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Marc Raimondi
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have sent Ray-Ray McCloud III home, with coach Raheem Morris describing the decision as a private matter between the wide receiver and the team.
McCloud has been the Falcons’ No. 3 wide receiver since last season.
“I sent him home,” Morris said Friday. “Excused absence — home. Working through some things right now that are private with my young man, and we’ll figure those things out as we go.”
When reached Friday by ESPN, a McCloud representative declined to comment on the matter.
McCloud was an unexpected healthy scratch Monday night for the Falcons’ win over the Buffalo Bills and will be out again Sunday when they travel to face the San Francisco 49ers. McCloud was at practice Wednesday but did not practice Thursday or Friday for what the team said was non-injury-related reasons.
The Falcons fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard following a 30-0 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. McCloud and Hilliard are close, and Hilliard being in Atlanta was a significant reason why McCloud signed with the Falcons in the 2024 offseason.
After the firing, McCloud said Hilliard was the best coach he has ever had and that it reminded him that “this league has no loyalty.”
However, Morris said Hilliard’s dismissal was unrelated to the current situation with McCloud.
“This is between Ray-Ray, the organization and us and dealing with those things,” Morris said, adding that he too is close with Hilliard. “Nothing to do with that.”
Morris said he would not constitute sending McCloud home as disciplinary.
“It is just more a football thing and what we got to get straightened out,” Morris said.
