ATLANTA - Todd Gurley can't think of a better opportunity to prove he remains one of the NFL's elite running backs than a return to the Peach State.
For the former University of Georgia standout who rushed for more than 3,000 yards in his three seasons with the Bulldogs, signing with the Atlanta Falcons after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams is "like a little homecoming."
"I feel like I should have been there," Gurley said last week in a conference call with reporters. "It's perfect timing, for sure."
Gurley has agreed to a $6 million, one-year deal with the Falcons. The framework of the contract was agreed to on March 20, less than 24 hours after Gurley was released by the Rams, and details were finalized last Monday.
The Falcons posted a "welcome home" message Thursday on their Twitter account, and the tweet included a video of Gurley wearing a red Georgia cap and shirt.
A Baltimore native who played his high school ball in North Carolina, Gurley is still revered by Bulldogs backers, and his status in Georgia was not lost on Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and the rest of the front office.
"Todd Gurley, of course, a big, big thing in this state," Dimitroff said last week.
Dedicated Dawg
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he was happy to see Gurley, a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection whose final season with the Bulldogs was ended by a torn ACL in November 2014, land with Atlanta. Smart was not hired for his current post at Georgia until December 2015, but he was Alabama's defensive coordinator when the Crimson Tide held on to beat the Bulldogs 32-28 in the 2012 SEC title game in Atlanta.
That gave him an up-close look at the freshman version of Gurley, who rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries and made three catches that day inside the Georgia Dome. Smart has seen Gurley in action in other ways since then, including in attendance at both of Georgia's games in the College Football Playoff in January 2018 - a double-overtime victory against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl semifinal and an overtime loss to Alabama in Atlanta.
"I think it's awesome to have him back," said the 44-year-old Smart, a former Bulldogs defensive back. "Number one, not only is he a great player but a great ambassador for our program. I can't tell you how many times he's been at large events and he represents Georgia so well and has done so much for our program."
Just as he flourished at Georgia, Gurley rose to the top of the NFL's running back ranks after being drafted 10th overall in 2015, the Rams' final season in St. Louis before returning to Los Angeles. He was the offensive rookie of the year, and two seasons later he was voted the league's offensive player of the year. His 58 touchdown runs are the most in the NFL the past five seasons, a span in which he has rushed for 5,404 yards - only 1 yard behind the Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott for the league lead in that stretch.
At 25, Gurley is still young - even for an NFL running back - but his surgically repaired left knee has caused concern. Gurley had a firm response when asked if he wants to prove anything to those who doubt he can still play up to his standards as an All-Pro first-team selection in 2017 and 2018.
"No, I know I'm still that guy," Gurley said.
While the Rams must contemplate the future of their offense without Gurley, the Falcons must determine if their new lead back can handle a dominant share of the carries.
Atlanta needs Gurley for more than his potential boost to ticket sales. The Falcons, coming off consecutive 7-9 seasons, ranked 30th in the NFL in rushing in 2019. Gurley must add more balance for a passing game led by quarterback Matt Ryan and receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.
After releasing Devonta Freeman on March 16, the Falcons' depth chart at running back included Ito Smith, Brian Hill and Qadree Ollison. Dimitroff has left open the possibility of adding another running back in the draft, set for April 23-25.
Health matters
The Falcons must make those decisions without the benefit of knowing the outcome of Gurley's physical, a limitation NFL teams are dealing with this offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dimitroff said every free agent contract this year includes protections for the franchise because the league is not allowing players to report to new teams immediately for physicals.
"Obviously, things are very different now per the contract language and how we go about getting someone signed," the Falcons GM said. " We look closely at it. We have language in our contracts that are going to protect us and the player. If the player comes in and has an issue that he might not pass a physical, that's something that we'll address then."
Gurley's troublesome knee was a problem in the 2018 season, which ended with a 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a game in which he rushed for 35 yards on 10 carries. Questions carried over into last season - even though he missed just one game - when he ran for 857 yards, his least productive rushing season as a pro.
Gurley said he is not worried about passing a physical.
"I played in 15 out 16 games," Gurley said of the 2019 season. "I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have signed me if they were concerned."
Gurley had 18 carries for 41 yards and a 13-yard touchdown catch in the Rams' 37-10 win over Atlanta last October. Falcons coach Dan Quinn said watching Gurley from the sideline was "the best evaluation."
"Then when you go back through and watch the tape," Quinn said, "you get a chance to see how he would fit in on our team."
Gurley might even add something to an already prolific air attack for the Falcons, having made at least 21 catches in each of his NFL seasons.
"I think Todd is explosive," Dimitroff said. "I think Todd can still tote the rock very, very well. He's going to be a big-time playmaker, I believe."