DeMarcco Hellams, Former Alabama Safety, Suffers Injury in NFL Preseason Opener

DeMarcco Hellams, who emerged from Alabama's football program as a seventh-round pick, made a strong case for a spot on the Atlanta Falcons’ roster with an impressive debut last season. However, his 2024 preseason took a difficult turn when he was carted off the field due to a leg injury during Atlanta's opener against the Miami Dolphins.

The injury occurred early in the game, on the Falcons’ second defensive play. Hellams was quickly attended to by the Falcons' medical staff, who applied an air cast to his left leg before he was taken off the field.

Hellams had been a standout player for Alabama, leading the team in tackles during the 2022 season. Despite his college success, he wasn't selected until the 224th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his first preseason game with the Falcons on August 11, 2023, Hellams quickly made an impact. He recorded his first tackle against Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft and followed it up with a second tackle on the next play. Hellams then intercepted a pass from Miami's quarterback Mike White in the end zone, returning it 15 yards.

Hellams secured a spot on the Falcons' regular-season roster, seeing action in 64 defensive snaps and 144 special-teams plays over the first 10 games. Following Atlanta's Week 11 bye, Hellams' role expanded significantly. He played 305 defensive snaps and started four of the next six games before missing the season finale due to a concussion.

Hellams’ increased playing time put him in direct competition with Richie Grant, a former second-round pick, for the starting safety position alongside Jessie Bates III in the Falcons’ secondary.