The Falcons have officially benched Marcus Mariota in favor of rookie QB Desmond Ridder. Why? Well, things haven't gone spectacularly for the former No. 2 overall pick this year, even despite playing alongside some uber-talented offensive weapons like Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Cordarrelle Patterson.

Ridder's rise to the NFL was never guaranteed. Heading into college, he was a three-star recruit ranking 1,657th on the list of 2017 class prospects. Hell, he didn't even rank inside the top 100 of dual-threat quarterbacks in his class. That didn't stop him, though.

He went on to earn the start as a redshirt freshman and never looked back, bringing Cincinnati football back to life. He's known to be a great leader. He's a stellar athlete. Now, he's starting at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He really went from 1,657th in his class to the second QB off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft. That's some underdog energy we absolutely LOVE.

ICYMI: here's the wholesome moment he was drafted.

Now you're filled in on what Ridder accomplished on the field. What you might not know about Desmond Ridder, though, is that he's a #GirlDad. 💪 and he LOVES it.

Look here, where he posted a video of the time he punted a football and officially assumed his title of GIRL DAD.

See here, where he proudly announces that he is a GIRL DAD in his Twitter bio... just below the cutest picture ever of his daughter holding his very large finger.

Here he is in his GIRL DAD t-shirt.

Here, he brought his daughter to work. While we can assume Leighton is probably not ready for contact sports, she is officially almost as big as a football, which is another thing that Desmond Ridder really likes.

Last but not least, enjoy this clip of ultimate #GirlDad wishing his #GirlDaughter a happy first birthday.

We <3 Girl Dads!

Bet on on the #UnderdogGirlDad and the Falcons with us in Week 15!

The bet: Falcons +184

You win if… the Falcons win! It’s the definition of a win-win. Bet $10 to win $18.40 in profit for a take home total of $28.40!

Keep in mind that it’s a risky bet! The Falcons are underdogs. They’re on the road. In fact, they’ve won just one of their last meetings dunce 2020. They’re starting a new quarterback who’s never seen action in the regular season. It’s all terrifying.

As we noted, however, Desmond Ridder is no stranger to that underdog mentality.

Head on over to FanDuel Sportsbook! New users will receive a "No Sweat Bet" with up to $1,000 back in site credit if your first bet doesn't cash! 👀