South Atlanta News

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell's contract has been extended through the 2028 season, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Terrell, who was selected with the No. 16 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has started 61 games for the Falcons. Over these games, he has accumulated 247 tackles, 43 pass breakups, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a sack.

Three key statistics provide deeper insights into Terrell's career thus far:

**62: The number of defensive snaps Terrell took in his 2020 rookie debut.**

In his first game against the Seattle Seahawks on September 13, 2020, Terrell played every defensive snap. This set a precedent for his role as a consistent presence on the field. He has started in 61 of a possible 67 games for the Falcons and played at least 90% of defensive snaps in 51 of those games.

"Through his four-year career," an analysis notes, "Terrell has taken 84.1% of the defensive snaps in his game appearances." This ranks him sixth among active cornerbacks with at least 61 game appearances between 2020-23.

**57.8: The percentage of passes completed against Terrell in his career.**

Teams targeted Terrell most frequently during his rookie year when he allowed a completion rate of 67%. However, this rate dropped significantly over subsequent seasons:

- **2020:** 71 completions on 106 targets (67%)

- **2021:** 43 completions on 86 targets (50%)

- **2022:** 42 completions on 75 targets (56%)

- **2023:** 45 completions on 81 targets (55.6%)

Overall, Terrell's completion rate stands at 57.8%, placing him fourth among active cornerbacks who have played at least 61 games since 2020 and been targeted at least 300 times.

**3: The number of interceptions Terrell totaled in the year of his All-Pro selection (2021).**

In that season, he intercepted Mac Jones (New England Patriots), Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers), and Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills). These interceptions contributed to him being named to The Associated Press' All-Pro second team.

For context: Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs led the NFL with eleven interceptions that same year.

Terrell’s first interception came against current Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins while playing against the Minnesota Vikings on October 18, 2020—a moment that also marked his first pass breakup.

As Terrell continues with a new contract secured through the next five years, there is anticipation for further achievements and milestones in his professional journey.

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