Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London nearly cost his team Monday due to an ill-advised celebration. But Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has London’s back.
London scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Falcons in their 22-21 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa.
Right after making the clutch catch, London celebrated by making gestures that looked like he was spraying fake bullets toward the crowd. He was immediately penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, costing his team 15 yards.
KIRK FINDS DRAKE LONDON IN THE END ZONE WITH LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT 😱
FALCONS TAKE A ONE-POINT LEAD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/47hDFw2RO1
— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2024
While the play didn’t come back to haunt the Falcons, it did become a talking point after the game.
During a Tuesday press conference, Morris defended his wideout when asked about the incident. The veteran coach claimed that London’s “intent” was much more innocent than what people made it out to be.
“Drake is a great kid,” said Morris. “His intent was not as a use of a weapon. He probably was shooting T-shirts into the stands, to be honest with you, because he’s just that kind of a guy.”
#Falcons HC Raheem Morris on Drake London’s gun celebration that was flagged:
“Drake is a great kid. His intent was not as a use of a weapon. He probably was shooting t-shirts into the stands, to be honest with you, because he’s just that kind of a guy.” pic.twitter.com/qFWFK9SfKn
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 17, 2024
It’s hard to imagine London was thinking about launching T-shirts into a hostile crowd at that point in the game. But Morris may have just wanted to extinguish any additional heat directed toward his star wide receiver.
The penalty that went against London pushed the Falcons’ extra point attempt back 15 yards. The discussion surrounding the penalty likely would have been a lot different had Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo missed the go-ahead kick because of London.
London finished the contest with 6 catches for 54 yards and 1 touchdown.
