Leonard Floyd responded quickly to a skirmish during an Atlanta Falcons training camp session in Flowery Branch, Georgia, when rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr. became involved in shoving matches with offensive linemen Matthew Bergeron and Kaleb McGary. Floyd said he acted without hesitation to support his teammate.
“I learned that from Aaron Donald when I was in L.A. — you got to ride for your guys on defense,” Floyd said. “Even if he’s in the wrong, you still got to ride for him.”
After breaking up the altercation, Floyd led Pearce away from the crowd to help him calm down. “I try to bring him to the side and help him cool himself down before he gets real crazy with it,” Floyd said. “But he’s a good guy, man. He works hard. The linemen just don’t like it. But that’s a good thing.”
The Falcons traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft specifically to acquire Pearce, aiming not only for his athletic skills but also for his intensity and demeanor on the field. Head coach Raheem Morris emphasized this focus during discussions about building the team’s defensive identity.
“It was a part of our draft. We wanted to add a little edge to our football team,” Morris said. “We wanted to add a little edge to our rush.”
Morris compared Pearce’s attitude with those of notable defensive players such as Aaron Donald, Von Miller, Warren Sapp, and Simeon Rice, noting that successful pass rushers often share similar qualities.
“Part of us becoming the team that we want to be and actually doing some of these things that we want to do is acquiring players with some natural edge,” Morris said. “That is definitely a part of it. Definitely a part of what we want. Definitely a part of who we are.”
Coaches noted that while aggression is valued, it must be controlled so as not to disrupt practice or result in missed drills.
“We can still get our work done but also know playing with the right intensity for a young guy coming in you are still trying to prove yourself. You got to prove it to the veterans,” outside linebacker coach Jacquies Smith said. “There is a thin line between it, but if you do it the right way, you get the most out of it.”
Morris added there is “a certain amount of physicality that is required to be a part of this football team.” The Falcons hope Pearce’s presence will influence both teammates and opponents throughout the season.
“It’s important. You got to have it,” linebacker Kaden Elliss said about physical play on the defensive line. “This is football. It’s about physicality. It’s about dominating in the trenches. You see who won the Super Bowl last year, and how they did it. It was in the trenches.
“At the end of the day, that is the engine of the team. That’s what makes it go. That’s how you win the game. Flashy players can get you wins every now and again, but those big, strong, edge-y guys in the (trenches), that is what wins you championships — game after game after game.”
The Falcons expect their first-round pick will continue bringing energy and competitiveness as they look ahead to establishing their defensive identity under coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
