Falcons' Calvin Ridley Put on Non-Football Injury List After Taking Leave from Team

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley will miss at least three more weeks as he continues to take care of his mental health.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Falcons put Ridley on the non-football injury list on Friday. 

The 26-year-old missed Atlanta's Week 5 game against the New York Jets in London due to undisclosed personal reasons. Ridley was ruled inactive once again in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, and he announced during the game that he was stepping away from football to "focus on his mental wellbeing."

In five games this season, Ridley has caught 31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. 

The Alabama product entered this year as the Falcons' No. 1 wide receiver following the offseason trade of Julio Jones, and he was named a team captain for this season. 

The 6'1", 190-pounder enjoyed the best season of his three-year career in 2020. He was named second-team All-Pro after recording career highs of 90 receptions and 1,374 yards, his first 1,000-yard season.

Without Ridley in the lineup, Atlanta will likely get creative with its passing attack. Rookie tight end Kyle Pitts has emerged as a go-to option for quarterback Matt Ryan. Pitts leads the Falcons with 484 receiving yards.

Cordarrelle Patterson has been a versatile weapon for Atlanta, playing a combination of running back and wide receiver this season. Patterson has a team-high five receiving touchdowns. He will likely see more passes coming his way in Ridley's absence.