The Atlanta Falcons’ season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came down to crunch time, with both sides trading blows in a gritty, back-and-forth contest. Atlanta marched inside the red zone with a chance to punch it in and tilt the game in their favor.
But instead of finishing the drive, the Falcons’ gamble through the air may have backfired. On the passing attempt, Drake London took the worst of it, leaving the field and raising immediate concerns about the health of their No. 1 wideout.
Update On Drake London’s Injury Status
With the game on the line, Michael Penix Jr. looked to his go-to target in the end zone, firing a pass toward London on what could’ve been a decisive play. The wideout went up strong for the grab, but as he came down, he landed awkwardly. The ball hit the turf, the pass was ruled incomplete, and London immediately grimaced in pain.
The Falcons reset for another shot, but their WR1 was clearly shaken. After struggling to get to his feet, London exited to the sideline. Even without him, Atlanta finished the drive—Penix capped it off himself with a tough four-yard keeper, putting the Falcons ahead 20-16.
But the momentum didn’t last. On the next possession, Baker Mayfield silenced the home crowd, engineering a quick strike capped by a 25-yard dart to rookie Emeka Egbuka for his third touchdown of the night—and Egbuka’s second score.
Atlanta had one more chance to answer, but London never returned to the huddle. With his No. 1 receiver sidelined, Penix leaned on his dual-threat skill set to move the chains and set up a potential game-tying kick. The effort fell short when Younghoe Koo pushed a 44-yarder wide, sealing a 23-20 win for Tampa Bay.
#Falcons WR Drake London suffered a shoulder sprain and is considered day-to-day as of now, source said. He’ll have more tests, but initial good news on Atlanta’s star who was ruled out earlier today.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 7, 2025
The bigger storyline, though, was London’s status. Losing him, even temporarily, is as big a blow as any offense could take. The Falcons now turn their focus to Week 2 on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, where an 0-2 start looms large if their passing game can’t find answers.
Postgame, NFL insider Ian Rapoport delivered some relief for Falcons fans: “Drake London suffered a shoulder sprain and is considered day-to-day as of now. He’ll have more tests, but initial good news on Atlanta’s star who was ruled out earlier today.”
