Undrafted rookie Feleipe Franks made his NFL debut for the Atlanta Falcons against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 26.
While he is listed as a quarterback, head coach Arthur Smith decided to utilize the rookie as a blocking tight end for one play in Week 3 and NFL fans went berserk on Twitter over the decision.
So on Cordarrelle Patterson’s rushing attempt on that last first down, third-string TE Feleipe Franks lined up in the slot, motioned to a TE/H-Back spot and blocked.
Franks was also the pitcher for running back Corderelle Patterson to run a zone read, but Patterson got stuffed which forced the Falcons to settle for a punt.
The Falcons originally signed Franks to backup Matt Ryan before signing veteran Josh Rosen who won the job. Franks is now listed as a third-string quarterback on the Falcons’ official depth chart.
As a QB, Franks finished college tenure (36 games total in three seasons with Florida and one at Arkansas) with 6,610 yards, 55 touchdowns, 21 interceptions and a 61.4% completion percentage.
ALL the latest Falcons news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Falcons newsletter here!
What Fans Had to Say About Franks
The Falcons could be trying to turn Feleipe Franks into the next Tayson Hill, who is the New Orleans Saints backup quarterback and utility weapon.
We’ve now seen Feleipe Franks line up at TE to block and QB to run the zone read.
Taysom Franks baby
— Brandon Olsen (@WNS_Brandon) September 26, 2021
The Falcons are going to do what it takes to win one football game:
sure just put feleipe franks on the field who cares anymore
— charles (redzone 2-0) mcdonald (@FourVerts) September 26, 2021
The Giants now have have more than just Ridley and Pitts to worry about.
If I’m the Giants DC now, I’m taking Ridley completely away and singling Pitts until they prove to me they can take advantage
— Ev Glaze (@Everett_G07) September 26, 2021
The reply:
Whatcha doing with that Feleipe Franks weapon at TE? Who’s gonna guard him. 🤦♂️
— Ben Magyer (@bmagyer_ben) September 26, 2021
The Falcons do need some help on the offensive line, so here’s a solution:
Maybe we should throw in feleipe franks at right tackle
— Okongwu SZN (@12gramz) September 26, 2021
Why spend your fourth overall draft pick on a tight end when you can just get a UDFA tight end?
Why play Kyle Pitts at tight end when you have Feleipe Franks?
— Brandon Coyle / NFL Draft (@CoyleNfl) September 26, 2021
Fans are not happy that they’re seeing more of Franks than their future hall of fame tight end:
lmao they spent a 4th overall pick on a dude that can’t even beat out Feleipe Franks, QB at TE. https://t.co/gL114IH9Bu
— jadyn. (@itsJadyn) September 26, 2021
Except for the fact that Smith is very serious:
You are a very unserious football team if you’re lining Feleipe Franks at TE before throwing to the highest-rated TE prospect ever. Just me though.
— Foster 🍑 (@BraveBirdATL) September 26, 2021
Franks can do it all:
WAS THAT FELEIPE FRANKS AT QB ?????
— josh 🏷 (@r3albeater) September 26, 2021
But the real question is, where is No. 4 overall draft pick, Kyle Pitts?
The Fans Want Kyle Pitts
Falcons fans want to know why Smith isn’t using Pitts more.
Kyle pitts even playin??
— 8/24 ︎ (@mali3035) September 26, 2021
Pitts was essentially “missing”:
Is Kyle Pitts’ face on the milk carton? Where is he?
— Radford (@radaddy15) September 26, 2021
Pitts saw limited action against the Giants and didn’t actually catch a pass until the final quarter:
Kyle Pitts gets his first catch of the game…. In the 4th quarter… what the entire f***?
— Barry McCockiner🍤 (@Obsidian_king_e) September 26, 2021
Not enough of sarcasm in this tweet:
smart move to wait to target Kyle Pitts until the 4th quarter. Chess, not checkers
— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) September 26, 2021
To end the first half, Falcons No. 1 wideout Calving Ridley had nine targets, Olamide Zaccheaus had four, running backs Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis each had three, and tight end Lee Smith had one. Meanwhile, Pitts had none.
READ NEXT:
Comments
NFL Twitter Reacts to Falcons Rookie QB Playing TE