FLOWERY BRANCH – After years of paving the way for the Atlanta Falcons’ offense on Sundays, Todd McClure will have a different responsibility for the franchise he called home for 13 years. He is back, protecting something far less tangible. 

Earlier this summer, the Falcons announced that the iconic offensive lineman was hired to take over as the coordinator of player development and senior personnel assistant.

After a fruitful career as one of the Falcons’ all-time players, the Ring of Honor inductee will support the new-look regime on the player side of things. Despite a lack of experience in this role, much like his former teammate Matt Ryan as the president of football, the team feels confident that his years of locker-room and on-field leadership will translate well to the position. 

General manager Ian Cunningham and assistant general manager Jeff Scott were given the platform to discuss their hire and why they felt McClure was the right man for the job. 

“First, great dude and offensive lineman, right? You can’t have enough offensive linemen in the building,” Cunningham – who is also a former offensive lineman – joked. “He’s awesome. Awesome guy to work with. He gets it, gets people. I already can see why he was one of the best leaders for this organization. We’re going to really rely on him in terms of the relationships that he builds, but really to help the development piece along with Jeff [Scott].” 

McClure doesn’t derive his experience from a front office, like Scott or Cunningham, but the Falcons believe that his background makes him an ideal option. He spent a decade navigating the demands of an NFL locker room and understands what it takes to get there. 

“I think having Todd in here is awesome,” Scott added. “He’s a natural at fitting in, building relationships. But one of the biggest things we’re really focused on - and Todd, in fact, we were just meeting maybe 15, 20 minutes ago - is our development and our development program. We’re going to be intentional about that and the development of our players and use all the resources that we have, because at the end of the day, if we don’t pour into these guys, we bring them into the building, we want them to be the best players and the best people that they can be. Todd’s going to be a huge part of that.”

That emphasis on development is particularly important for a front office that has prioritized building depth and locking in its young stars this offseason. Rather than relying solely on high-profile additions, Cunningham and Scott have repeatedly emphasized developing the players already in the building and finding ways to maximize the talent they have acquired.

McClure will play a central role in that process while helping his former team snap an eight-year playoff drought. He will work with players, coaches, and the personnel department, bridging the gap between what the organization sees in a player and what that player ultimately becomes on the field.

They will face an uphill battle this season, having lost a pair of key pass rushers and not yet named a starting quarterback. But the Falcons believe the franchise legend can help develop the next generation of players. McClure spent 13 years helping protect Atlanta's quarterbacks, but his next job is to help protect the franchise's future.

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