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 was started on June 30, 1965, and joined the NFL in 1966 to keep their owner from joining a rival league.

Over their many years, the Falcons have had both great successes and tough losses. They have won several division titles and have gone to the big game, known as the Super Bowl, two times. Even though they haven’t won a championship yet, they remain a proud part of Atlanta’s sports history.

Today, the Falcons play their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a wonderful venue that opened in 2017. The team’s offices and practice areas are located in Flowery Branch, just a little way 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 (AFL) held preseason games. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition game.

In 1965, after Atlanta Stadium was built, the city wanted to start pursuing professional football. Some local businessmen worked out a deal and were awarded an AFL franchise, but NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle blocked the rival league's claim on the city. By June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL.

The Atlanta Falcons franchise began when it was approved to begin play in 1966 by a unanimous vote of the NFL club owners on June 21, 1965. Rozelle granted ownership nine days later on June 30 to Rankin Smith Sr., an executive vice president of Life Insurance Company of Georgia. He paid $8.5 million, the highest price in NFL history at the time for a franchise. Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta.

The Atlanta expansion team became the 15th NFL franchise, and they were awarded the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft as well as the final pick in each of the first five rounds. They selected consensus All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas, making him the first-ever Falcon. The league also held the expansion draft six weeks later in which Atlanta selected unprotected players from the 14 existing franchises. Although the Falcons selected many good players in those drafts, they still were not able to win right away.

The Atlanta team received its nickname on August 29, 1965. Miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, was singled out from many people who suggested "Falcons" as the nickname for the new franchise. She wrote: "the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight. It never drops its prey. It is deadly and has a great sporting tradition."

Smith family era (1966–2001)

The Falcons' inaugural season was in 1966, and their first preseason game was on August 1, a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Under head coach Norb Hecker, Atlanta lost their first nine regular-season games in 1966; their first victory came on the road against the struggling New York Giants on November 20 in Yankee Stadium. Two weeks later, Atlanta won at Minnesota, and beat St. Louis in Atlanta the next week for their first home win. The team finished with a 1–12–1 record the next year, with the only win coming in Week 7 in a 21–20 win over the Minnesota Vikings in 1967. After a 0–3 start to the 1968 season, Hecker was dismissed. Norm Van Brocklin finished out the season as head coach with a 2–9 record. Van Brocklin continued to coach the team the next season. The team improved to a 6–8 record in 1969.

The Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in Atlanta during the 1970 season, a 20–7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The team went 4–8–2 in 1970. The only two winning seasons in their first 12 years were 1971 (7–6–1) and 1973 (9–5).

In the 1978 season, the 9–7 Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the first time and won the Wild Card game against the Eagles 14–13. The following week, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27–20 in the Divisional Playoffs. The 1979 team regressed to a 6–10 record.

In the 1980 season, after a nine-game winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then-best record of 12–4 and captured their first NFC West division title. The next week, their dream season ended at home with a loss to the Cowboys 30–27 in the divisional playoffs. In the strike-shortened 1982 season, the 5–4 Falcons made the playoffs but lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 30–24. Falcons coach Leeman Bennett was fired after the loss. The team then had losing seasons for the next eight years. Dan Henning was hired prior to the 1983 season.

In the 1989 NFL draft, the Falcons selected cornerback Deion Sanders in the first round, who helped them for the next four years, setting many records for the franchise. "Neon Deion" (a.k.a. "Prime Time") had a flashy appeal and helped bring media attention to one of the league's most anonymous franchises. Sanders was also famous for playing on major league baseball teams (New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves) while simultaneously playing in the NFL.

After defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card game, the Falcons' 1991 season ended in a divisional playoff loss to the Washington Redskins. In the 1991 NFL draft, the Falcons selected quarterback Brett Favre as the 33rd overall pick. During his rookie season, he played in two games where he amassed a record of four passing attempts with no receptions and two interceptions. The following February, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

In 1992, the Atlanta Falcons opened a new chapter in their history moving into the newly constructed Georgia Dome, where the team has defeated all 31 other NFL teams at least once during its time there.

Dan Reeves years (1997–2003)

In 1998, under recently acquired head coach Dan Reeves, quarterback Chris Chandler and running back Jamal Anderson the "Dirty Bird" Falcons had their greatest season to date. On November 8, they beat the New England Patriots 41–10, ending a streak of 22 losses at cold-weather sites. The team finished with a franchise-best 14–2 regular-season record and the NFC West division championship. On January 17, 1999, the Falcons upset the top-seeded Vikings at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in the NFC Championship Game 30–27, in an exciting overtime victory. However, in their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, they lost 34–19 to the defending champion Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.

In the second game of the Falcons 1999 season, running back Jamal Anderson, who had been a key player in the Falcons' 1998 success, suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Falcons finished the season with a very disappointing 5–11 regular-season record. In 2000, the Falcons suffered through another horrendous season finishing 4–12 and once again missing the playoffs.

In the 2001 NFL draft, the Falcons orchestrated a trade with the San Diego Chargers, acquiring the first overall pick (which was used on quarterback Michael Vick) in exchange for wide receiver-return specialist Tim Dwight and the fifth overall pick (used on running back LaDainian Tomlinson).

The Falcons finished the 2001 season with a record of 7–9 and missed the playoffs. Jessie Tuggle retired following 14 seasons in Atlanta.

Arthur Blank era (2002–present)

On December 6, 2001, billionaire Home Depot co-founder Arthur M. Blank reached a preliminary agreement with the Falcons' Taylor Smith to purchase the team for a reported $545 million. In a special meeting prior to Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans on February 2, 2002, NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the deal.

The 2002 season saw the Falcons return to the playoffs with a regular-season record of 9–6–1, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was Vick's first year as the starter, and the team, with newly acquired running back Warrick Dunn, delivered the Green Bay Packers their first home playoff loss ever with a 27–7 result in the Wild Card Round. A 20–6 loss to the Donovan McNabb-led Philadelphia Eagles the following week, however, ended the Falcons' season.

On March 19, 2003, the Falcons presented their new logo. During the 2003 preseason Vick broke his leg and missed the first 12 games of the season. After losing 7 straight games, the decision was made to fire head coach Dan Reeves. Wade Phillips acted as interim coach for the final three games. Although the Falcons won 3 of their last 4 games after the return of Vick, they ended up with a 5–11 record that year.

Jim Mora years (2004–2006)

In 2004, a new head coach, Jim L. Mora, was hired and Vick returned for the full season. The Falcons went 11–5, winning their third division title and earning a first-round bye into the playoffs. In the divisional playoffs, the Falcons defeated the St. Louis Rams, 47–17, in the Georgia Dome, advancing to the NFC Championship Game, which they lost to the Eagles, 27–10.

The Falcons again fell short of achieving back-to-back winning seasons in 2005, going 8–8. In 2006, Michael Vick became the first quarterback in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, with 1,039. After finishing the season 7–9, however, coach Jim Mora was dismissed.

Bobby Petrino

Bobby Petrino, the University of Louisville's football coach, replaced Mora. Before the 2007 season began, Vick was suspended indefinitely by the NFL after pleading guilty to charges involving dog fighting in the state of Virginia. On December 10, 2007, Vick received a 23-month prison sentence and was officially cut from the Atlanta roster.

For the 2007 season, the Falcons were forced to start Joey Harrington at quarterback. On December 11, 13 games into his first NFL season as head coach, Bobby Petrino resigned without notice to coach at the University of Arkansas, leaving the beleaguered players only a note in the locker room. Secondary Coach Emmitt Thomas was named interim coach for the final three games of the season on December 12. The Falcons ended the year with a dismal 4–12 record.

After the tumultuous and disappointing 2007 season, the Falcons made a number of moves, hiring a new general manager and head coach, drafting a new starting quarterback, and signing a starting running back.

Mike Smith years (2008–2014)

On January 13, 2008, the Falcons named former Patriots director of college football scouting Thomas Dimitroff General Manager. On January 23, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coach and former linebackers coach for the 2000 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens Mike Smith was named the Falcons' new head coach. Chargers back-up running back Michael Turner agreed to a 6-year, $30 million deal on March 2. On April 26, Matt Ryan (quarterback from Boston College) was drafted third overall in the 2008 NFL draft by the Falcons.

The Falcons finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 11–5, and the #5 seed in the playoffs. On December 21, 2008, Atlanta beat the Minnesota Vikings 24–17 to clinch a wild card spot, earning a trip to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Falcons would go on to lose in the wild-card round of the 2008 NFL playoffs to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals, 30–24.

Matt Ryan started all 16 games in his rookie season and was named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. First-year head coach Mike Smith was named 2008 NFL Coach of the Year.

Although they failed to make the playoffs in 2009 the team rallied to win their final three regular-season games to record back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. The Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20–10 in the final game of the season to improve their record to 9–7.

In 2010, with a regular-season record of 13–3, the Falcons secured a third straight winning season, their fourth overall divisional title, and the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs; however, the Falcons were overpowered by the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs 48–21. The Falcons scored 414 points – the fifth-most in franchise history. The team sent an NFL-high and franchise-best nine players to the 2011 Pro Bowl.

The Falcons made a surprise trade up with the Cleveland Browns in the 2011 NFL draft to select Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones sixth overall. In exchange, the Falcons gave up their first-, second- and fourth-round draft picks in 2011, and their first and fourth draft picks in 2012. Jones, along with teammates Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, have since been dubbed Atlanta's "Big Three" (based on their total number of reception yards). On August 30, 2011, Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King, who correctly predicted the 2011 Super Bowl, made his predictions for the 2011 season and picked the Falcons to defeat the San Diego Chargers in the 2012 Super Bowl. The Falcons finished the season at 10–6, securing the fifth seed after a Week 17 beatdown of Tampa Bay in which the Falcons pulled their starters after leading 42–0 just 23 minutes into the game.

The Falcons then went on to play the New York Giants in a 2011 NFC Wild Card Game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first half was a defensive struggle, with the first points coming off of a safety by the Falcons, giving Atlanta a 2–0 lead. In the second quarter, though, Eli Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks for a short touchdown pass to make it 7–2 Giants heading into the second half. Then the Giants took control, as Manning threw for two more touchdown passes to Mario Manningham and Nicks and the defense completed its shutout of the Falcons to give the New York Giants the win, 24–2, and the Falcons their third straight playoff loss with Matt Ryan and Mike Smith. After the season, defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder accepted a coaching job at Auburn University, and the offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey took the head coaching job in Jacksonville.

Atlanta exploded out of the gate, going a franchise-best 8–0 and remaining the last unbeaten team in the NFL that year. Their hopes to get an undefeated season came to an end with a 27–31 loss to the division rival Saints. Julio Jones had a remarkable second year, grabbing 10 touchdowns and 1,198 yards. The Falcons finished the season 13–3, and clinched the number one seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Falcons played the Seattle Seahawks in their first playoff game. Although they went down 28–27 with only 31 seconds left on the clock, Matt Ryan led the team to their first playoff victory, 30–28. It was the only playoff victory in the Mike Smith era.

The Atlanta Falcons then advanced to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons seized control of the game early with a Matt Bryant field goal, a trio of Matt Ryan touchdown passes caught by Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez coupled with outstanding defensive play. By the end of the half, the score was 24–14. The tides of the game began to shift in the second half as the 49ers rallied back with a pair of Frank Gore touchdown runs. Atlanta's offense attempted to reply but were ultimately shut down by the 49er defense. A few series later, late in the 4th quarter with little time remaining, Atlanta found themselves in a 4th and 4 situation at the 10-yard line. The Falcons needed just 10 more yards to secure victory and advance to their first Super Bowl berth in 14 years. Matt Ryan fired a pass to Roddy White which was ultimately broken up by inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman, resulting in a 28–24 defeat.

Following the success of the previous season, the Falcons were an expected Super Bowl contender. However, injuries hampered the team's performance and the team finished the season 4–12. With that, the streak of consecutive winning seasons came to an end and Mike Smith had his first losing season as a head coach. Tony Gonzalez, in his final season in the NFL, was selected to the 2014 Pro Bowl as a starter representing Team Rice. Following the conclusion of the 2012 season, director of player personnel Les Snead departed the team to join the St. Louis Rams and Dave Caldwell, assistant to general manager Thomas Dimitroff, left the team to join the Jacksonville Jaguars. Scott Pioli, former GM of the Kansas City Chiefs, was announced as the Falcons' new assistant GM. Mike Smith was given a one-year extension on his contract as head coach. The Falcons had the 6th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft with which they selected Jake Matthews, who played as offensive tackle for Texas A&M.

Despite having another rough season, the Falcons still had an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs at the end of the regular season. The Falcons hosted the Carolina Panthers in their regular season finale, with the winners clinching the NFC South division. Unfortunately, the Falcons lost in a 34–3 blowout as Matt Ryan threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns and got sacked six times. The Falcons finished the season 6–10, marking the second consecutive losing season for the team. The following day, Mike Smith was fired after seven seasons as head coach. The Falcons would soon hire Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as the team's 16th head coach. The Falcons had the 8th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft with which they selected Vic Beasley, a defensive end from Clemson University.

Dan Quinn years (2015–2020)

In February 2015, the team was investigated by the NFL for alleged use of artificial crowd noise in the Georgia Dome. The Falcons lost a 2016 NFL draft selection as a result of the league's investigation.

Dan Quinn's first season saw a 5–0 start, the team's best start in four years. They would then struggle throughout the rest of the season by losing 8 of their last 11 games, resulting in an 8–8 record in the 2015 season. They did, however, give the Panthers their only regular-season loss. The Falcons used their first-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft on safety Keanu Neal from the University of Florida.

In the Falcons' 25th and final season in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta lost their week 1 game to the Buccaneers 24–31. The Falcons would then win their next four including one over the Panthers, when the franchise set new records: Matt Ryan threw for 503 yards, and Julio Jones caught 12 passes for 300 yards. Beating the San Francisco 49ers 41–13 in Week 15, the Falcons improved to 9–5 and secured their first winning season since 2012. One week later, the Falcons defeated the Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina, and clinched their first NFC South division title since 2012. In their last regular-season game at the Georgia Dome, the Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints, and secured an 11–5 record and a first-round bye.

In the divisional round of the playoffs, Atlanta defeated the Seahawks 36–20 in the Georgia Dome, and hosted their last game at the Georgia Dome against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game on January 22, 2017. The Falcons defeated the Packers 44–21 to advance to Super Bowl LI as the NFC champions. Atlanta was up 28–3 late in the third quarter, and the New England Patriots scored 31 unanswered points, with the last 6 in the first-ever overtime in the Super Bowl. The Patriots' 25-point comeback was the largest in Super Bowl history.

In 2016, the Falcons scored 540 points in the regular season, the seventh-most in NFL history, tied with the Greatest Show on Turf (the 2000 St. Louis Rams). However, the Falcons defense gave up 406 points, 27th in the league.

The Falcons moved into their new home, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, this season. Their first game ever played at the new stadium was a preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The first regular-season game at the new stadium was a rematch of the 2016–17 NFC Championship, with Atlanta defeating Green Bay 34–23. Their first loss of the season was a 23–17 home defeat to the Buffalo Bills in week 4. The team returned to the playoffs with a 10–6 record (albeit with a third-place finish in the NFC South). The Falcons defeated the Los Angeles Rams 26–13 in the Wild Card round, but their 2017 season came to an end a week later in the Divisional Playoff round at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 15–10. The 2018 and 2019 seasons saw the Falcons go 7–9 and miss the postseason both years.

In their first game with new uniforms, the Falcons lost to the Seattle Seahawks at home 38–25. The Falcons then suffered comebacks made by both the Cowboys on the road (39–40) and then back in Atlanta against the Bears (26–30). On October 11, after the team suffered a 23–16 loss at home against the Carolina Panthers and fell to 0–5, the Falcons announced the firings of Quinn and Dimitroff. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris took over for the rest of the season, leading the team to a 4–12 record. Morris was not retained after the season, and soon joined the Los Angeles Rams as their defensive coordinator.

Arthur Smith years (2021–2024)

On January 15, 2021, the Falcons announced that Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith had been named the 18th head coach in franchise history. Four days later, New Orleans Saints executive Terry Fontenot was named the Falcons' new general manager. Tight end Kyle Pitts was selected with the 4th pick of the 2021 draft, and longtime star receiver Julio Jones was traded to the Titans, after publicly requesting a trade from Atlanta. The Falcons improved on their record from the prior year, finishing the season with a 7–10 record.

On March 21, 2022, the Falcons traded longtime star quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. During the 2022 season, the team finished last place in the NFC South with a 7–10 record.

The Falcons entered the 2023 seasons with heightened expectations after drafting Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick of the 2023 draft and making significant improvements in free agency, including signing Jessie Bates and Calais Campbell to improve their defense. However, the team finished with a 7–10 record for the third consecutive season, although they had been in contention for a playoff spot until the final day of the season before a 48–17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on January 7, 2024. The following day, Smith was fired after three years as head coach.

Raheem Morris years (2024–2025)

On January 25, 2024, the Falcons announced Raheem Morris's return to the organization, this time as the 19th head coach in Falcons history. During the early months of his tenure, Morris faced scrutiny and criticism for his questionable player selection decisions. Morris was fired on January 4, 2026, after two seasons as head coach.

Kevin Stefanski years (2026–present)

On January 17, 2026, the Falcons announced that former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski had been named the 20th head coach in franchise history.

Stadiums

Main article: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

The Atlanta Falcons have played in three different stadiums over their 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 the 2016 season. 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 began playing in 1966, they wore red helmets with a black falcon crest 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 to introduce new uniforms for the 2026 season, 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 competed 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 at 55–55, with the Saints winning the last game on January 7, 2024.

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. The Falcons lead this rivalry 36–22.

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 competed for the same players and staff.

Conference

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have a slight edge over the Falcons, leading 21–15–1, including playoff games. Their rivalry began when the Falcons upset the Eagles in the 1978 Wild Card Round. Recently, the Falcons beat the Eagles in week 2 of a season when the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl LIX.

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. The two teams have met four times in the playoffs, with the Packers leading the overall series 19–16.

Statistics

Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons seasons

The Atlanta Falcons have many impressive records from games they have played. Some of these records are for single games, some are for whole seasons, and others are for players' entire careers with the team.

Here are some of the top records:

Season-by-season records

Single game records

Some amazing 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 fantastic 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 amazing 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 included 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 the team's 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 throughout their history. Some of these coaches served only for 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