ATLANTA (AP) — John Abraham was prepared for nerves and possibly tears when he was inducted into the Atlanta Falcons' ring of honor at halftime Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens.
Abraham is the team's all-time leader with 53 1/2 sacks from 2006-12. He completed his career with Arizona but made Atlanta his home and had a large group of family members, including his four daughters, wearing No. 55 Falcons jerseys for the halftime ceremony.
“Man, more nervous than I’ve been when I played,” Abraham said before the game. “When I played, it was more like you had a helmet on so nobody could see you.”
The 48-year-old Abraham also said he kept his sunglasses on “just in case the water works come. Y’all ain’t going to put me on live TV.”
Former Falcons coach Mike Smith, who was with Abraham for five seasons, opened the ceremony and said Abraham was “one of the most feared pass rushers the game has ever seen.”
Abraham began his career with the New York Jets in 2000 and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro — with the Jets in 2001 and Falcons in 2009.
“The best words that Arthur Blank ever told me four years ago, he was like, ‘John, welcome back,’” Abraham said during the ceremony, referring to the team owner.
Abraham was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021 and is a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.
Despite a long list of injuries, Abraham makes a strong case for the pro football hall with his production. He had 133 1/2 sacks in 15 seasons with the Jets, Falcons and Arizona Cardinals.
His 48 career forced fumbles rank third all time. The only two players with more forced fumbles are Robert Mathis (52) and Julius Peppers (51), and each is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Falcons' inaugural ring of honor class in 2004 included quarterback Steve Bartkowski, linebackers Tommy Nobis and Jessie Tuggle and running back William Andrews. In 2024, Blank and quarterback Matt Ryan, now the team's president of football operations, were inducted.
Other inductees include Todd McClure, Roddy White, Warrick Dunn, Gerald Riggs, Deion Sanders, Mike Kenn, Claude Humphrey and Jeff Van Note, who died at 80 on Oct. 2. There was a moment of silence observed for Van Note before the game.
Dunn and White presented Abraham with his red jacket.
Former offensive lineman Bill Fralic will be posthumously inducted into the rind of honor when Atlanta hosts Tampa Bay in Week 16. Fralic was 56 when he died in 2018.
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Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham gets a hug during his Ring of Honor Induction Ceremony during halftime of an NFL football game between the Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham speaks during his Ring of Honor Induction Ceremony during halftime of an NFL football game between the Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham speaks during his Ring of Honor Induction Ceremony during halftime of an NFL football game between the Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
SEATTLE (AP) — Jaxon Smith-Njigba has made a lot of incredible catches over the past couple of seasons, but it was one the All-Pro didn’t make on Sunday in the Seattle Seahawks' 32-29 loss to the San Francisco 49ers that stuck with him.
With the Seahawks down by three points and facing third-and-10 at midfield with 1 minute left, Sam Darnold threw a deep shot to his most trusted receiver. Smith-Njigba already had five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown and seemingly has made every big catch for Seattle since last season, when he was the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
But this time, Smith-Njigba mistimed his leap and the ball hit off his hands and fell to the turf at the 25 to make it fourth down instead of giving Seattle a first down in range for a game-tying field goal.
On the next play, Cooper Kupp was tackled 1 yard short of a first down, ending the Seahawks' chances.
“I had the chance to catch the ball,” Smith-Njigba said. “So really, just catch the ball, catch the damn football at the end of the day. I know I’ll make the next one.”
The drop was just one of many unforced errors by the Super Bowl champions. Seattle had four turnovers, three of which led directly to 49ers scores, with two lost fumbles inside the 11-yard line and two interceptions by Darnold.
Darnold’s first pick first came on Seattle’s first drive of the game, as cornerback Renardo Green caught a pass intended for Smith-Njigba at the Seattle 18 and returned it to the 11. Brock Purdy hit Mike Evans four plays later for a 2-yard touchdown pass.
Darnold threw a second pick to Green again on his first pass of the third quarter.
“You’ve got to tip your cap to those guys,” Darnold said. “They played a good game, but just again, those are all things that I can control. Just can’t be putting the ball in jeopardy like that.”
Seattle’s beaten-up running back room continued to struggle with fumbles, too, as Emanuel Wilson lost the ball midway through the second quarter at the Seattle 11. Fred Warner recovered it for San Francisco and one play later, Christian McCaffrey took the ball 11 yards for a touchdown.
George Holani then lost the ball in the end zone with 13 seconds left in the first half. Niners defensive lineman Gracen Halton recovered it for a touchdown to boost San Francisco’s lead to 21-13.
Two games ago, rookie Jadarian Price was benched partway through Seattle’s Week 3 game against Washington after he lost his second fumble in two games, but the problem has continued to plague the Seahawks.
“We need to grow quickly in terms of complementary football, definitely taking care of the football,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “Way too many giveaways at this point in the season, and we’ll look at those and see how we can get it fixed moving forward.”
With four days to go until Seattle’s Thursday night matchup against Denver, the Seahawks have little time to solve their turnover problems.
“It’s always something that’s emphasized, and it’s always you drill, something you work on,” Kupp said. “Defenses have a say too, and you protect the ball as best you can. Sometimes there’s just really good plays that are made defensively, and other times, we’re like, ‘Hey, let’s just fix these, fix the issue and let’s not make the same mistake twice,’ and you move forward.”
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson, bottom, fumbles the ball before San Francisco 49ers recovered the ball during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Gracen Halton (93) strips the ball from Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani (36) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (92) stops Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes a move on his way to scoring on a touchdown catch against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
