Terry Bradshaw was not in the Christmas spirit when it comes to how Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has been yo-yo’ing Desmond Ridder.
Smith benched Ridder for Taylor Heinicke in late October, re-installed Ridder as starting quarterback in mid-November, and then proceeded to bench him for Heinicke again.
Before the Falcons played the Colts on Christmas Eve, the 75-year-old Bradshaw tore into Smith for violating the pledge that Ridder would be the team’s starter for the remainder of the season.
“Nothing upsets me more than when someone lies to me,” Bradshaw said on Fox Sports’ NFL pregame show on Sunday.
“I think Desmond Ridder, the third-year guy, they drafted in the third round in Atlanta. He was told after Week 8, ‘You’re my quarterback the rest of the year. I’m not gonna bench you. You’re my man.’ Arthur Smith said, ‘Not gonna bench you!’ What did he do?”
Bradshaw speculated that Smith made the move he made in the hopes of preserving his job.
“Someone upstairs said, ‘If you don’t win out this year, you’re gonna lose your job, Arthur Smith.’ And he benched him,” Bradshaw continued.
“So I have no respect for Arthur Smith. Messed with that young quarterback Desmond Ridder like that. You set him back. Play the young man, leave him alone, don’t lie to him. And he lied to him. And he needs to get his butt whooped!”
Nevertheless, the Falcons came out inspired on Sunday, beating the Colts 29-10 in a wire-to-wire thumping.
Heinicke completed 23 of his 33 pass attempts for 229 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions.
The Falcons are 7-8, one game behind the Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South, and also one game out of a Wild Card slot.
Read more
