Why a homecoming has significance to Todd Gurley, UGA
Todd Gurley is ecstatic to return home.
Not to Tarboro, North Carolina, the small town attached to the sixth-year professional’s player bio. But a few hours’ drive back to Georgia to play for the Atlanta Falcons.
The Peach State became Gurley’s home from the moment he arrived on the University of Georgia’s campus ahead of the 2012 season. He won a division title, suffered some injuries and endured a four-game suspension in a three-year experience before turning pro and becoming a first-round draftee of the then-St. Louis Rams.
Needless to say, a lot of growth occurred on those athletic grounds around Lumpkin Street.
“It’s where I turned into a man. It’s where I learned everything that I’ve been able to do these last couple of years,” Gurley said on a conference call with local reporters. “It’s where I developed my football habits, meeting great people (and built) great relationships.”
After five seasons (four in Los Angeles) donning the Rams’ blue-and-gold, Gurley swapped it out for a color scheme he knows all-too-well. The red and black that has made him a fan favorite during his years as a Bulldog and cemented his place in Georgia football history.
He signed a one-year contract with the Falcons after the team cut ties with Devonta Freeman. Gurley was released by the Rams after a handful of knee injuries limited him over the past two seasons.
“It’s really home for me. I’m really excited. I’m pretty sure a bunch of Georgia fans are here,” said Gurley, elaborating on returning to play about 75 miles away from Athens. “It’s really like a little homecoming. I felt like I should’ve been there forever, but it’s perfect timing for sure.”
Gurley’s return not only brings benefit to the Falcons, but a statement about Georgia’s legacy of running backs over the years — or decades dating back to Herschel Walker in 1980 with recognizable names to follow nearly each season.
In publicizing his contract agreement with Atlanta, Gurley hasn’t hesitated to display Georgia in every facet. His Twitter bio states UGA, and he wore a Georgia hat and jacket for a Falcons team-issued video. Gurley shows his Georgia pride at every opportunity, and has done so for years at the ESPYs, postseason press conferences with the Rams and other large events.
Now, it only amplifies to a new level.
“It’s awesome to have him back,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who assumed head-coaching duties with the Bulldogs two years after Gurley left. “He’s a great ambassador for our program. The brand he has is just incredible. So many kids in recruiting associate with Todd.”
Smart remembers the last time Gurley suited up for the hometown team in Atlanta. Smart was on the other sideline as Alabama’s defensive coordinator during the 2012 SEC Championship Game. UGA lost on that December evening in the Georgia Dome, but Gurley cemented his spot in fame with a 122-yard game on 23 carries.
On each touch, he put a scare into the Crimson Tide.
“He was ferocious. He ran over one of our linebackers on the goal line and almost knocked him out,” said Smart, recounting the game. “He’s just a tremendous player and I prayed every time they gave the ball to him. I thought we were blessed every touch he didn’t get in that game.”
Gurley might not be the same player he was at Georgia. He might’ve even declined since signing the NFL’s then-largest contract for running backs in 2018. A banged-up knee might refine his role in becoming a specialist on third and fourth downs. Gurley said he trusts the Falcons’ staff on making health-related decisions, and that those will be made closer to the season’s start.
A return to his beloved red and black, however, might bring another burst of energy out of Gurley.
“I’m super excited. It’s going to be fun,” Gurley said. “I’m definitely happy. It couldn’t have worked out in any better way, honestly.”