KhaDarel Hodge had no phrases to explain what transpired on Thursday night time in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Hodge, in his seventh NFL season, didn’t have a single reception on the season for the Falcons to start the sport towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nonetheless, after securing his second catch of the night time in what was a profession night time for quarterback Kirk Cousins, Hodge broke a deal with and noticed daylight.
It was time beyond regulation, he had an opportunity to win the sport with a landing, and he did precisely that as he hit a burst of pace previous all of the Bucs defenders to ship the Falcons dwelling crowd right into a frenzy.
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Atlanta Falcons vast receiver KhaDarel Hodge, #12, walks off the sector after a sport towards the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-Imagn Pictures)
Hodge was lifted within the air by his teammates, whereas your entire stadium was celebrating because the Falcons improved to 3-2, whereas the Bucs personal the identical file now.
Throughout a post-game interview on “Thursday Night time Soccer,” Hodge was requested to explain his game-winning rating – a 45-yard catch-and-run – and he initially couldn’t discover the phrases.
Then, he turned to his religion.
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“God is actual, God is sweet. I prayed for this,” he mentioned to Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung. “I can’t even – I don’t even know what to say proper now, bro. It’s so surreal. God is actual, that’s all I can say. I prayed for this. I pray for this each week. I’m nonetheless soaking it in proper now.”
As Hodge caught his breath, nonetheless staring into the stands with tear-filled eyes, he mentioned the chance he knew he needed to capitalize on after Drake London, his star teammate who had 12 catches for 154 yards with a landing, went down with an damage.
Atlanta Falcons vast receiver KhaDarel Hodge, #12, celebrates his landing off a New Orleans Saints fumble through the first half of an NFL soccer sport on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024 in Atlanta. (AP Picture/Butch Dill)
“I knew I needed to step in,” Hodge mentioned. “[London] went down, I knew I needed to step in for my brother and for my staff. I gotta do what I must do, reap the benefits of my opps. God was on my facet, I simply did what I needed to do.”
Hodge, a 29-year-old undrafted free agent who’s in his third season with the Falcons, had only one receiving landing in 93 profession video games earlier than breaking the purpose line to trigger an enormous celebration in Atlanta.
He made probably the most of his alternative when his quantity was known as, which is all any athlete needs to do.
KhaDarel Hodge, #12 of the Atlanta Falcons, reacts after recovering a fumble within the endzone for a landing towards the New Orleans Saints through the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 29, 2024 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures)
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Nonetheless, whereas figuring out he had the ability to make a play like that come to fruition, Hodge believes religion additionally had a significant function in seeing his once-in-a-lifetime soccer second by means of.
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