Australian Daniel Faalele makes NFL debut for Baltimore Ravens; fans demand he get a starring role
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Australian mountaineer Daniel Faalele realized a dream when he made his NFL debut on Monday morning, Australian time – and Ravens fans are so excited about him they’re already begging their team for more.
The 6-foot, 174-pound offensive lineman was picked up by the Ravens in the fourth round of the April NFL draw, but many expected him to be a project player who wouldn’t play much, if at all this season.
Faalele, the toughest player in the entire league, made a mockery of that prediction, befitting Baltimore in their heartbreaking 42-38 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
He was called up after impressing the Ravens coaching staff during preseason training camps, and after the team’s offensive line sustained some critical injuries to start the season.
Aussie star Daniel Faalele looks on as he is ready for action from the bench in his Monday morning NFL debut for the Baltimore Ravens
Faalele wasn’t satisfied with warming up off the bench, but was tossed in with high scores at a few crucial moments during the game, most notably blocking star quarterback Lamar Jackson as he threw a touchdown to Mark Andrews’ tight end.
Acting as an extra blocker on the right side, the Aussie — pictured below wearing the number 77 shirt — held Jackson’s pocket free when the superstar threw an easy one-yard touchdown.
Daniel Faalele (circled) blocks Lamar Jackson before throwing a touchdown pass to Mark Andrews
It’s an incredible feat for an Australian who has only been playing the game for five years to adapt, let alone thrive in the regular season action – but the patriarchal Ravens fans demand more.
Not from Faalele, who has clearly already caught the attention of the fanbase, but from the team.
The Ravens brought in the heaviest man in the league as an extra blocker in some crucial third-down situations, but inexplicably chose not to use his size to their advantage.
The fact that it was his first-ever NFL snap didn’t matter to Ravens supporters.
Daniel Faalele finally made his NFL debut after moving from Melbourne to the US in 2016
Ravens brought in rookie T (tackle) Daniel Faalele in third and 1 for a great jumbo look. But they ran the other way without a win,” a Ravens fan complained on Twitter.
Even Ravens editor-in-chief, Ryan Mink, joined in.
Daniel Faalele with his first NFL snap, came in as an extra blocker on third-and-1. Ravens ran to the other side, but that was a lot of beef. Run for no profit,” he wrote on Twitter.
It wasn’t just blocking – an attacking linesman’s bread and better – the pundits or fans were also looking.
Faalele with girlfriend Brianna Montgomery on the day the offensive lineman was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
They want the Aussie to set a record as the heaviest player to score a touchdown.
Fans could be inspired by the moment when Faalele lined up as a fullback while playing for the University of Minnesota, making his way for a touchdown.
It was a scene that quickly went viral and made NFL recruiters salivate at the Aussie’s vast potential.
Top experts and Ravens fans begged the team to let the man work on the goal line.
“Give the ball to Daniel Faalele, problem solved,” prominent football journalist Jonas Shaffer wrote on Twitter.
Faalele’s long-term girlfriend, Brianna Montgomery, was on hand at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium to see his debut — decked out in Ravens gear as she cheered her husband on from the stands.
“RT (re-tweet) if you cried,” she captioned a video featuring Faalele appearing on the big screen.
She excitedly shared the moment Faaele was on the field for Jackson’s touchdown, writing, “Don’t worry, right side is good! TD on this piece, go Ravens!’
Brianna Montgomery cheered on boyfriend Daniel Faalele while decked out in Ravens gear
Montgomery posted a photo of Faalele appearing on the big screen in the packed stadium
It has been a long journey for Faalele to reach this point, having moved to the US from Melbourne in 2016 to realize his dream of playing NFL.
The Aussie project pick still faced a tough challenge after the April draft to bring Baltimore’s final roster of 53 men back from the original 90 players.
Despite still being raw, injured his knee during preseason practice and gave up years of experience to his teammates; Faalele impressed the coaching staff and earned his spot through hard work.
It will no doubt be a moment he will remember forever – but unfortunately his team couldn’t get the job done in one of the most bizarre and high-scoring games in recent history.
An impressive 318 passing yards, 119 rushes and four touchdowns from Jackson weren’t enough to keep the Dolphins at bay in the entertaining 42-38 encounter.
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and six touchdowns, four of them in a spectacular fourth quarter, and the Dolphins recovered from 21 points to secure an unlikely win
Tagovailoa’s seven-meter touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle with just 14 seconds left completed the incredible comeback after Miami trailed 35-14 with less than 13 minutes left.
The Ravens will now look to regroup and rebound next Monday morning against a Patriots side that looks ripe for a beating after a lackluster start to their season.