Falcons’ Ridley steps away for mental health

Joining other wellknown athletes who have struggled with mental health issues, Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley said he’s stepping away from football after being a last-minute scratch Sunday.

It was the second game that Ridley has missed this season for what the team would only describe as a personal matter.

“These past few weeks have been very challenging and as much as I’d like to be on the field ... with my teammates, I need to step away from football at this time and focus on my mental wellbeing,” Ridley wrote on his Twitter page during the Falcons’ loss to the Panthers.

He thanked the Falcons for their understanding, while giving no timetable for his possible return to the playing field.

“This will help me be the best version of myself now and in the future,” he said.

Coming off the best season of his career in 2020 and expected to claim an even bigger role in the offense after Julio

Jones was traded, Ridley followed other prominent athletes such as tennis star Naomi Osaka and gold medal gymnast Simone Biles in revealing the mental-health challenges of their high-pressure professions.

Ridley also missed the Falcons’ trip to London for an Oct. 10 victory over the Jets. He returned to the Falcons after their week off and started in last week’s 30-28 victory over the Dolphins but had only four catches for 26 yards.

College football: Michigan State moved up to No. 5 in The AP poll after its win over Michigan and Wake Forest became a top-10 team for the first time, checking in at No. 10. Georgia is a unanimous No. 1 for the fourth straight week.

NHL: Brett Pesce scored a power-play goal with 2:27 left to keep the Hurricanes undefeated with a 2-1 victory over the winless Coyotes. The Hurricanes are the league’s last unbeaten team at 8-0-0, extending the best start to a season in franchise history.