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Former Packers DT with 971 yards feels unhappy in Atlanta. And has expressed a desire to return to Green Bay.

Atlanta, December 28, 2025 – Just weeks after his departure from the Green Bay Packers, wide receiver Malik Heath is reportedly struggling to find his footing with the Atlanta Falcons. According to sources close to the player, Heath has grown increasingly unhappy with his new environment, citing locker-room atmosphere, respect, and overall culture as falling short of what he experienced in Green Bay.

Heath joined the Packers in 2023 as an undrafted free agent and spent parts of three seasons with the organization, primarily serving as a depth receiver and special teams contributor. While his on-field production was modest, he was widely regarded as a high-character player who embraced his role and fit seamlessly into the team’s culture.

That made his release on December 6, 2025 — a roster move made to clear space for a defensive line addition — particularly difficult on a personal level. Two days later, Heath was claimed off waivers by Atlanta, remaining in the NFC and quickly joining the Falcons’ roster.

However, the transition has not gone smoothly. Heath has been inactive for multiple games since arriving in Atlanta, and those close to him say the adjustment goes beyond playbook familiarity or snap counts. The bigger issue, they note, is cultural.

“In Green Bay, everything felt connected,” Heath reportedly told people around him. “The locker room, the respect between teammates, the way veterans looked out for younger guys — it all mattered. Here, it just doesn’t feel the same.”

Those sentiments highlight how deeply Heath valued his time with the Packers. In Green Bay, despite limited opportunities, he felt trusted and supported — a sense of belonging he has yet to rediscover with the Falcons.
Packers WR Malik Heath Projected to Make Splash in NFL

“If there’s ever a chance,” Heath has privately said, “I want to go back to the Packers. That’s home to me.”

From Green Bay’s perspective, the door may not be entirely closed. The Packers have a history of bringing back familiar faces who understand the system and embrace complementary roles, especially when depth becomes a priority late in the season or during offseason roster reshuffling.

For now, Heath remains a member of the Falcons, and no additional roster moves have been reported as of late December 2025. But emotionally, his connection to Green Bay appears far from severed.

In a league defined by constant movement, Malik Heath’s story underscores a simple truth: sometimes, culture and belonging matter just as much as opportunity. And for Heath, that culture still wears green and gold.

Just Three Hours After Being Released by the Packers, 2× Pro Bowl Star Deletes Every Post About Green Bay After His Attempt to Take a Pay Cut to Stay Was Rejected — His Vow Never to Return Leaves Packers Nation in Sympathy
Green Bay, Wisconsin – The offseason took an emotional turn for the Green Bay Packers when the organization decided to release veteran offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins as part of a salary-cap adjustment. But what happened just hours later turned the situation into one of the most emotional storylines of the week across the NFL. According to multiple reports, Jenkins — a two-time Pro Bowl selection and former All-Pro honoree — had attempted to negotiate with the team and even offered to take a pay cut in order to remain with the franchise that originally drafted him. The effort ultimately fell short as Green Bay chose to move forward with a roster reset, clearing nearly $20 million in cap space for the 2026 season. Just three hours after the release became official, fans began noticing something unusual on Jenkins’ social media accounts. Every post connected to his years in Green Bay — from locker room celebrations to photos wearing the iconic green-and-gold uniform — had quietly disappeared. Jenkins had been one of the pillars of the Packers’ offensive line since being selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. Throughout multiple seasons, he built a reputation for rare versatility, capable of playing guard, tackle, and center at an elite level, and was widely regarded as one of the most reliable and flexible offensive linemen in the league. At his peak, Jenkins was often described as Green Bay’s “secret weapon” on the offensive front. He protected multiple quarterbacks over the years and helped anchor an offense that consistently remained competitive during several playoff runs. His ability to seamlessly shift across nearly every position along the offensive line made him one of the most trusted players inside the Packers’ locker room. At first, the decision to erase those memories surprised many fans. But once reports surfaced that Jenkins had been willing to sacrifice financially just to remain with the team, the reaction across Packers Nation quickly shifted from shock to empathy. Green Bay will always hold a special place in my heart because it’s where my journey truly began. But sometimes you fight to stay somewhere and still realize that chapter has ended, and when that moment comes, the only thing you can do is walk away with respect for every memory that was built there. While Jenkins did not criticize the organization, sources close to the situation say the emotional weight of the release influenced his decision to remove the posts. What surprised many even more was the report that Jenkins has told people close to him that he does not plan to return to Green Bay at any point in his career, choosing instead to start an entirely new chapter elsewhere in the NFL. Yet instead of anger, the reaction from Packers fans has largely been one of understanding. For many supporters, Jenkins’ willingness to take a pay cut simply reinforced what they had long believed. He wasn’t just protecting the quarterback on Sundays.He was trying to protect a home he once hoped would last his entire career.