Atlanta Falcons

The NFL awarded its 15th franchise to Atlanta, with Rankin M. Smith paying $8.5 million for the team. The Falcons made their first draft selection on November 27, choosing linebacker Tommy Nobis, and signed him on December 14 as they assembled their inaugural roster.⁠[1]

Norb Hecker became the first head coach. Atlanta began play in 1966, lost its first nine games, then recorded its first victory on November 20 by beating the New York Giants 27–16. The Falcons finished their first season with three wins.⁠[1]

Under Norm Van Brocklin, Atlanta posted its first winning season at 7–6–1 in 1971 and improved to 9–5 in 1973. Its defense allowed just 129 points over 14 games in the 1977 season, a notable achievement in the franchise’s early history.⁠[1]

The Falcons reached the playoffs three times between 1978 and 1982. In 1980, a team featuring quarterback Steve Bartkowski and running back William Andrews won 12 games and the NFC West title. The club had also moved into a training complex in Suwanee in 1978.⁠[1]

Atlanta moved into the Georgia Dome in 1992. In the 1998 season, the Falcons went 14–2 in the regular season and won the NFC championship, reaching the Super Bowl for the first time. They faced the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are an NFL professional American football team awarded an AFL charter franchise in 1959 and beginning play in 1960. They play at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, and won Super Bowls XXXII, XXXIII and 50. The Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group took over in 2022.Open the full entry in Super Bowl XXXIII.⁠[1]

Arthur M. Blank purchased the Falcons in 2002 and became owner and chairman. The organization connected its activities with youth football, community programs and the fan experience. Blank was later inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor.⁠[2]

After winning the NFC championship for the 2016 season, Atlanta reached Super Bowl LI. The Falcons led the New England Patriots 28–3 in the third quarter but were tied and then lost 34–28 in overtime. The game was played at NRG Stadium in Houston on February 5, 2017, concluding the 2016 season.⁠[3]

After 25 years in the Georgia Dome, the Falcons moved into Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The stadium is in Atlanta, while the team’s headquarters and practice facility are in Flowery Branch.⁠[2][1][4]

The Falcons appointed Matt Ryan president of football, Kevin Stefanski head coach and Ian Cunningham general manager. The team’s staff tracker, updated March 8, also identified Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich as the retained defensive coordinator and Craig Aukerman as special teams coordinator.⁠[5]

The Atlanta Falcons are an NFL team whose home stadium is in Atlanta, Georgia. The headquarters are on Falcon Parkway in Flowery Branch, while the stadium is on AMB Drive in Atlanta. The team name, home city and headquarters location therefore refer to distinct aspects of the organization.⁠[4]

Atlanta Falcons: Official website: https://www.atlantafalcons.com/ (opens in a new window) .⁠[6]

Atlanta Falcons: X: https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons (opens in a new window) .⁠[7]

Atlanta Falcons: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/atlantafalcons (opens in a new window) .⁠[7]

Atlanta Falcons: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: https://www.linkedin.com/company/atlanta-falcons/ (opens in a new window) .⁠[4]