Atlanta Falcons rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has been named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month, highlighting a standout season for both him and the team.
Pearce finished his first professional season with 10.5 sacks, becoming the first rookie to reach double-digit sacks since Micah Parsons had 13.5 in 2021. His total led the Falcons and set a new franchise record for rookies since individual sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
Hall of Famer Claude Humphrey, who recorded 11.5 sacks in 1968, remains recognized as the Falcons’ all-time rookie sack leader. After that season, Humphrey was named Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press.
Pearce managed at least one sack in six consecutive games from Weeks 10 through 15, joining Jevon Kearse, Parsons, and Mike Croel as the only NFL rookies to achieve this streak since 1982. This run is tied for the second-longest by any NFL rookie during that period. Pearce also had two games with multiple sacks in 2025—the only rookie to do so that year.
As end-of-year awards approach, Pearce is considered a strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He is among just 22 rookies since 1982 to have posted at least 10.5 sacks in a single season; more than half of those players later won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Another Falcons rookie, Xavier Watts, also made an impact this season. Together with Pearce, they became only the second pair of rookie teammates in league history to record at least ten sacks and five interceptions each.
Watts earned Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for September at the start of Atlanta’s season. With Pearce receiving similar recognition at year’s end, Falcons rookies have marked both ends of what has been described as a strong year for Atlanta’s young defenders.
The Atlanta Falcons are based in Atlanta, Georgia and compete in the National Football League’s NFC South Division official website. The team began play as an expansion franchise in 1965 official website and has reached the Super Bowl twice—in 1998 and again in 2016 official website. Freddie the Falcon serves as their mascot official website.