Four Atlanta Falcons players traded their helmets for a game show mic on Thursday, and they looked more natural than they have on the field all season. Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, Jalon Walker, and Kyle Pitts competed to guess American opinions, according to Yahoo Sports. The team is 3-6 after losing four of its last five games and beat a host that usually sees celebrities crumble under pressure.
Host Jaleel White admitted the players left him feeling intimidated in the best way possible. He told USA TODAY that the group made him feel “very small” during filming at Trilith Studios. White specifically noted that Jalon Walker was a man he could not imagine chasing on a grass field. The host praised the group for being incredibly charismatic and educated while filming the Nov. 12 episode.
A Friendly Rivalry on Stage
The competition split the group by college conference, turning a friendly game into a battle of SEC versus Big 10 pride. Dorlus, who attended Oregon, and Harrison, who attended Ohio State, represented the Big 10 Conference. Hailing from Georgia and Florida, Walker and Pitts held the line for the SEC. White said the two sides were “very competitive” throughout the rounds.
As the players spoke, the air was filled with inside jokes comparing the education provided by the SEC to that of the Big 10. White described them as gentle giants who did not want to say anything that might upset their mothers or their wives. This dynamic showed a different side of the roster that fans rarely get to see during a rough stretch of the season.
The show offers a unique twist on standard survey games like “Family Feud” by adding a new layer of interaction. Teams compete for $10,000 as the stakes get higher through multiple rounds. He believes the Falcons episode is going to be fantastic because of the heightened energy the players brought to the crew.
White is no stranger to the Hollywood elite and hopes to bring more stars to film at Trilith Studios just south of Atlanta. An ultimate sports celebrity matchup featuring the Williams sisters and Kelce brothers would make up his dream episode.
The team faces the Kansas City Chiefs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. ET. Before that game, fans will get to see how well the Falcons guess what the average American thinks when the episode airs.
