite with the same guy who believed with him in his collegiate years.
“He recruited me coming out of high school,” Fowler told Conway. “Everything was so genuine with him. He coached me my freshman year, taught me a lot of things. Just being a man and how to be approached. I was super disciplined when I was with him. I look at him as kind of a father figure. You don’t want to let him down when you’re around him. That’ll be pretty cool just playing with him again, going out here and just showing him as well.”
Fowler’s nickname is “Six.” Quinn actually gave it to him in Florida. He’s been the number six since ‘Pop Warner’ days. Fowler plans to keep the number 56 in Atlanta because it’s his two favorite numbers. The number five in ’56’ has to do with him growing up and watching Reggie Bush highlights.
‘Being a Spark’
Fowler is coming off of his best season with the Rams. He recorded a career-best of 11.5 sacks last season. He plans to do more for Atlanta.
“I feel like you either get better or you get worse. It’s really cool to just show you guys that I’m a consistent guy, that I can come out here and get double-digit sacks a year. And go out there and play a huge role on my defense and on the team as far as being a spark—being a spark, setting a tone, playing off of each other. Making opportunities for not only myself but for my team. This was always my dream, to always be put in this position.”
The QBs he looks forward to sacking the most are Tedd Bridgewater, Drew Brees and Tom Brady, “just because he’s Tom Brady.”
Has a Chip on His Shoulder
Fowler is ready to prove himself to Atlanta, not just on the field but off of the field as well.
“‘Im playing with a chip on my shoulder. I have a lot to prove. I just want to go out there and show him (Dan Quinn) that I am the guy that he recruited my freshman year. I’m ready to show you guys a lot of things. To show you guys what I am about on an off of the field. I can’t wait to work in the community and get to know the people in the front office. I can’t wait to meet my teammates as well, to go out there and battle with them.”
Fowler isn’t the only one with a ‘chip on his shoulder.’ He told Conway his former teammate and “brother” Todd Gurley will be ready to prove people wrong.
“He’s gonna come out and play with a chip on his shoulder. And he’s doing it in the city that loves him the most.”
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Dante Fowler Plans on Being a Sack Machine for Falcons