The Atlanta Falcons are facing off with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley on Sunday Night Football in Week 5.
Really, though, they’re playing against Snoop.
Those who know Huntley don’t call him Tyler, but that nickname, Snoop.
It’s something that precedes his time in the NFL, but announcers certainly enjoy getting to call Huntley by that nickname.
The Ravens will just hope Huntley can lead them to a primetime victory.
Why is Tyler Huntley Called Snoop?
Huntley began being called Snoop in high school.
And yes, it’s because at the time, those around him thought he looked like the rapper Snoop Dogg.
The Salt Lake Tribune wrote this in 2017: “A skinny kid with long hair before his freshman year at Hallandale, a former coach nicknamed Huntley ‘Snoop’ because of his resemblance to rapper Snoop Dogg. Even now, when Utes teammates walked off the practice field as Huntley began media availability this week, chants of ‘Snoop’ rang through the air.”
Huntley did get a chance to speak about his nickname once he entered the NFL. This is how he summed it up:
“Long story short, I was skinny with long hair. Got the name Snoop.”
The name stuck.
Why is Tyler Huntley Playing QB for Ravens?
Huntley is playing quarterback for the Ravens on Sunday Night Football because Lamar Jackson is injured.
Jackson was hurt in the first half of the Ravens’ Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans, and Huntley played the second half at QB for Baltimore.
Jackson sustained an ankle sprain, but the odd part is that it isn’t a standard ankle sprain.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has said that it “isn’t high, it isn’t low.”
That’s in reference to high-ankle sprains and low-ankle sprains.
Rapoport has instead spent this week calling Jackson’s injury both “rare” and “unconventional.”
Ravens fans definitely don’t know how long Jackson will be out, which is stressful.
Huntley did a decent job a year ago filling in for Jackson, and they’ll be hoping he can do so again.
Falcons Impact
For the Falcons, it’s a blessing to not have to face the two-time MVP Jackson.
Huntley can also run the ball, but he’s not as dynamic as Jackson, and he’s also not as good a passer.
The Falcons can key a little more on Derrick Henry in the backfield, and they probably don’t have to worry about deep passes quite as much.
Baltimore’s offense still has a lot of weapons, but the lack of Jackson should help Atlanta overall.
But hey — Snoop can play, too.
Why Tyler Huntley Is Called ‘Snoop’ While Playing QB For Ravens