The Atlanta Falcons' biggest priority of the offseason was getting more physical at the line of scrimmage, and the main change they made in order to do that was hiring Bill Callahan to be their new offensive line coach.
Clearly his impact is working, as entering Week 4, the Falcons lead the NFL in pressure rate allowed. But the one player the scheme change has really worked wonders for is center Ryan Neuzil, who broke out last season and is proving that his ascent was not just a one-year wonder.
Neuzil has allowed just one pressure through three games, according to PFF, and currently ranks third among 32 qualified centers with a 71.6 overall grade as his 65.4 pass-blocking grade ranks 11th at the position, while his 70.5 run-blocking grade ranks fifth.
That comes after a 2025 season in which Neuzil started all 17 games after Drew Dalman left for Chicago and finished sixth among centers with a 77.4 PFF grade.
Bill Callahan may be fixing the one hole in Falcons center Ryan Neuzil's game
There was one obvious area where he needed to get better, though… His 59.3 pass-blocking grade ranked ninth worst among centers last season. Now, through three games under new offensive line coach Bill Callahan, that weakness has started to look a lot less obvious.
Atlanta hired Callahan, one of the most experienced offensive line coaches in the league, while keeping Neuzil at the center of an offensive line that already had plenty of continuity. The Falcons didn't need Callahan to rebuild the group from scratch.
They needed him to make it better. And that's exactly what he said he wanted to do.
"Coach Led did a phenomenal job here when he was here," Callahan said this summer. "He's got the line rolling. They're physical. They have a great attitude about themselves. They did a great job producing in the run game. So, I'm just here to maintain what they've done and improve upon it."
That approach could be paying off for Neuzil.
The Atlanta Falcons offensive line has undergone some changes around the 29-year-old, but the center has remained a constant.
Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Neuzil and Chris Lindstrom are all back from last year's starting group. The Falcons also retained the continuity that helped their line become one of the league's most stable units in 2025.
Callahan's job has been to take that foundation and make adjustments. So far, Neuzil looks like one of the clearest beneficiaries. Sure it's still early. Three games aren't enough to declare the veteran one of the NFL's elite centers for an entire season. But the difference is worth watching.
For a team trying to build a more physical offense with a new regime, that could matter quite a bit as the season gets deeper.
Buy Ryan Neuzil has already gone from undrafted free agent to full time starter. Bill Callahan may be helping him take the next step from dependable starter to one of the better centers in the league.
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