Despite a lack of salary cap space, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff kept reiterating last season that the team was intending to keep both running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.
Fast forward a year, and it’s Coleman leading the undefeated San Francisco 49ers, the team coached by former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
Coleman had four total touchdowns (3 rushing) during the 49ers’ 51-13 win over the Panthers in Week 8, which included this 48-yard score in the second quarter:
That play was 20 yards longer than any run by a Falcons running back this season.
With 105 rushing yards on just 11 attempts, Coleman averaged 9.5 yards per carry on Sunday, while outplaying MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey.
For the season, Coleman — who is San Francisco’s No. 2 RB behind Matt Breida — has 332 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry.
The 49ers signed Coleman to a two-year, $10 million contract in the offseason, while Atlanta gave Freeman a five-year extension worth $41.25 million back in 2017.
Obviously the team didn’t anticipate Freeman getting injured in 2018, although that should’ve given Dimitroff even more incentive to make sure Coleman stayed in a Falcons uniform.
As Atlanta sits at 1-7 through its first eight games, San Francisco is a perfect 7-0 with Shanahan calling the shots and Coleman making plays.
That has to sting Falcons fans.
