Former Gwinnett football standout named Atlanta Falcons’ new starting quarterback

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons will be going in a different direction at quarterback this weekend.

Channel 2′s Alison Mastrangelo was at the Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch, where head coach Arthur Smith announced Wednesday that Taylor Heinicke will be the team’s starting quarterback.

Smith said he is making the change from Desmond Ridder to Heinicke just this week against the Minnesota Vikings.

Mastrangelo will have live reaction to the quarterback change, on Channel 2 Action News at 6:00 p.m.

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Heinicke grew up in Gwinnett County and became a star at Collins Hill High School. The Falcons signed him earlier this year on a 2-year deal.

He entered the game against the Tennessee Titans after Ridder was evaluated for a concussion. The medical team cleared Ridder but Smith said he held Ridder out as a precaution. The Falcons lost the game, 28-23, to the Titans.

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