The Atlanta Falcons have released return specialist Jamal Agnew, the team announced Saturday. Agnew joined the Falcons in March during the early weeks of free agency after playing nine seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Detroit Lions from 2017 to 2020 and the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2021 to 2023.
Throughout his career, Agnew recorded 77 receptions for 746 yards and five touchdowns. He established himself as a top kickoff and punt returner, leading the league going into 2025 with seven return touchdowns—four on punts, two on kickoffs, and one on a field goal return. Agnew is among only four players in NFL history to score at least one touchdown each by rushing, receiving, kickoff return, and field goal return. He was named first-team All-Pro in 2017 and selected to the Pro Bowl in 2023.
In the current season, Agnew served as Atlanta’s main return man. He returned 15 punts for a total of 114 yards with an average of 7.6 yards per attempt; his longest was a 17-yard runback. On kickoffs, he had 30 returns for 741 yards, averaging nearly 24.7 yards per return with a long of 45 yards. This year he also had three fumbles credited to him.
Agnew did not play in Atlanta’s last game against Tampa Bay after being listed as a healthy scratch.
To fill roster needs following these changes, the Falcons signed cornerback C.J. Henderson from their practice squad to the active roster after placing receiver and core special teams player KhaDarel Hodge on injured reserve Friday. Safety Jammie Robinson was also added to the active roster in Hodge’s place.
Additionally on Saturday, wide receiver Chris Blair and edge rusher Khalid Kareem were elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s Week 16 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. The game will air live on FOX at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Blair’s elevation marks his second time up this season; he previously played in Week 15 but did not record any stats over three offensive and five special teams snaps. Kareem appeared earlier this year during Week 11 against Carolina where he made one tackle and broke up a pass across 26 defensive snaps plus ten on special teams.
NFL rules allow teams to elevate two players from their practice squad each game day without adding them permanently to the roster; each player can be elevated three times per season before requiring full-time promotion.
Below is a summary of standard practice squad elevations for Atlanta through Week 15:
– Week 1: WR David Sills V; RB Carlos Washington Jr.
– Week 2: K Parker Romo
– Week 6: CB Keith Taylor; WR Deven Thompkins
– Week 8: WR Dylan Drummond; QB Easton Stick
– Week 9: WR Dylan Drummond
– Week10: CB Keith Taylor; OL Joshua Gray
– Week11: CB Cobee Bryant; S Jammie Robinson
– Week12: WR Dylan Drummond; S Jammie Robinson
– Week13: WR Deven Thompkins
– Week14: CB C.J. Henderson
– Week15: S Jammie Robinson; WR Chris Blair
Teams have bye weeks or sometimes do not make any elevations certain weeks.