It hurt to see Grady Jarrett's release from the Atlanta Falcons. The standout pro had done everything for the team over the past decade with unwavering loyalty.
However, it was needed, and Grady only confirmed that during a press conference as a member of the Chicago Bears.
Grady Jarrett confirms the Falcons made the right decision with release
Grady Jarrett switched teams for the first time in his career a few months ago, and he is clearly excited for the second act of his career.
He called it "refreshing" and "exciting" to start with a new team before alluding to the idea that things had become stale for him in Atlanta.
Obviously, it hurts to hear him say that, but you have to take things into context. As he says, it is only human nature for things to feel repetitive. For ten years, he entered the same building, saw the same people, and had the same schedule every single day.
A new place has given him a much-needed jolt of energy in his 30s.
But the biggest thing to glean from this is that the Falcons made the correct move by releasing him.
It was a move motivated by money; his play no longer matched his salary. But giving him a fresh start was a positive consequence.
We could see the lack of winning wearing on him these past couple of years. He was tired of missing the playoffs.
So, he chose the Chicago Bears...
We will ignore that though; money talks.
All of this isn't to say the Dirty Birds won't miss him; they will. He brought unmatched leadership that is impossible to replace. He is also still a solid player on the field.
That said, they have a young replacement they are excited about in Ruke Orhorhoro and a veteran in David Onyemata who can help the young talent.
It will be interesting to see what the defensive line looks like without the player they leaned on heavily these past ten years. It will also be interesting to see how Grady does with his new team.