Former Iowa Hawkeyes running back Tyler Goodson was released by the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday as the team set its initial 53-man roster, a move that caught some observers off guard after a solid summer.
Hawkeyes fans who followed Goodson through his three seasons in Iowa City will recognize the familiar pattern. The 25-year-old undrafted free agent has spent much of his professional career fighting for roster spots, and this latest chapter is no different.
Goodson signed with Atlanta this offseason after three years with the Indianapolis Colts. He appeared in 33 games there, carrying the ball 54 times for 264 yards and one rushing touchdown while adding 19 receptions for 103 yards and another score.
The Falcons listed only two running backs on the 53-man roster: Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. Goodson is expected to land on the practice squad, where he would serve as the team’s unofficial third back.
That arrangement would keep him close if either starter goes down. Atlanta hopes that does not happen, but injuries have a way of creating opportunities in the NFL.
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall called the cut one of the day’s bigger surprises.
“Atlanta releasing Tyler Goodson easily the biggest surprise of the day for me,” he wrote.
Goodson had a strong training camp and preseason. He scored a touchdown against his old Colts teammates on Aug. 22 and showed the same burst and vision that made him a productive back at Iowa.
Iowa fans remember that production well. Goodson rushed for 2,551 yards and 18 touchdowns on 533 carries from 2019 through 2021. He added 70 receptions for 565 yards and one more score.
As a sophomore in the shortened 2020 season, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after averaging 95.3 rushing yards per game. The following year he ran for 1,151 yards and earned third-team all-conference recognition.
Those numbers still sit near the top of Iowa’s career rushing list. Goodson finished 11th in program history in rushing yards when he left for the NFL.
The Georgia native grew up about 40 minutes from Atlanta, so the Falcons signing felt like a homecoming. He played high school ball at North Gwinnett in Suwanee before heading to Iowa.
After going undrafted, he spent time on the Green Bay Packers practice squad in 2022 before catching on with Indianapolis. He has shown he can contribute on offense and special teams when given the chance.
Roster cuts are rarely final this early. Teams often shuffle players in the days after the 53-man deadline, and practice-squad spots become official Monday.
Hawkeyes supporters will keep an eye on whether another team claims Goodson off waivers. If not, the practice squad offers a path to stay in Atlanta and stay ready.
Goodson has made a habit of proving people wrong since his days in black and gold. This latest roster decision is another chance for the former Hawkeye to do it again.
