Mooney caught five of six targets for 82 yards in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Giants. While the Falcons' passing game took a back seat to Bijan Robinson and the team's defense in Michael Penix's first NFL start, Mooney still posted respectable numbers and led Atlanta in receiving yards. He also tied with Drake London (hamstring) for the lead in receptions, although the latter made a late exit from the game. It was a reassuring rebound from Mooney after he failed to catch a pass in Week 15 -- Kirk Cousins' last start. The veteran wideout sits only 45 yards short of reaching 1,000 on the season for the second time in his career. He will try to build more chemistry with his new QB in Week 17 against the Commanders.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Darnell Mooney news
Team
Atlanta Falcons
Birthdate
10/29/1997 (27)
Status
Active
HT/WT
5'11", 180 lbs
Draft Info
2020: Rd 5; Pk (CHI)
Birthplace
Gadsden, AL, USA
Position
WR
College
Tulane
Experience
5 seasons
Career History
Atlanta Falcons
2024-Present
(1 season)
Chicago Bears
2020-2024
(4 seasons)
Mooney caught five of six targets for 82 yards in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Giants. While the Falcons' passing game took a back seat to Bijan Robinson and the team's defense in Michael Penix's first NFL start, Mooney still posted respectable numbers and led Atlanta in receiving yards. He also tied with Drake London (hamstring) for the lead in receptions, although the latter made a late exit from the game. It was a reassuring rebound from Mooney after he failed to catch a pass in Week 15 -- Kirk Cousins' last start. The veteran wideout sits only 45 yards short of reaching 1,000 on the season for the second time in his career. He will try to build more chemistry with his new QB in Week 17 against the Commanders.
Mooney failed to secure his lone target in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders. Mooney was a complete nonfactor in Week 15 despite playing 91 percent of Atlanta's offensive snaps against the Raiders. Monday's game marked the first time in which the veteran wideout failed to record a single reception in a contest this season. The Falcons' passing attack continues to struggle with Kirk Cousins under center, as he completed just 11 of 17 passes in the game. Mooney will look to bounce back in Week 16 against the vulnerable Giants secondary, though he'll be on the receiving end of passes from rookie signal caller Michael Penix, as the Falcons announced Tuesday that Penix will be the team's starting quarterback moving forward.
Mooney (foot) was a full practice participant Friday, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports. The quick upgrade from limited participation to full confirms Mooney will be ready for Monday's game at Las Vegas. He was one of the few Falcons to thrive Week 14, catching six of seven targets for 142 yards in a 42-21 loss at Minnesota.
Mooney was limited at Thursday's practice due to a foot injury, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports. Mooney has been dealing with an Achilles injury since Week 11 prep, but a new health concern has been swapped in at the start of Week 15 prep. He's suited up for all three games in the meantime, hauling in 11 of 17 targets for 189 yards and no touchdowns in that span. Mooney's status at practice Friday and Saturday likely will be telling for his availability for Monday's game at Las Vegas.
Mooney brought in six of seven targets for 142 yards in the Falcons' 42-21 loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Mooney led the Falcons in receiving yards on the afternoon with a figure that also qualified as a career high. The speedster was a menace to the Vikings' defense throughout the contest, recording catches of 28, 24 and 49 yards in the first half alone. Mooney also had 18- and 14-yard grabs in the second half, and his prolific performance was a sorely needed one after the veteran wideout had posted just a 5-47 line over the previous two games. Mooney heads into a Week 15 road battle against the Raiders on Monday night, Dec. 16 just 117 receiving yards shy of his second career 1,000-yard campaign.
Mooney secured three of six targets for 20 yards in the Falcons' 17-13 loss to the Chargers on Sunday. Mooney was a distant fourth in the pass-catching pecking order Sunday, posting his lowest receiving yardage total since his Week 1 team debut against the Steelers. The veteran speedster was also the target on Kirk Cousins' late third-quarter pick-six, and Mooney has now been under 30 receiving yards in consecutive games for the first time this season. Mooney will look to bounce back against a Vikings secondary that's proved vulnerable to the pass in a Week 14 road matchup.
Mooney (Achilles) was listed as a full participant on Thursday's injury report, Daniel Flick of SI.com reports. As the Falcons emerged from their Week 12 bye, Mooney again is dealing with an Achilles injury, but after logging a limited practice Wednesday, he experienced an upgrade one day later, setting him up to continue being a regular in the passing game. He has multiple catches in 10 consecutive contests, during which he's accrued a 47-696-5 line on 78 targets.
Mooney (hamstring) practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday, Will McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports. Prior to the Falcons' last game Nov. 17 at Denver, Mooney was added to the injury report midweek due to an Achilles issue but ultimately didn't take a designation into the contest. He then made an early exit from that contest due to a hamstring injury, but following the team's Week 12 bye, he again is dealing with the Achilles concern. Head coach Raheem Morris told Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com on Wednesday that Mooney is "looking good and feeling good," and that he likes Mooney's chances to play Week 13. In the end, how Mooney is listed Thursday and Friday likely will determine whether or not he carries a questionable tag into Sunday's contest against the Chargers.
The hamstring injury that forced Mooney out of Sunday's 38-6 loss to the Broncos isn't viewed as serious, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Atlanta could send Mooney in for an MRI just to ensure he's not dealing with anything more than a mild strain of his hamstring, but the wideout may not have to miss any time because of the injury. Mooney will benefit from a well-timed Week 12 bye, giving him added time to heal before the Falcons return to action Dec. 1 versus the Chargers. Mooney finished the loss to Denver with two catches for 27 yards on four targets while playing a season-low 58 percent of the Falcons' offensive snaps due to the injury.