DeAngelo Malone returns to Falcons on 1-year deal

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deangelo Malone (51) during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons are bringing back DeAngelo Malone, the player they selected with the 3rd-round pick they received in the 2022 Matt Ryan trade.

Now, this could be an elaborate scheme by the team's new President to pull an April Fool's prank on the player who replaced" him, but that remains to be seen.

Malone will likely never live up to his 3rd-round (pick 82) selection. He was drafted by former GM Terry Fontenot in hopes that he would be a key contributor to the pass rush. However, since his rookie season, he hasn't logged more than 90 snaps on defense and has only three sacks to his name after four years in Atlanta. Like many of his selections, Fontenot fell in love with the player's RAS score, but those metrics failed to yield the on-field results the team had been hoping for.

Still, Malone was able to carve out a role on special teams. He's never quite been ace" quality, but he has been serviceable. That being said, he was a part of the poor-performing unit for 9 games last year, and PFF charted him with the most missed tackles of his career for a single season.

While Malone's defensive snaps were minimal in 2025, he did find himself in the right place at the right time against the Bills, hauling in a ball deflected by Zach Harrison for a game-sealing interception.

The play by Zach Harrison (96) to force an interception is one of the best individual efforts you'll see, and what the game is all about.

Gets knocked down at the LOS but never gives up, gets on his horse, catches up to Josh Allen, and causes a deflection for DeAngelo Malone. pic.twitter.com/5cH9odoNec

- Tre'Shon (@tre3shon) October 14, 2025

Malone will be fighting for his roster spot and likely be on the bubble from the start of camp. However, his experience and willingness to do the dirty work cannot be overlooked. Those qualities have helped him stick on the roster in the past, and they're likely why he's been brought back. Not every player is willing to shed their pride and do what must be done to make the roster, but Malone is, and he'll expose others who aren't with his own efforts.