Established
1966
City
Atlanta
League History
1966 – Present / National Football League
Team History
1966 - Present / Atlanta Falcons
Nickname
Falcons - The Atlanta Falcons are one of the most iconic teams in the NFL, and their nickname has a long and storied history. The team was founded in 1966 as part of the National Football League's expansion into Georgia. Initially, they were known as the Atlanta Fire Birds - a reference to Georgia’s state bird (the brown thrasher) and its burning hot summers.
Like many teams, they held a naming contest when the Falcons were founded in 1966. Thirteen hundred people combined to suggest more than 500 names, including Peaches, Vibrants, Lancers, Confederates, Firebirds, and Thrashers. Several people entered the name Falcons, but the winning entry was awarded to Julia Elliot for describing the Falcon as “proud, dignified, and it never drops its prey. It is deadly and has great sporting tradition.”
In 1971, owner Rankin Smith decided it was time for a change; he wanted something more dignified than “Fire Birds,” so he commissioned an internal contest among employees to develop new name ideas. Out of over 200 submissions, "Falcons" emerged victorious due to its strong ties with local culture – Georgians had practiced falconry since colonial times –and because it could easily be shortened down to "FALC."
Since then, Falcons fans have proudly embraced their nickname, from tailgates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium decked out in red & black feathers on game days all year round through inspiring fan chants like “Rise!” during halftime shows or post-game celebrations after big wins—it's clear that this is one team whose spirit will never die! So next time you hear someone mention ‘the Dirty Bird' or 'Rise,' you'll know exactly what they're talking about: The Mighty Atlanta Falcons!
Championship
Super Bowl 0
Stadium
2017 - Present / Mercedes-Benz Stadium
1992 - 2016 / Georgia Dome
1976 - 1991 / Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
1966 - 1976 / Atlanta Stadium
Owner
2002 - Present / Arthur Blank
1997 - 2002 / Taylor Smith
1966 - 1997 / Rankin M. Smith, Sr.
- 1966
- 1992
- 1997
- 2002
- 2017
-
Atlanta Falcons Team Formation
On June 30, 1965, the Atlanta Falcons were born. The NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle granted ownership to Rankin M. Smith, Sr., the executive vice president of Life Insurance Company of Georgia. The name Falcons was suggested by Julia Elliott (1909–1990) a high school teacher from Griffin, Georgia who won a contest in 1965. Though 40 other contestants had also suggested ... -
New Georgia Dome Stadium
In 1992, the Falcons would move from the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to the Georgia Dome and finish with a 6–10 record. In the off-season, the team traded Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a first-round draft pick. Atlanta would regret this decision as Favre went on to fame and glory with his new team. -
Dan Reeves era
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 ... -
Arthur Blank New Owner
Smith continued to manage the day-to-day operations of the team until 1990 when he turned control of the team over to his son Taylor Smith. The team was sold to Arthur M. Blank in 2002 for $545 million. In February 2002, Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons franchise in the National Football League from owner Taylor Smith, the son of team ... -
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Opens in 2017
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is an under-construction retractable-roof, multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, that will serve as the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). It is intended to replace the Georgia Dome, which has been the Falcons’ home stadium since 1992. The total cost is estimated at $1.5 ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons, home to some of the NFL's greatest players, are an American professional football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The franchise began to play in 1965 as an expansion team, and their first season was unsuccessful—the team finished last with a record of 3–11. Since then, however, they have become one of the most successful teams in NFL history; since 1978, they have had only six losing seasons and made 16 playoff appearances, including two Super Bowl trips to Super Bowl XXXIII and Super Bowl LI.
The early years saw some success for the fledgling franchise under head coach Norb Hecker who led them to three winning seasons from 1966-1968. Still, it wasn't until General Manager Pat Peppler hired Norm Van Brocklin as head coach that things started taking off for Atlanta's pro football squad. In 1971 he assembled what is widely considered one of the most excellent drafts ever by any NFL Team – selecting future Hall-of-Famers RB Gerald Riggs (#3 overall), G Bill Fralic (#8 overall), LB Al Richardson (#21 overall). This group would go on to form part of the "Gritz Blitz" defense, which powered Atlanta's run from 1976-1978, where they won back-to-back NFC West titles culminating with their appearance at Superbowl XIII against Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fast forward several decades later - after numerous coaches & GMs came & went - current Head Coach Dan Quinn has been able to lead this proud organization into another era of greatness, having reached playoffs each year since 2015 while also making the trip back to SB LI vs. New England Patriots 2017 season. With the addition of young talent like QB Matt Ryan, WR Julio Jones, DE Vic Beasley Jr., CB Desmond Trufant, etc., there is no doubt plenty of excitement ahead for players and fans alike!
Sports Fan Products
Meet the Atlanta Falcons' Legendary Mount Rushmore: 4 All-Time Greats!
Welcome to 'Meet the Atlanta Falcons' Legendary Mount Rushmore: 4 All-Time Greats!', a video tribute to the outstanding athletes who have defined the Falcons' legacy. We unravel the extraordinary careers of Julio Jones, whose breathtaking catches and relentless drive have shattered franchise records, and Matt Ryan, the resilient quarterback whose leadership and precision have guided the team to numerous playoff berths.
Retired Number
10 / Steve Bartkowski
31 / William Andrews
57 / Jeff Van Note
60 / Tommy Nobis
*Blue is this team’s history