Falcons safety Jessie Bates III is nearly a decade removed from his last school day, but that feeling came flooding back on Wednesday when he rolled into Flowery Branch, Ga., for the first official day of training camp under head coach Raheem Morris.
“For me, I woke up this morning like was almost a game day (with) just the nerves,” Bates said. “This being my seventh year, seventh training camp, it still feels like my first — just mentally, just the excitement that we have here.”
The Falcons are turning the page from a change-filled offseason. Morris was hired after three consecutive seven-win seasons and the Falcons spilled the vault to land two quarterbacks — free agent Kirk Cousins and first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. — with a goal of getting back to the postseason for the first time since Bates left Wake Forest after the 2017 season.
“It almost felt like an official visit, walking through the locker room and walking through the weight room,” said Bates, 27. “That’s what Atlanta should be known for is world-class everything that we’re doing. It’s just time to go put in the work now and get this city where it needs to be.”
Linebacker Kaden Elliss joined the Falcons last offseason from New Orleans. He said he’s feeling a renewed vigor because of what Morris brings to the team.
“Rah has brought a very genuine excitement and passion and emotion to this. And I’m really excited to partner with him and roll with that,” Elliss said Wednesday. “I think everybody here feels that.”
Morris is one of two new head coaches in the NFC South. Carolina hired Dave Canales, who last season served as offensive coordinator of the Buccaneers, following a 2-15 season.