PARKER HESSE NEWS

Listed as inactive Hesse (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Vikings.

Impact Hesse saw a season high 22 offensive snaps (33 percent) in last week's win over the Cowboys. However, the team opted to elevate Shane Zylstra to the 53-man roster earlier in the week, and he will be the No. 3 tight end in Minnesota. As a result, Hesse will be the odd man out this week.

OCTOBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

THE DAILY DRIVE: Detroit Lions sign tryout players Kaden Davis, Parker Hesse from rookie minicamp Jared Goff earned his Lions contract extension. Now comes the hard part

MAY 14 • DETROITLIONS.COM

Elevated for Sunday The Falcons elevated Hesse to the active roster Saturday, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports.

Impact Hesse was restored to the Falcons' practice squad Monday after being placed on the injured list on Oct. 3 with an undisclosed injury. His one appearance came in the season opener when he played 14 snaps and recorded one solo tackle against the Panthers.

NOVEMBER 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Falcons sign Frank Darby to practice squad; put Parker Hesse on injured reserve FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons signed wide receiver Frank Darby to their practice squad Tuesday.

OCTOBER 3, 2023 • AJC.COM

Grady Jarrett, Parker Hesse and others speak to media one week away from preseason opener | AT&T Training Camp Grady Jarrett, Parker Hesse, and Jalen Mayfield speak to media one week away from the first preseason game.

AUGUST 4, 2023 • ATLANTAFALCONS.COM

Re-signs with Falcons Atlanta re-signed Hesse as an exclusive rights free agent Friday.

Impact Hesse played an important blocking role across 17 games with the Falcons in 2022, while also catching nine of 11 targets for 89 yards. The expectation is that Kyle Pitts (knee) will be back to full health well ahead of the 2023 season and operate as the clear lead receiving option in Atlanta's tight end room. Even while Pitts was sidelined in 2022, Hesse never managed to emerge as a viable fantasy option.

FEBRUARY 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Falcons re-sign tight end Parker Hesse The 6-foot-3, 261-pounder made seven starts and played in all 17 games for the Falcons in 2022

FEBRUARY 24, 2023 • AJC.COM

Analyzing Kyle Pitts, MyCole Pruitt, Parker Hesse, state of Falcons tight ends - Falcons Breakdown MyCole Pruitt and Parker Hesse fared well in Kyle Pitts' absence. Will the Falcons re-sign both for the 2023 season?

JANUARY 23, 2023 • ATLANTAFALCONS.COM

Minor role in passing attack Hesse caught nine of 11 targets for 89 yards across 17 appearances during the 2022 campaign.

Impact Hesse operated as the Falcons' No. 1 tight end, even when Kyle Pitts (knee) was healthy, but the former was nearly exclusively utilized as a blocker. The undrafted product out of Iowa will be a free agent this offseason, but given how many offensive snaps (619) he played in 2022, Hesse figures to be a likely candidate to re-sign with Atlanta this offseason.

JANUARY 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Falcons TE Parker Hesse 'Doesn't Get Enough Credit,' Says Coach “The things we ask Parker Hesse to do that nobody will ever notice, guy just does his job,” coach Arthur Smith said. “You see why he was a c...

JANUARY 10, 2023 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Falcons TE Parker Hesse 'Doesn't Get Enough Credit,' Says Coach “The things we ask Parker Hesse to do that nobody will ever notice, guy just does his job,” coach Arthur Smith said. “You see why he was a c...

JANUARY 10, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

One reception in loss Hesse secured his only target for 16 yards during Sunday's 19-16 loss versus the Steelers.

Impact With Kyle Pitts (knee) out, Hesse (34) operated as the No. 1 tight end again, but MyCole Pruitt (27) and Anthony Firkser (14) also garnered solid roles. All three tight ends caught a pass for a second straight week, but Pruitt secured Marcus Mariota's lone touchdown, while Firkser caught two passes and finished second on the team in receiving yards (24). The trio figures to garner similar roles during the remainder of the regular season, but Atlanta's passing attack remains limited due to Arthur Smith's run-first mindset.

DECEMBER 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Parker Hesse is WIDE open on 17-yard reception Atlanta Falcons tight end Parker Hesse is WIDE open on 17-yard reception from quarterback Marcus Mariota.

DECEMBER 4, 2022 • ATLANTAFALCONS.COM

Steelers go for first winning streak of season vs Falcons

The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing out the season with some very un-Steelers-like goals

DECEMBER 1, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Falcons not as fortunate in one-possession games this season

Following a 19-13 loss at Washington, the Atlanta Falcons are 4-5 in one-possession games after going 7-2 in such situations last year

NOVEMBER 28, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Operates as top TE sans Pitts Hesse caught one of two targets for nine yards during Sunday's 19-13 loss versus the Commanders.

Impact With Kyle Pitts (knee) out, Hesse played 35 offensive snaps, which put him as the top tight end over MyCole Pruitt (32) and Anthony Firkser (22). However, as expected, Hesse wasn't heavily involved in Atlanta's passing attack. MyCole Pruitt will likely emerge as the top pass-catching tight end in Pitts' absence, but Atlanta's passing attack remains limited due to Arthur Smith's run-first mindset.

NOVEMBER 28, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Falcons, Commanders meet in game with playoff implications

The Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders are meeting after Thanksgiving in a meaningful game with potentially significant playoff implications

NOVEMBER 25, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

In line for more snaps sans Pitts Hesse will be among the group of players who are asked to step up in the absence of Kyle Pitts (knee), Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Hesse has played over 60 percent of the team's offensive snaps eight times this season, second only to Pitts amongst Atlanta's tight ends. However, the former has caught just five of six targets for 50 yards across 11 appearances. Hesse figures to operate as the Falcons' No. 1 tight end in Pitts' absence, but he's unlikely to see a major change in his statistical output, as he mostly operates as a blocker when on the field.

NOVEMBER 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

First catch since Week 5 Hesse hauled in his only target for nine yards during Sunday's 37-34 overtime victory versus Carolina.

Impact Hesse played a season-low 43 percent of Atlanta's offensive snaps, but he secured his only target for nine yards, marking his first reception since Week 5. Across eight appearances, the second-year tight end has caught five of six targets for 50 yards, which eclipses his 43 receiving yards from his rookie campaign. Regardless, Hesse's primary role for the Falcons is as a blocker, so expect his receptions to continue being few and far between.

OCTOBER 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Operates as top TE sans Pitts Hesse caught his only target for nine yards during Sunday's 21-15 defeat against the Buccaneers.

Impact Due to his blocking prowess, Hesse continues to garner a major role for Atlanta's offense and played 38 offensive snaps against Tampa Bay, by far the most among Falcons tight ends. Even when Kyle Pitts (hamstring) was healthy, Hesse was garnering a similar role, but Hesse doesn't have the pass-catching ability that Pitts possesses. Hesse has secured one catch in four of five games this season, totaling just 41 yards.

OCTOBER 10, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Catches only target in win Hesse secured his only target for 22 yards during Sunday's 23-20 win over the Browns.

Impact Hesse's lone reception came on the team's second offensive possession and set up a 13-yard touchdown run by Cordarrelle Patterson. The backup tight end actually out-snapped Kyle Pitts 48 to 34 as Atlanta leaned on its run game in the second half. That trend is unlikely to continue, but it does show the confidence the Falcons have in Hesse as a run blocker. Across four games, Hesse has caught three of four targets for 32 yards while playing over 60 percent of the team's offensive snaps in each contest.

OCTOBER 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Marcus Mariota scrambles and finds Hesse for 22 yard gain Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota eludes the Cleveland Browns pressure and completes a 22-yard pass to tight end Parker Hesse.

OCTOBER 2, 2022 • ATLANTAFALCONS.COM

Sideline Access | Mariota stumbles, gets back up to throw a dime to Hesse to keep scoring drive alive Falcons Marcus Mariota stumbles, gets back up to throw a dime to Parker Hesse to keep scoring drive alive

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 • ATLANTAFALCONS.COM

Falcons' Parker Hesse starting to feel like a natural at tight end FLOWERY BRANCH — In 2017, Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom was playing for Boston College and was lined up across from Parker Hesse.

AUGUST 31, 2022 • AJC.COM

Catches touchdown Friday Hesse caught one of two targets for one yard and a touchdown during Friday's preseason contest against the Lions.

Impact Hesse operated as the top backup tight end behind Kyle Pitts and Anthony Firkser and totaled 27 snaps (22 offensive). His touchdown came in the second quarter and was rookie Desmond Ridder's first touchdown in NFL action. Hesse appeared in eight games for Atlanta last year and caught five of six targets for 43 yards. The undrafted tight end out of Iowa figures to garner a similar role in 2022, but he faces stiff training camp competition from veteran MyCole Pruitt and training-camp darling Feleipe Franks.

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE