The Atlanta Falcons haven't exactly been churning out highlight plays like a factory during OTAs, but Bijan Robinson and Drake London have still had their moments. Odds are that these two players (and Kyle Pitts) will be responsible for most (but not all) of the highlight plays for this new Falcons offense.
The Falcons' last highlight play during OTAs didn't consist of any of them. It was a deep ball between Tua Tagovailoa and third-round rookie Zachariah Branch that managed to catch the eye of the fanbase because it offered an element of this Atlanta offense that was practically invisible in 2025.
As the play went viral on social media, it didn't take long for the quarterback and the young receiver to silence some narratives with this play. Both of them have been getting written off all offseason because of some clear holes in their game, but they proved that many of the doubts were unfounded.
Tua Tagovailoa and Zachariah Branch silenced a narrative during OTAs
There are two sides to this coin. On one hand, you have Tua Tagovailoa, who has been lauded for his accuracy but his arm talent (especially compared to Michael Penix Jr., has left a lot to be desired. You don't get to see much of Tua in the clip, but you can see he delivered a downfield strike to Branch.
The 28-year-old dropped one right in the bucket and hit him perfectly in stride for a long score. We know his accuracy has been the quality that the Dirty Birds have gotten more excited about, but now that he's fully healthy, people seem to be forgetting that his arm strength is better than we realize.
We saw during his time in Miami that he thrives with speedy receivers like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, so days after he compared he compared the Georgia product to Waddle, he proved it. And this is probably more of an endorsement of Zachariah Branch than it ever was for Tua Tagovailoa.
The 22-year-old only fell to the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft due to concerns about his route tree. In his lone season with the Bulldogs, he logged career-highs in both receptions and receiving yards, but unlike Lincoln Riley, who used him as a deep threat, Georgia OC Mike Bobo preferred to get the ball in his hands around the line of scrimmage.
Branch beating perennial top-10 corner A.J. Terrell downfield is exciting in itself, but affirming he can be a downfield weapon in Atlanta is better. Behind Drake London, the WR room had no explosiveness, and with a diverse route tree once again, special things will happen when the football is in his hands.
Between Tua Tagovailoa and Zachariah Branch, this one play from Falcons OTAs silenced many doubters. Hopefully this connection continues to grow and they keep shedding narratives.
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