Some storylines write themselves. Tyler Goodson spent three seasons buried on the Indianapolis Colts' depth chart, grinding out a role as a fringe roster piece while bigger names soaked up the carries. On Saturday afternoon in his preseason return to the team that let him walk, the Atlanta Falcons running back ripped off a 49-yard touchdown run against his former employers — a burst that put him at 56 rushing yards on just four carries and effectively ended any lingering debate about who owns the third running back spot in Atlanta.
The run was vintage Goodson: patient behind the line, one decisive cut, and then the kind of second-level speed that made him a three-year contributor in the NFL despite going undrafted out of Iowa in 2022. The Falcons, already comfortable with Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. atop the depth chart, got exactly what they hoped for when they signed Goodson this offseason — a proven, explosive depth back who can capably carry the load in preseason and spot duty without the offense missing a beat.
The Revenge Run
It came on a handoff from backup quarterback Cooper Rush, and it was the loudest play of Atlanta's second preseason outing. Goodson took the ball, found a crease, and outran the Indianapolis secondary to the end zone — a 49-yard statement against the franchise that carried him from 2023 through 2025. For a player whose entire NFL resume is built on outworking expectations, the timing could not have been better.
Indianapolis never gave Goodson a real chance to be a featured piece. He appeared in spurts across three seasons with the Colts, finishing his time there with modest career numbers — 264 rushing yards, a 4.9-yard average, and one rushing touchdown through 2025 — while also chipping in 19 receptions for 103 yards. The production was solid for the opportunities he received, but the Colts kept investing higher in the position, and Goodson remained the kind of player who had to win his job every single August.
That is precisely the profile the Falcons value. Atlanta's front office has built its running back room around depth and versatility, and Goodson has spent training camp proving he fits the mold. Reports out of Flowery Branch all summer pegged him as one of the best performers on the roster — not just among backups, but overall. The 49-yard score against Indianapolis was simply the on-field confirmation of what the coaching staff had been seeing in practice for weeks.
From Suwanee to the NFL: A Career Built on Grit
Goodson's path to this moment runs through Suwanee, Georgia, where he starred at North Gwinnett High School and was named Georgia Player of the Year as a senior after rushing for 1,180 yards and 25 touchdowns. He chose Iowa over Nebraska, Iowa State, Indiana, and Michigan State, and quickly became one of the Big Ten's most productive backs. As a true freshman he led the Hawkeyes with 638 rushing yards; as a sophomore he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors with 762 yards and seven scores; and as a junior he topped 1,100 yards on 256 carries while adding 31 catches out of the backfield.
That college production earned him NFL attention, but not a draft pick. Green Bay signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022, he landed in Indianapolis the following year, and he has spent his entire professional career proving the scouts who passed on him wrong. Now he is home, playing for the team in his home state, and forcing his way onto a 53-man roster that already features two established starters.
The RB3 Battle Is Over
Atlanta entered camp with a genuine competition for the third running back job, with Goodson, a handful of young backs, and several special teams contributors all vying for what is typically one or two roster spots. The Falcoholic, which has tracked the battle closely, effectively declared the competition settled after Goodson dominated snaps in Atlanta's preseason opener and then delivered the explosive performance against the Colts. The Falcons have seen enough: Goodson's combination of vision, burst, and pass-catching ability gives them a legitimate change-of-pace option behind Robinson and Robinson — and a player who can handle 15-plus carries without a drop-off if injuries strike.
It also helps that Goodson is a plus special teams player, which historically is the tiebreaker for depth running backs trying to survive final cuts. Coaches trust him in pass protection, he runs crisp routes, and he has the football IQ to handle the mental load of a complex offense. In a league where teams routinely carry three backs, Goodson has made himself difficult to cut — which is exactly the position a fringe roster player wants to be in with the season opener weeks away.
What It Means for Atlanta's Offense
The Falcons' ground game is already one of the NFL's most feared units with Bijan Robinson leading the way. Adding a proven, explosive third back only deepens the rotation and protects Atlanta against the attrition that inevitably hits running back rooms over a 17-game season. Goodson's 4.9-yard career average is no accident; he consistently creates yards after contact and hits holes with conviction, the same traits that made him a standout in the Big Ten.
For bettors, the takeaway is straightforward. Atlanta's backfield depth should keep the running game humming late in games and late in the season, which matters for everything from game totals to Atlanta's team total in shootout spots. The Falcons' offense has the personnel to control the clock against anyone, and having a third back who can deliver 49-yard touchdowns against NFL defenders only raises the floor of that unit.
The Bottom Line
Preseason production has to be weighed carefully — starters rest, defenses play vanilla schemes, and rosters are still in flux. But Goodson's performance against the Colts was not a product of a soft matchup. It was a veteran running back doing what he has done his entire career: taking the opportunities he gets and making them count. The Colts moved on. The Falcons gave him a shot. And on Saturday, he made his old team pay in the loudest way possible.
Atlanta's running back room just got deeper, and Goodson's place in it just got a whole lot more secure.
Jack Reynolds
Jack Reynolds writes about sports from a steady, fan-first perspective, focusing on storylines, trends, and angles that matter before the action starts.