Taking Grady Jarrett out of Atlanta creates a little bit bigger impact than if someone pulled the deep dish pizza out of Chicago.
Some people don't really like deep dish in Chicago. No, it's true. Everyone in Atlanta, it seemed, loved Jarrett.
A beloved institution was cast off when the Falcons mismanaged their salary cap so bad they couldn't keep him, after trying up to the last minute. Instead, they let go of their heart and soul Monday and Jarrett arrived Wednesday at Halas Hall not talking about looking for revenge or respect, just wins.
"Like I said, these things happen and I couldn't be more grateful for those guys," Jarrett said of the Falcons organization. "They made that process seamless. Granted, it is a little hard on you to be a Day 1 starter, never not starting when you're dressed.
"But they made it easy for me. Hat's off to those guys for trusting in me still. It is what it is."
Final line for Grady Jarrett in Atlanta (numbers via Pro Football Ref):
- No. 15 in franchise history in games (152)
- No. 10 in sacks (36.5)
- No. 3 in TFLs (77)
- No. 1 in QB hits (126)
Along with six years as a captain. Pretty incredible run for the 2015 fifth-round pick.
β Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) March 10, 2025
This didn't seem quite like an announcement about a revenge tour. In fact, he hardly seems pre-occupied with vengeance.
"How can I? I'm focused on the next thing and my next thing is here," Jarrett said. "I would be robbing Chicago coaches, players, fans, if I was up here worried about how Atlanta made me feel. And so even to give that energy to say: 'I'm gonna get back at Atlanta'... We don't even play Atlanta this year.
"So whatever they're doing ain't got nothing to do with me, you know? So all my energy, all my focus is right here in Chicago and that's where it's going and that's where it's gonna be."
Grady #Jarrett > Jonathan #Allen
π§Ύ From an analytical standpoint, Grady Jarrett is a better acquisition for the #Bears than Jonathan Allen is for the #Vikings.
βοΈ Jarrett offers superior value ($3.625M per sack vs. Allenβs $6.67M), with greater durability (5 missed games vs.β¦ pic.twitter.com/Ux2dT0AFIc
β Albear (@ChicagoBears_mx) March 11, 2025
He did have a few more kind words for Atlanta even if his departure was less than ideal.
"You know what it was? I didn't expect it, you know?," Jarrett said. "But I would have faith to trust the process and let it play itself out, but I gave Atlanta my all.
Grady Jarrett among DI in his career:
π΅ 368 pressures (8th)
π 36.5 sacks (12th)
From Atlanta β‘οΈ Chicago https://t.co/wNdLpJjTVI pic.twitter.com/OeQwi3V63r
β PFF CHI Bears (@PFF_Bears) March 10, 2025
"Everybody in that building, the organization know I gave Atlanta my all. I'm from Atlanta with or without the Falcons. Atlanta is always going to show me love. I'm going to show Atlanta love. You know, I'm so invested already in the community and life goes on. But my motivation doesn't come from trying to get back or vengeance or whatever it is. I'm focused on the next thing and my next thing is here."
Atlanta had been disappointment for years. The Falcons have fallen into such disrepair that the Bears have been in the playoffs twice since Jarrett was last in a postseason game. It is hard to believe.
@squidbilly929 @MPJohnson79
I would love to keep Grady Jarrett but not for what he's making
We can't pretend like we were not the worst IDL in the league
31st in Sacks
31st in Red Zone Defense
31st in 3rd Down defense
No one fears our DL pic.twitter.com/o6CLtqddfN
β Mr. Yo (@mrnaeem) March 10, 2025
He did make it to an infamous Super Bowl in Atlanta as a rookie, the one Dan Quinn and Co. gave away against the Patriots, and then a playoff season in 2016. But none after that.
Once off the Atlanta payroll, Jarrett wasn't sure where he'd be going until his agents told him who was calling.
"I didnβt have any idea," he said. "They said the Bears, and I was like, βOK, cool. They (a) perfect situation.' "
Y'all ready for more of this π€@WillMcFadden ranked all 17 of @GradyJarrett's career sacks.
READ β‘οΈ https://t.co/quAcqaLdMj pic.twitter.com/jqM4vMSklZ
β Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) July 15, 2019
Even after his 2023 ACL tear, Jarrett says he has plenty left to give his new team. Two years since said injury, he should be back to 100%. But 100% at age 32 isn't like at 28 or even 30.
"My body is good, my body is strong, and my mind is hungry to learn," Jarrett said. "I'm just in a position to where Iβm in a special place at the right time around the right people and Iβm super excited about what's to come."
What he's hoping comes is wins, sacks, tackles for loss, even quarterback hits. He wants to be the disruptor in Chicago within Dennis Allen's defensive scheme, just like he had been in Atlanta.
helluva a play by Grady Jarrett---here the RDE, head up on LT . . . beats double for the sack pic.twitter.com/W8AAnrEspi
β ααO α΄OOTα·α©αͺαͺ αOαααα©αͺ π (@NFL_Journal) September 13, 2022
"I am the (Atlanta) franchise leader in quarterback hits as well," Jarrett pointed out, to laughter across the room. "I thought I'd throw that in there. Sometimes you get seasons where guys may have eight hits but they might have six sacks. You're like 'dang.'
"But you might have a guy that had 20-25 hits and have three or four sacks. Affecting the quarterback is the bottom line, getting him off the spot, getting him uncomfortable. So to be able to be in a position from an interior standpoint it means a lot, especially when you have dominant guys from the outside coming every direction or whatever else coach Allen draws up, being able to be a piece to add to the group that's here, it means a lot."
Grady Jarrett had a great run with the Falcons. Stole him in the 5th round of the 2015 draft. In just his second season, he tied a SB record tallying 3 sacks against the Pats. Wishing him all the best!
β AndrewDFS (@AndrewDuhan) March 10, 2025
The Bears are hoping he's that missing piece to their defensive line puzzle, the quick three-technique disruptor who fits between two bigger edge rushers and a stout one-technique.
He might not ever be an institution in Chicago the way he was in Atlanta because at 32 there just won't be a lot of seasons left.
But be a part of a second Bears Lombardi Trophy and all bets are off.
π§βπ§βπ§ The addition of Grady #Jarrett drastically improves the DT position for the Chicago #Bears, transforming a weak rotation (Dexter and Billings with 6 sacks in 2024) into a competitive unit.
π§ His experience (34 sacks, 2 Pro Bowls) and solidity against the run (78.2β¦ pic.twitter.com/IAIyN9nXp9
β Albear (@ChicagoBears_mx) March 10, 2025
X: BearsOnSI