Getty Atlanta Falcons' Grady Jarrett
The Atlanta Falcons kicked off mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, June 14 with all projected starters, including defensive lineman Grady Jarrett, in attendance.
The local media was also in attendance and got a chance to catch up with the Falcons’ star defender.
Jarrett, who held a youth camp over the weekend, shared a funny story about how he had to cut the camp short because the kids got tired. They also weren’t happy with the black shirts Jarrett gave them and would have preferred to wear white ones in the Georgia heat.
Funny 🥵 story at #Falcons mini-camp — @GradyJarrett said he had to cut his youth camp short because kids couldn’t handle it … aaaand he regrets making the shirts they gave out black.
Jarrett’s camp was free and at least 300 kids showed up, according to Rockdale High School.
Grady Jarrett Youth Camp kicking off now!!! @GradyJarrett
Grady Jarrett Youth Camp is 300 kids strong!!!
But Jarrett didn’t stop with at a free football camp.
In honor of Father’s Day, the veteran defensive lineman selected 10 fathers and their sons from the youth camp and surprised them with a $3,000 shopping spree at Academy Sports + Outdoors on Saturday afternoon, according to WTOC 11.
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Falcons Get Three More Years of Jarrett
The Falcons had a lot of decisions to make this offseason and Jarrett was on the priority list.
Despite a tough salary cap situation, Jarrett was able to ink a three-year extension worth up to $51 million with $34.5 million in guarantees. The 29-year-old is now “stuck” in Atlanta until the 2025 season, but he couldn’t be happier and called it a “dream come true.”
“But to get the extension this time, especially with the new regime, having a new coach and a new GM, basically telling me they believe in me means the world,” Jarrett said during NFL Network’s Good Morning Football last month. “I’m from the Atlanta area, and to continue to live out my dream and play in my hometown means the world to me.”
Jarrett has been in Atlanta for his entire career since the Falcons selected him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Jarrett Remains a Valuable Asset to a Young Falcons Defense
As a rookie, Jarrett saw action in 15 games and finished the season with 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one sack.
The following year, Jarrett played all 16 games, starting 14. He ended the 2016 season with 48 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, and three sacks. He also played a big part in the Falcons’ Super Bowl LI trip and Jarrett sacked Tom Brady three times to tie th record for most sacks in a single Super Bowl game.
He started all 16 games again in 2017, logging a career-high 55 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and four sacks. Jarrett managed to top those numbers in 2018 and finished the season with career-highs in both sacks and forced fumbles, with 6 and 3.
Ahead of the 2019 season, Atlanta placed the franchise tag on Jarrett and he signed a four-year, $68 million contract extension. That year, Jarrett logged his best year yet with a career-high 7.5 sacks and 69 tackles, along with 11 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles. He was also invited to his first Prop Bowl and named second-team All-Pro. He then earned his second Pro Bowl in 2020 after finishing the season recording four more sacks and 52 tackles.
Jarrett managed only one sack last season with 59 combined tackles, 12 quarterback hits and a fumble recovery. While his sack production declined, Jarrett remains a valuable asset to a young Falcons defense.