NFL Notebook: Umenyiora signs with Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Osi Umenyiora is looking for another ring, this time with the Atlanta Falcons.

The free-agent defensive end Thursday signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with Atlanta. Umenyiora won two Super Bowl championships in his 10 years with the New York Giants. He said the Falcons may have the most talent of any team he has seen but may have needed more Super Bowl experience.

“A lot of times, being able to get to that game or win that game is not even about the coaches or the organization,” Umenyiora, 31, said. “This team is the most talented team I’ve seen in my life, probably. But it’s not going to be about coaching. It’s going to be about what the players are able to do, and you need that veteran leadership. You need guys who have been in those games and can tell you about exactly what happened.”

The Falcons made the playoffs four of the last five years, but their first-round win over Seattle this year was the team’s only postseason win in that span. Umenyiora said as soon as he reached an agreement with Atlanta on Wednesday he felt “an immediate sense of responsibility” to share his postseason experience to help the Falcons reach the Super Bowl.

“I do bring the fact that I’ve won some Super Bowls and I know exactly what it took to get there,” he said.

Umenyiora, 31, insisted “it’s not a stretch” to say the Falcons are the most talented team he has seen.

He mentioned quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez, newly signed running back Steve Jackson and receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones as other talented veteran leaders. He said he also was impressed the team re-signed offensive tackle Sam Baker and safety William Moore.

“I feel like I’m a part of that,” he said. “There are a lot of tremendous players here, tremendous veteran leadership on this football team already. We’re all going to get together and somehow find a way to help this team get this done.”

Umenyiora’s production declined in recent years. He had only six sacks for the Giants in 2012, when he started only four of 16 games. He had 55 tackles, five for losses, and one forced fumble.

He had a career-high 14½ sacks in 2005, when he was a first-team All-Pro selection. He has reached double figures in sacks only one of the last four years — 11½ in 2010.

With New York, Umenyiora was part of a rotation at defensive end with Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck.

“Obviously they had some very good football players there with Jason coming in and Justin Tuck being who he is,” he said. “Obviously, I wasn’t able to play as much as I would have liked. There’s just no way you can put all of us on the field at the same time.

“So you look at that statistically, yes that definitely did play a role. You are only going to be able to produce as much as you’re out there on the football field. I wasn’t able to get out there on the football field as much as I had been accustomed to. … To say that it’s ideal for me, it wasn’t. Obviously, I’m a guy with tremendous pride and I would like to be on the football field more, but I understood the situation.”

Playing time for Umenyiora shouldn’t be a problem with the Falcons, who released veteran defensive end John Abraham on March 1. Abraham led the team with 10 sacks last season. Defensive end Kroy Biermann was second on the Falcons with only 4 sacks.

Umenyiora said his limited playing time the last two seasons in New York “was just setting me up for this situation here.”

“I feel like I can really come in here and help this team,” he said. “I have a lot less wear and tear on my body over the last two years than I normally would have if I would have been playing all those downs. So every disappointment is a blessing. This is definitely a blessing for me and I’m thankful to come over here and hopefully help this team win.”

Umenyiora said he had interest from other teams but made no other visits after talking with Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. A big attraction for Umenyiora is Atlanta has been his offseason home for 10 years.

He said his 5-year-old son, Tijani, already is a Falcons fan “as strange as that may sound.”

“He loves Roddy and Julio and Matt Ryan and all of them,” Umenyiora said, adding “It was weird having a son who is a Falcons fan.”

Now it won’t seem so weird as Umenyiora finally joins his son’s hometown team.

“You just don’t get that opportunity very often to leave a good situation and come to a great situation,” he said. “This is where I live. This is home to me and where I plan on living the rest of my life.

“It’s a team I feel needs or could use a player like myself. To step into this situation, I wouldn’t even allow myself to dream this big when I was thinking of where I would land in free agency. I wouldn’t even allow myself to think of this because to me it was almost too good to be true.”

Redskins Sign Tapp

WASHINGTON — The Washington Redskins have signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Darryl Tapp to a one-year deal, two people with knowledge of the deal confirmed Thursday.

A seven-year veteran out of Virginia Tech University, Tapp spent the first four seasons of his career with the Seattle Seahawks and played the last three years in Philadelphia.

Last season he appeared in 13 games, recording 17 tackles and half a sack.

At 6-foot-1, 270 pounds, Tapp doesn’t fit the mold of the bigger-bodied 3-4 defensive end, so he likely will have to switch to outside linebacker in Washington’s system.

Colts trade for fullback

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts have acquired fullback Stanley Havili in a trade with Philadelphia in exchange for defensive end Clifton Geathers.

The 6-foot, 245-pound Havili was Philadelphia’s seventh-round draft pick in 2011 and had six rushes for 22 yards and one TD in 15 games with the Eagles lst season. Geathers had five tackles and his first career sack with Indy last season after being promoted from the practice squad to the active roster Oct. 9.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

X
Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for March 8-17

The Athlete of the Week nominees for March 8-17. Voting closes at… Continue reading

X
Silvertips’ playoff picture coming together as season hits final week

Everett is officially the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed and is likely heading into a matchup with Kelowna or Vancouver.

X
Prep roundup for Monday, March 18

Prep roundup for Monday, March 18: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Los Angeles Rams offensive guard Tremayne Anchrum (72) against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Seahawks add to position of need, sign guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr.

The 25-year-old has played in 31 games, starting once, since being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2020.

Everett Community College head coach Chet Hovde watches as the women's team practices on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 in Everett, Wa. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
EvCC coach Chet Hovde, who ‘lived for’ basketball, dies at 77

Coach Hovde graduated from Everett High School in 1965. He spent 33 years as the women’s basketball coach at the community college.

Jackson’s Ian Friedrichsen celebrates his goal with his teammates during the game against Bothell on Thursday, May 11, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep boys soccer: 5 things to watch for the 2024 season in Snohomish County

A look at the top local storylines for this high school boys soccer season

Jackson’s Rachel Sysum is hugged by Leneyah Mitchell after hitting a home run during the game against Bothell on Friday, May 19, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep softball: 5 things to watch for the 2024 season in Snohomish County

A look at the top local storylines to keep an eye on this high school softball season.

X
Prep roundup for Friday, March 15

Prep roundup for Friday, March 15: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Glacier Peak’s Samantha Christensen runs to home plate to celebrate her home run with her teammates during the game against Snohomish on Friday, March 15, 2024 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
GALLERY: Glacier Peak softball tops rival Snohomish

The Grizzlies prevail 9-5 in a clash of area powers.

X
Prep roundup for Thursday, March 14

Prep roundup for Thursday, March 14: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

The Washington Wolfpack logo is revealed during the Everett AFL team unveiling at Tony V's Garage in Everett, Washington onThursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Everett’s new arena football team to have 4 televised games

The NFL Network will broadcast 30 AFL games this season, including two Wolfpack home games.

Washington coach Mike Hopkins yells to the team during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against California, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, in Seattle. California won 82-80. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Looking back at Mike Hopkins’ turbulent tenure as UW men’s basketball coach

The departing Huskies coach had highs early, but the good times didn’t last long.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.