Matt Gono has been living in his own little Groundhog Day for years now. Every spring and summer, the coaching staff talks up his ability and promise and talks about what would happen if he got a larger role. Every time he gets any real playing time, he holds his own. Every time that happens, he goes back to the bench again and does not emerge until injury forces him into the lineup.
With just three games left to go in 2020, that’s likely to play out again. Kaleb McGary missed last Sunday’s game with an undisclosed non-injury absence and Gono stepped in, played the entire game, and successfully fended off Joey Bosa, grading out per Pro Football Focus as Atlanta’s second best offensive lineman of the day behind Jake Matthews.