Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. They play in the National Football League as part of the National Football Conference South division. The team started on June 30, 1965, and joined the NFL in 1966.

The Falcons have had many years of playing well and some tough games. They have won several division titles and have been to the Super Bowl two times. Even though they haven’t won a championship yet, they are an important part of Atlanta’s sports history.

Today, the Falcons play their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened in 2017. The team’s offices and practice areas are in Flowery Branch, just north of Atlanta in Hall County.

History

Further information: History of the Atlanta Falcons

Professional football comes to Atlanta (1962)

Professional football first came to Atlanta in 1962, when the American Football League held preseason games. Two years later, the league held another exhibition game.

In 1965, Atlanta Stadium was built and the city wanted to start pursuing professional football. Some local businessmen worked out a deal but the NFL blocked it. By June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL.

The Atlanta Falcons began when they were approved to start in 1966 by a vote of NFL owners on June 21, 1965. Rankin Smith became the owner on June 30. He paid $8.5 million, the highest price for a franchise at the time. The Falcons became the 15th NFL team and got the first pick in the 1966 NFL draft. They chose linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas. The team also held an expansion draft to pick players from other teams.

The team's nickname, Falcons, was chosen on August 29, 1965, by a school teacher named Miss Julia Elliott. She said the falcon is proud, dignified, brave, and never gives up its prey.

Smith family era (1966–2001)

The Falcons started in 1966. Their first game was a loss on August 1. Under coach Norb Hecker, Atlanta lost their first nine games but won their first game on November 20. They finished 1–12–1 the next year. After a slow start in 1968, Hecker was dismissed. The team improved to 6–8 in 1969.

The Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in 1970, a loss to the Miami Dolphins. They had two winning seasons in their first 12 years: 1971 and 1973.

In 1978, the Falcons made the playoffs for the first time and won a game. They lost in the next round. In 1979, they had a losing season.

In 1980, the Falcons had a great season and won their first division title but lost in the playoffs. In 1982, they made the playoffs again but lost. Coach Leeman Bennett was fired. The team had losing seasons for the next eight years.

In the 1989 NFL draft, the Falcons chose cornerback Deion Sanders. He helped the team for four years and also played baseball for the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves.

After winning a game in 1991, the Falcons lost in the playoffs. In the 1991 NFL draft, they chose quarterback Brett Favre but he was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

In 1992, the Falcons moved into the new Georgia Dome, where they have beaten all 31 other NFL teams at least once.

Dan Reeves years (1997–2003)

In 1998, under new coach Dan Reeves, the Falcons had their best season up to that point. They finished 14–2 and won their division. They beat the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game but lost in Super Bowl XXXIII to the Denver Broncos.

In 1999, a key player was injured and the Falcons finished 5–11. In 2000, they finished 4–12.

In the 2001 NFL draft, the Falcons traded for quarterback Michael Vick.

The Falcons finished 2001 with a 7–9 record and missed the playoffs. Jessie Tuggle retired after 14 seasons.

Arthur Blank era (2002–present)

On December 6, 2001, Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of Home Depot, bought the team for $545 million.

In 2002, the Falcons returned to the playoffs but lost in the next round.

In 2003, the Falcons changed their logo. Vick broke his leg and missed most of the season. Coach Dan Reeves was fired. The team finished 5–11.

Jim Mora years (2004–2006)

In 2004, new coach Jim L. Mora led the Falcons to an 11–5 record and a playoff spot but they lost in the NFC Championship Game.

The Falcons had an 8–8 record in 2005. In 2006, Michael Vick rushed for over 1,000 yards but the team finished 7–9 and Mora was dismissed.

Bobby Petrino

Bobby Petrino became coach in 2007. Vick was suspended for dog fighting and later went to prison. Petrino resigned after one season and the Falcons finished 4–12.

Mike Smith years (2008–2014)

In 2008, Thomas Dimitroff became General Manager and Mike Smith became head coach. The Falcons made the playoffs but lost.

The team had winning seasons from 2008 to 2012. In 2010, they had the best record in the NFC but lost in the playoffs. In 2011, they traded for wide receiver Julio Jones. They made the playoffs in 2012 but lost again.

Injuries hurt the team in 2013 and they finished 4–12. Mike Smith was fired after the 2014 season.

Dan Quinn years (2015–2020)

In 2015, the Falcons were investigated for using artificial crowd noise and lost a draft pick.

Dan Quinn became coach in 2015. The team started 5–0 but finished 8–8. In 2016, they reached Super Bowl LI but lost by a big margin after leading 28–3.

The Falcons moved to the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. They made the playoffs in 2017 but lost. They missed the playoffs in 2018 and 2019. Quinn and the general manager were fired after a 0–5 start in 2020.

Arthur Smith years (2021–2024)

In 2021, Arthur Smith became head coach. The team improved to 7–10. In 2022, they finished last in their division with a 7–10 record. In 2023, they finished 7–10 again. Smith was fired after the season.

Raheem Morris years (2024–2025)

In 2024, Raheem Morris returned as head coach. He was fired after two seasons.

Kevin Stefanski years (2026–present)

In 2026, Kevin Stefanski became the new head coach.

Stadiums

Main article: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

The Atlanta Falcons have played in three different stadiums over 59 years. Their first home was Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, which they shared with the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team until 1991. In 1992, they moved to the Georgia Dome, where they played until 2016. The Georgia Dome was also used for college football games, including Georgia State and the Peach Bowl.

To replace the Georgia Dome, owner Arthur Blank worked with the city of Atlanta to build a new stadium. Blank contributed $800 million, and the city added $200 million. The new stadium, called the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, opened in 2017 and became the home of both the Falcons and the new Atlanta United FC Major League Soccer team.

Logo and uniforms

The Atlanta Falcons' colors are black, red, silver, and white. When the team started in 1966, they wore red helmets with a black falcon logo. The original colors honored the Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Over the years, the Falcons have changed their uniforms many times, switching between black and red jerseys and adding silver pants. They have also brought back special throwback uniforms to celebrate their history. In 2020, they changed their uniforms again, bringing back black as a main color. The Falcons plan new uniforms for 2026, bringing back red as the main color with some design elements from older uniforms.

Rivalries

Divisional

New Orleans Saints

Main article: Falcons–Saints rivalry

The Falcons have a strong rivalry with the New Orleans Saints. These two teams have played for many years, and their games are important for both cities. The rivalry began when both teams were the only NFL teams in the Deep South for a long time. The record between the two teams is tied.

Carolina Panthers

Main article: Falcons–Panthers rivalry

The Falcons also have a rivalry with the Carolina Panthers. Both teams have fought for the top spot in their division. This rivalry is called the "I-85 Rivalry" because Atlanta and Charlotte are close to each other on Interstate 85.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Main article: Buccaneers-Falcons rivalry

The Falcons have a rivalry with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though it is less intense than their other rivalries. The two teams have sometimes wanted the same players and staff.

Conference

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have a slight edge over the Falcons. Their rivalry began when the Falcons upset the Eagles in the 1978 Wild Card Round.

Green Bay Packers

The Falcons have a playoff history with the Green Bay Packers. This connection started when Atlanta traded for a famous quarterback, Brett Favre, who then helped the Packers win championships.

Statistics

Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons seasons

The Atlanta Falcons have many great records from games they have played. These records are for single games, whole seasons, and players' time with the team.

Season-by-season records

Single game records

Some great single-game performances include:

• Rushing: Michael Turner, 220 yards (September 7, 2008)
• Passing: Kirk Cousins, 509 yards (October 3, 2024)
• Passing touchdowns: Wade Wilson and Matt Ryan, 5 touchdowns (1992 and 2018)
• Receptions: William Andrews, 15 catches (September 15, 1981)
• Receiving yards: Julio Jones, 300 yards (October 2, 2016)
• Interceptions: Several players, 2 interceptions (most recently Jessie Bates on September 10, 2023)
• Field goals: Norm Johnson, 6 field goals (November 13, 1994)
• Total touchdowns: T. J. Duckett and Michael Turner, 4 touchdowns (2004 and 2008)
• Points scored: T. J. Duckett and Michael Turner, 24 points (2004 and 2008)
• Sacks: Adrian Clayborn, 6 sacks (November 13, 2017)

Single season records

Some great single-season performances include:

• Passing attempts: 651 by Matt Ryan (2013)
• Passing completions: 439 by Matt Ryan (2013)
• Passing yards: 4,944 by Matt Ryan (2016)
• Passing touchdowns: 38 by Matt Ryan (2016)
• Passing interceptions: 25 by Bobby Hebert (1996)
• Rushing attempts: 410 by Jamal Anderson (1998)
• Rushing yards: 1,846 by Jamal Anderson (1998)
• Rushing touchdowns: 17 by Michael Turner (2008)
• Receiving catches: 136 by Julio Jones (2015)
• Receiving yards: 1,871 by Julio Jones (2015)
• Receiving touchdowns: 15 by Andre Rison (1993)
• Quarterback sacks: 16.5 by John Abraham (2008)
• Pass interceptions: 10 by Scott Case (1988)
• Field goal attempts: 40 by Jay Feely (2002)
• Field goals made: 34 by Matt Bryant (2016 and 2017)
• Points: 158 by Matt Bryant (2016)
• Total touchdowns: 17 by Michael Turner (2008)

Career records

Some great career performances include:

• Passing attempts: 6,817 by Matt Ryan (2008–2021)
• Passing completions: 4,460 by Matt Ryan (2008–2021)
• Passing yards: 51,186 by Matt Ryan (2008–2021)
• Passing touchdowns: 321 by Matt Ryan (2008–2021)
• Rushing attempts: 1,587 by Gerald Riggs (1982–1988)
• Rushing yards: 6,631 by Gerald Riggs (1982–1988)
• Rushing yards by a QB: 3,859 by Michael Vick (2001–2006)
• Rushing touchdowns: 60 by Michael Turner (2008–2012)
• Receiving catches: 808 by Roddy White (2005–2015)
• Receiving yards: 12,125 by Julio Jones (2011–2020)
• Receiving touchdowns: 63 by Roddy White (2005–2015)
• Quarterback sacks: 68.5 by John Abraham (2006–2012)
• Pass interceptions: 39 by Rolland Lawrence (1973–1980)
• Field goal attempts: 296 by Matt Bryant (2009–2019)
• Field goals made: 224 by Matt Bryant (2009–2019)
• Points: 1,163 by Matt Bryant (2009–2019)
• Total touchdowns: 63 by Roddy White (2005–2015)
• Pass interception return yards: 658 by Rolland Lawrence (1973–1980)
• Pass interception returned for touchdowns: 4 by Deion Jones (2016–2022)
• Punt return yards: 1,723 by Allen Rossum (2002–2006)
• Kickoff return yards: 5,489 by Allen Rossum (2002–2006)
• Longest punt: 75 yards by John James and Harold Alexander (1972–1981 and 1993–1994)
• Longest field goal: 59 yards by Morten Andersen and Matt Bryant (1995–2000, 2006–2007 and 2009–2019)

Players

See also: List of Atlanta Falcons players

Current roster

Pro Football Hall of Famers

Humphrey is the only person in the Hall of Fame who spent most of his career with the Falcons.

Ring of Honor

Fourteen members are in the Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor.

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

Main article: Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

Starting quarterbacks

Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons starting quarterbacks

Draft history

In their history, the Falcons have had the number one overall pick four times.

Coaching staff

Head coaches

Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons head coaches

See also: History of Atlanta Falcons head coaches

The Atlanta Falcons have had 20 head coaches. Some coaches stayed only a short time. The team's current head coach is Kevin Stefanski.

Radio and television

The Atlanta Falcons have a main radio station called WZGC 92-9 The Game. Wes Durham is the announcer, and Dave Archer, a former Falcons player, helps explain the games.

In 2014, WUPA became the official TV station for the Falcons, showing their preseason games. During the regular season, most games are shown on WAGA. When the Falcons play against certain teams, games appear on WUPA or WXIA.

Radio affiliates

Georgia

Alabama

Mississippi

South Carolina

Tennessee

Notes and references