Because of Tua Tagovailoa, it feels like every other free agent signing the Atlanta Falcons made is getting seriously overlooked. The Falcons' new regime made a barrage of low-stakes, high-upside deals and a few of these signings are bound to reap some serious rewards once the season begins.
Just because nobody is talking about them doesn't mean the signings aren't important. The media only pushes narratives about skill position players and household names, but sometimes you want to be flying under the radar. Because that's exactly when you're capable of doing the most damage.
And this is exactly what will happen to veteran defensive tackle Da'Shawn Hand. Hand signed a one-year deal worth $3 million to join the Falcons' DL rotation, but he's already made enough of an impression that the coaching staff is singing his praises and forcing fans to remember his name.
Da'Shawn Hand is making an immediate impression with the Falcons
While addressing the media after Mondays OTAs session (the final one open to the media), defensive line coach Nate Ollie gave Hand a major endorsement. He referred to him as the "final boss" of the defensive line and revealed Hand has already received the nickname Kingpin from his teammates.
That nickname is awesome. It keeps making me think of the comic book villain played by Vincent D'Onofrio in Daredevil: Born Again (which i need to rewatch). But unlike in Marvel, the only people who will label the 30-year-old a villain are the offensive lines that'll struggle to contain Atlanta's pass rush.
Ollie saying that Da'Shawn Hand is the final boss on a DL with Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr., Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, and Azeez Ojulari (among others) is pretty telling. He's surrounded by flashier, bigger names, but it's become clear he's one of the most important cogs in the machine.
True kingpins know how to pull the strings in silence, allowing other, bigger names to receive the limelight. Or they can just be the leader of the group elevating everyone's productivity But just because the Alabama product has a quieter presence doesn't mean he should be an afterthought.
The 6-foot-3, 297-pound DT has been around the block: he's had stints in Detroit, Miami, Tennessee, and Los Angeles before joining the Dirty Birds. He's a solid run defender, but more importantly, he can mentor the younger members of this defensive line room like Dorlus and Harrison in 2026.
Nate Ollie has worked with his fair share of elite defensive linemen, and he knows what Da'Shawn Hand will offer this defense in a sea of young talent. And it's only a matter of time before Falcons fans remember the final boss.
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