Tom McCarthy ’11 signs with Atlanta Falcons

Tom McCarthy ’11 has a job.

Last year’s football captain signed with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted rookie free agent on Tuesday, a day after the NFL lockout ended. He flew to Atlanta Tuesday night to begin training camp and his professional football career.

The Falcons captured the NFC South crown last season, but struggled to find consistent defense against the pass. The 6-foot-6-inch, 265-pound McCarthy could bolster the team’s depth at defensive lineman, or assume a special teams role.

McCarthy declined to give an interview to the News Wednesday afternoon, explaining that he was at camp and would be spending all the free time he had studying his playbook. He said in April that he would continue working out near home in New Jersey — where he had trained in preparation for the draft — until the lockout’s end.

The former First Team All-Ivy selection played seven games his senior season, registering four sacks and 31 tackles.

Shane Bannon ’11 signs with Kansas City Chiefs

Three months after they selected him in the seventh round of the NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs signed former Yale fullback Shane Bannon ’11 on Wednesday, according to Aaron Wilson of Fox Sports.

Wilson tweeted that, according to a league source, Bannon signed a four-year deal with a signing bonus of just over $51,000. The contract comes as NFL teams have raced to understand new — and some say opaque — rules governing rookie compensation.

Bannon tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that he was in Kansas City. He did not immediately respond to a phone call requesting comment on Wednesday afternoon.