The Atlanta Falcons will take the field in Week 1 with six players wearing the captain’s patch, a mix of veteran leaders and first-time honorees tasked with setting the tone for 2025.
On Monday, the team named quarterback Michael Penix Jr., offensive linemen Chris Lindstrom and Jake Matthews, safety Jessie Bates III, linebacker Kaden Elliss, and punter Bradley Pinion as captains for the season, as reported by Tori McElhaney from AtlantaFalcons.com. It marks the first time Penix, Elliss, and Pinion have earned the distinction.
For Matthews, the longest-tenured Falcon on the roster, it’s his fifth consecutive season as a captain. Bates will serve in the role for a third straight year after anchoring the defense with four interceptions and four forced fumbles in 2024. Lindstrom, meanwhile, earns his second “C” after being voted in by teammates for the first time in 2023.
The selection is another recognition of Lindstrom’s standing inside the locker room. Long regarded as the foundation of Atlanta’s offensive line, he’s continued to collect national attention in rankings and evaluations, though not without debate about where he stands among the league’s elite. Regardless of outside opinion, Falcons coaches and teammates consistently point to his consistency and work ethic as central to the offense’s identity.
Penix’s selection shows the same trust being placed in the young quarterback. After being drafted to succeed Kirk Cousins and rushed into a starting spot in 2024, Penix has earned praise throughout training camp for his command of the huddle and his growing connection with playmakers like Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson. Earning the role in his first full season shows how quickly he has grown into a leadership presence inside the locker room.
Elliss and Pinion round out the group as first-time honorees. Elliss was a steady presence in the middle of the defense last year, while Pinion becomes one of the rare specialists to receive the recognition, highlighting the value teammates see in his reliability and professionalism.
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The 2025 group marks a clear shift from last season’s leadership core. In 2024, Kirk Cousins, Jake Matthews, Grady Jarrett, and Jessie Bates III carried the captaincy, all of them veterans with previous experience in the role. One year later, Cousins and Jarrett are no longer among the selections, signaling a transition in the locker room as the Falcons look to a younger core.
The Falcons open their season Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta will enter the matchup with its leadership core firmly established, ready to test its goals in a pivotal NFC South clash.