D.J. Tialavea waited nearly three years to make his NFL debut, but he made the most of it Saturday in Atlanta’s 33-16 win over Carolina.
Tialavea, the former Utah State tight end and a West Jordan High grad, has spent the past three years with three different teams and reached no higher than the practice squad at the NFL level. On Thursday, though, the Falcons elevated him to the active roster.
He made an impact in the second quarter, catching a 1-yard touchdown pass from Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan to give the Falcons a 20-3 lead. It came on a third-down play and capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive.