Falcons’ Andy Levitre’s focus is ‘getting back to 100 percent healthy’

Veteran guard Andy Levitre is heading to free agency for the second time in his NFL career, something he finds “pretty exciting.”

However, he has a greater concern: his health.

‘Having that same injury the second time, I just want to ensure that my triceps is ready to go’

Levitre, who spent the past four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, is dealing with his second torn triceps muscle.

“Having that same injury the second time, I just want to ensure that my triceps is ready to go,” Levitre told Alex Marvez and Alex Boone on the SiriusXM Blitz. “Right now my focus is just going to rehab and getting back to one-hundred percent healthy.”

‘I think the situation in Atlanta worked out amazing for me’

Levitre began his career in 2009 with the Buffalo Bills, who made him a second-round draft pick in Oregon State. In 2013, he signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans, who two years later traded him to the Falcons. Levitre couldn’t be happier about the way things have worked out.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity, the atmosphere there, the coaches there just want you to go out and do your best and that’s all they asked of you.”

“I think the situation in Atlanta worked out amazing for me,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity, the atmosphere there, the coaches there just want you to go out and do your best and that’s all they asked of you. And don’t try and be more than you are.

‘I think I made some strides, especially between my first and second year in Atlanta’

“As soon as I got there, that was the first thing DQ (coach Dan Quinn) said to me, and that really stuck with me. And I just thought, ‘Hey, I’m just going to go ahead and give it everything I got. And we’ll see how it goes.’ I think I made some strides, especially between my first and second year in Atlanta.”

Although the Falcons had a disappointing season in 2018, Levitre doesn’t think they’re in need of a whole lot of fixing. They finished with a 7-9 record, although they did manage to win their final three games.

‘For whatever reason, things didn’t work out the way we thought they would this year’

“I’m very excited,” Levitre said. “When I got here, I didn’t really know much about Atlanta and the Falcons and all that, and I was blown away by the amount of talent that’s on this team. For whatever reason, things didn’t work out the way we thought they would this year.

“But I know DQ, his mindset and I’m really not worried at all. I think I think they’re going to do great. I think there’s nothing major that was missing. I think it’s just a couple minor things here and there and they’ll be right back on track.”