Atlanta Falcons
Osi Umenyiora - #90 - DE
| Status | Active |
| Height/Weight | 6' 3"/ 255 lbs. |
| Birthday | 11/16/1981 |
| Birthplace | London, AL |
| College | Troy |
| Years played | 11 |
| Drafted | 2003, 2nd round, 24th pick by Giants |
Week Eight primer: Falcons-Eagles a game in contrasts
Here are the top 15 story lines for Week Eight as we approach the midpoint of the season.
NFC South Spin cycle: Panthers are in disarray
The Saints beat the Bucs, and the Panthers are still a mess, as most of the NFC South came up short with the Falcons on bye.
Run defense under Falcons' microscope during bye
The Falcons anticipated there would be a drop-off vs. the run, but it's an area the team is focused on improving.
Falcons' Turner wrestles with signs of decline
Michael Turner expressed his frustration with the team’s running game after he rushed only 11 times in Atlanta’s win over the Raiders.
NFC South Spin cycle: Freeman roller coaster continues
With the Panthers and Saints on bye, the NFC South went 2-0 vs. the AFC West on Sunday.
Bryant's game-winner keeps Falcons undefeated
Roddy White caught a TD pass and Matt Bryant kicked his second game-winning field goal in three weeks as the Falcons remained unbeaten.
Power rankings: Watt keeps Texans in top spot
J.J. Watt had another big game as the Texans avoided an upset in Week Five to remain 5-0 and No. 1 in PFW's Power Rankings.
NFC South Spin cycle: Week Five
The Falcons are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history, and the Saints finally have a victory, but the Panthers continued their downward spiral.
Falcons still unbeaten after win over 'Skins
Michael Turner ran 13 yards for the go-ahead score with 2:46 to play in a 24-17 win over the Redskins.
Knowledge, experience paying off for Falcons QB Ryan
Theories explaining Falcons QB Matt Ryan’s outstanding start to the season are in abundance, and don't overlook the role intangibles have played.
Key matchup: Redskins QB Robert Griffin III vs. Falcons defense
The Falcons' defense will have its hands full with another dual-threat quarterback after struggling against Cam Newton in Week Four.
Power rankings: Cardinals fly up the ranks
The undefeated Cardinals moved up in this week's edition of the PFW Power Rankings, but they still sit behind fellow undefeateds the Texans and Falcons.
NFC South Spin cycle: Week Four
For the second week in a row, the Falcons are the only NFC South team celebrating a victory on Monday.
Bryant field goal lifts Falcons past Panthers
Matt Ryan threw three touchdown passes and Matt Bryant added three field goals as the Falcons rallied past the Panthers, 30-28.
McClure says Falcons need to make defenses respect run
The Falcons are in a somewhat unfamiliar position with their running game ranked 25th in the league heading into Week Four.
PLAYER NEWS
The Atlanta Falcons have found a replacement for John Abraham by reaching an agreement with free-agent defensive end Osi Umenyiora on a two-year contract. Terms of the deal weren't released. Umenyiora's agent, Tom Condon, couldn't be immediately reached for comment. The Falcons released the 34-year-old Abraham, who led the team with 10 sacks in 2012, on March 1.|||||||
With the 31-year-old Umenyiora, the Falcons have a slightly younger replacement at defensive end. Umenyiora had only six sacks for the Giants in 2012. He had a career-high 14 1/2 sacks in 2005, but has reached double figures in only one of the last four years - 11 1/2 in 2010. Umenyiora, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was a second-round pick by New York in 2003.
The New York Giants have offered two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora contract extensions each of the past two seasons. Speaking shortly after the NFL Draft ended on Saturday, Giants officials said the Super Bowl champions kept their options open entering the draft, including the option to sign Umenyiora.|||||||
The 29-year-old defensive end has been unhappy with management. He claimed Reese reneged on a promise to rework his contract after the 2010 season. Umenyiora has one year left on his current deal.
Giants general manager Jerry Reese says he's unsure whether Osi Umenyiora would take less money to finish his career in New York. Instead, Reese believes the recent comments to Umenyiora may have been "taken out of context."|||||||
Reese says he understands the motivation behind Umenyiora's sentiment: He wants to retire having played for only one team. But the two have not spoken since the Super Bowl parade and Reese says he wouldn't call the decision about a long-term deal a "pressing matter." He expects to meet with Umenyiora's agent soon. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end was a training camp holdout last summer. Umenyiora finished with nine sacks in nine games in 2011.
Umenyiora insists his absence from a mandatory media session four days before the Super Bowl was an honest mistake and not an attempt to blow off the function to spend time with his family. A day after the NFL fined him $20,000 for missing the session, Umenyiora attended Thursday's media availability and once again apologized for his absence Wednesday. He said he spent the hour with his family.|||||||
Umenyiora had no problem with the amount of the fine, saying it made sense. When pressed, the two-time Pro Bowler said the absence wasn't a big deal, noting it was not like he missed practice or skipped a team meeting for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.
Umenyiora has practiced on a limited basis Wednesday after being sidelined for the entire month with a high ankle sprain and continuing problems with his knee.|||||||
Umenyiora hurt the ankle - the team has not said which one - in a loss in New Orleans on Nov. 28. He has missed the last four games, but he looked nimble running with the defensive linemen early in practice.
