Desmond Ridder

NoteCARDS:

• Started 17-of-19 games he appeared in during his first two NFL seasons with Atlanta (2022-23) and completed 322-of-503 pass attempts (64%) for 3,544 yards and 14 TDs with a passer rating of 84.1. Added 257 rushing yards and five rushing TDs on 69 carries.
• Started 13-of-15 games played for Atlanta in 2023, completing 249-of-388 pass attempts (64.2%) for 2,836 yards, 12 TDs and an 83.4 passer rating while also rushing for 193 yards and five TDs on 53 carries. Had three games with 300+ passing yards and three games with a 100+ passer rating last season, accounting for multiple TDs (passing and rushing) in five contests.
• Started four games as a rookie in 2022. He became just the third QB in NFL history (Tom Brady and Dak Prescott) to not throw an INT in his first four NFL starts (min. 100 attempts).
• Completed 73-of-115 pass attempts for 708 yards and two TDs as a rookie. His 73 completions and 708 passing yards marked the most through a player's first four starts in Falcons franchise history.
• Prior to joining the NFL, had a record-setting career as a four-year starter at Cincinnati, leaving the program with the third-most wins (44) by a QB in college football history. A two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year, he captained the Bearcats to back-to-back AAC championships as the team finished the 2021 season with a #4 national ranking.

NoteCARDS:

• Started 17-of-19 games he appeared in during his first two NFL seasons with Atlanta (2022-23) and completed 322-of-503 pass attempts (64%) for 3,544 yards and 14 TDs with a passer rating of 84.1. Added 257 rushing yards and five rushing TDs on 69 carries.
• Started 13-of-15 games played for Atlanta in 2023, completing 249-of-388 pass attempts (64.2%) for 2,836 yards, 12 TDs and an 83.4 passer rating while also rushing for 193 yards and five TDs on 53 carries. Had three games with 300+ passing yards and three games with a 100+ passer rating last season, accounting for multiple TDs (passing and rushing) in five contests.
• Started four games as a rookie in 2022. He became just the third QB in NFL history (Tom Brady and Dak Prescott) to not throw an INT in his first four NFL starts (min. 100 attempts).
• Completed 73-of-115 pass attempts for 708 yards and two TDs as a rookie. His 73 completions and 708 passing yards marked the most through a player's first four starts in Falcons franchise history.
• Prior to joining the NFL, had a record-setting career as a four-year starter at Cincinnati, leaving the program with the third-most wins (44) by a QB in college football history. A two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year, he captained the Bearcats to back-to-back AAC championships as the team finished the 2021 season with a #4 national ranking.

Pro Career:

Selected by Atlanta in the third round (74^th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Cincinnati and appeared in 19 games (17 starts) in two seasons with the Falcons. Acquired by Arizona in a trade with Atlanta on 3/14/24 that sent WR Rondale Moore to the Falcons.

2023: Started 13-of-15 games he appeared in and completed 249-of-388 pass attempts (64.2%) for 2,836 yards and 12 TDs with a passer rating of 83.4 … added 193 rushing yards and five rushing TDs on 53 carries … started the season opener vs. Car (9/10) and completed 15-of-18 pass attempts (83.3%) for 115 yards and one TD in a winning effort; his 83.3% completion percentage marked a career high … led the Falcons to a second consecutive victory vs. GB (9/17) after completing 19-of-32 pass attempts for 237 yards and one TD; also had 10 carries for a career-high 39 yards and one TD … eclipsed 300 passing yards for the first time in his career vs. Hou (10/8) as he finished with a career-high 28 completions for 329 yards and one TD in the win; also ran for a seven-yard TD … completed 28-of-47 for 307 yards and two TDs the following week vs. Was (10/15), becoming just the fourth Falcons QB in the last 50 seasons to have 300+ passing yards in consecutive games … completed 19-of-25 pass attempts for 250 yards and had six carries for 38 yards and a TD in a win @ TB (10/22) … had a career-high 347 passing yards and one TD on 26 completions vs. TB (12/10) … completed 22-of-30 pass attempts for 291 yards and two TDs in the season finale @ NO (1/7/24); had a career-long 71-yard TD pass to Bijan Robinson and finished the game with a career-high 111.9 passer rating.

2022: Started all four games he appeared in and completed 73-of-115 pass attempts for 708 yards and two TDs to pair with 64 rushing yards on 16 carries … his 73 completions and 708 passing yards marked the most for any Falcons QB in their first four starts in franchise history … joined Tom Brady and Dak Prescott as the only QBs in NFL history at the time to have not thrown an INT in the first four starts of their NFL career (min. 100 attempts) … started in his NFL debut @ NO (12/18) … helped lead Atlanta to a win and completed 19-of-26 pass attempts for 169 yards vs. AZ (1/1/23) … guided the Falcons to a second straight win in the season finale vs. TB (1/8/23) after completing 19-of-30 pass attempts for 224 yards and two TDs.

College:

Started 48-of-50 games played in five years at Cincinnati (2017-21) … finished his college career with the third-most wins by a QB in college football history (44) and a perfect 26-0 record at home … won back-to-back AAC Player of the Year awards (2020-21) … left Cincinnati as the program record holder for total yards (12,418; 10,239 passing, 2,179 rushing), passing TDs (87) and rushing TDs by a QB (28) … also ranks first in AAC history in total yards and TDs responsible for (113) … in 2021, won the AAC Player of the Year award, finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting, was named First Team All-AAC and became Cincinnati's first CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team honoree since 1997 after leading the Bearcats to a 13-1 record and the program's first ever College Football Playoff appearance; completed 251-of-387 pass attempts (64.9%) for 3,334 yards and 30 TDs to pair with 335 rushing yards and six rushing TDs over 14 starts … in 2020, won the AAC Player of the Year award, the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Player award and was named first-team All-AAC after he started 10 games and finished 186-of-281 (66.2%) for 2,296 yards and 19 TDs in the air, adding 592 yards on 98 carries (6.0 avg.) and 12 scores on the ground; his 12 rushing TDs were the second most among FBS QBs … started 13 games in 2019 and completed 179-of-325 pass attempts for 2,164 yards and 18 TDs and added 144 carries for 650 yards (4.5 avg.) and five TDs; guided the Bearcats to a second-straight 11-win season … in 2018, won the AAC Rookie of the Year award after starting the final 11 games of the season and completed 194-of-311 pass attempts for 2,445 yards and 20 TDs to go along with 583 rushing yards and five rushing TDs … redshirted in 2017.

Personal:

Attended St. Xavier (Louisville, KY) High School where he threw for 2,270 yards and 19 TDs and ran for 1,583 yards and 30 TDs during two seasons as a starter ... lead his team to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Finals and was named an Honorable Mention Kentucky All-State selection by the Louisville Courier Journal as a senior in 2016 ... father to his daughter, Leighton with his partner, Claire … earned his bachelor's degree in December of 2020 … was an active member of the community during his time in Atlanta, volunteering his time at meal distribution events, hospital and classroom visits.