Falcons OC Steve Sarkisian shares his battle with alcoholism and not wanting his story to distract from the team goals. (0:34)

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Sometimes, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman will go chill at an Atlanta-area lounge. Sometimes, they'll grab chicken somewhere, since it's Coleman's favorite.

Recently, the Atlanta Falcons' running back tandem decided to go a different route for entertainment.

"We'll go to a movie together and things like that," Coleman said. "Last week, went to see 'Wonder Woman.' It was real good."

And it was just another opportunity for Freeman and Coleman to strengthen the bond they've built over the past couple years. No matter how much folks try to pit the two against each other, both appear to have bought into the team-first mentality coach Dan Quinn preaches. The two-time Pro Bowler Freeman constantly uses the word "brother" when describing his relationship with Coleman.

The feeling is mutual.

"That's my brother," Coleman said of Freeman. "We work hard. We do a lot of things together."

Quinn appreciates the mindset of his two dynamic backs, knowing how critical they are to the Falcons' success moving forward.

"You've heard me say how important the culture of our team is, and they embody that," Quinn said. "Not only do they compete at the same position, but they unconditionally support one another.

Devonta Freeman (24) and Tevin Coleman combined for 2,482 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

"I think there was no clearer example ... I think it was a third-down conversion that Tevin made on our sideline, and the first person to meet him was Free. He was so excited that his guy made the play that was a big third-down conversion. I think that embodied kind of all the things that I love about this team. Like most good shooters, they want it all the time. But they know that's not what's best for our team. We're really fortunate that they support each other greatly."

The numbers say Freeman and Coleman are arguably the best running back combo around with 2,482 yards and 24 combined touchdowns last season. New offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said one of his points of emphasis is making sure they are utilized in the best way possible.

"I think first and foremost, we have two really electric tailbacks, and they are bad matchups on defenses," Sarkisian said. "Just making sure we're putting those guys in the best position to be successful -- whether it's separately on the field, whether it's being on the field together."

The question is, how much longer will Freeman and Coleman remain a duo?

Much has been made of Freeman's contract situation as he moves into the final year of his rookie deal. He is to make $1.797 million in 2017, but is expected to sign an extension before the season, as general manager Thomas Dimitroff has indicated numerous times.

"On our end, we're just patient," Freeman said of securing a new deal. "We're just waiting for the right time."

Coleman will make $680,000 this season in the third year of his rookie deal. He is signed through 2018, but he certainly will seek his own big payday if he continues to be an integral part of the offense, with his big-play ability.

So what does Coleman think about the future of the two-headed monster?

"That's not really my decision," he said. "I'm just here to play football, to be the best football player that I can be. Of course, I want to be here with him. But we just have to keep on working."

Going into this season, Quinn has emphasized to each player finding at least one aspect to improve upon. Coleman showed tremendous progress with both ball security and catching the ball out of the backfield last season. There's one area he's focused on now more than any other: his health. He's been banged up throughout his first two seasons, including a high ankle sprain suffered in a Super Bowl loss to New England that he said required a month-long recovery.

"The goal is to just finish the season without being injured," Coleman said. "I had a couple injuries in my past two years and I just want to finish this season without any injuries. My ankle feels good now. It's great to be back with the fellas and just working hard. I'm just trying to get things right."