The Ultimate List of 100 Atlanta Falcons Facts: Shocking Trivia & Historic Records

Are you a die-hard Dirty Bird fan who thinks they know everything about the franchise? Or are you a new supporter trying to catch up on decades of history? Whether you bleed red and black or just love NFL trivia, this collection of 100 Atlanta Falcons facts will blow your mind.

From their humble beginnings in the 1960s to the high-flying “Matty Ice” era and the architectural marvel of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons have a history rich with incredible highs and heartbreaking lows. We have dug deep into the archives to bring you the most comprehensive list on the web.

Here is the ultimate guide to the team from the A.

The Early Years: Founding a Franchise (1965–1979)

The story of the Falcons begins way before the first kickoff. These facts cover the birth of the franchise and its struggle to find footing in the NFL.

1. 100 Atlanta Falcons facts often start here: The franchise was officially founded on June 30, 1965.
2. The team was established by Rankin Smith Sr., an executive vice president of the Life Insurance Company of Georgia.
3. Rankin Smith paid $8.5 million for the franchise rights—a massive sum at the time, but pennies compared to today’s NFL valuations.
4. The Falcons were the 15th franchise to join the NFL.
5. The team was granted to Atlanta in part to stop the rival American Football League (AFL) from adding a team in the city.
6. The nickname “Falcons” was chosen via a contest. A schoolteacher named Julia Elliott from Griffin, Georgia, submitted the winning name.
7. Elliott’s reasoning for the name was poetic: “The Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight. It never drops its prey.”
8. The team’s very first draft pick (and the first overall pick in the 1966 draft) was linebacker Tommy Nobis from Texas.
9. Tommy Nobis was so coveted that he was also drafted by the AFL’s Houston Oilers but chose Atlanta.
10. Nobis would go on to become “Mr. Falcon,” the franchise’s first true superstar.
11. The Falcons played their inaugural season in 1966.
12. Their first-ever head coach was Norb Hecker, who had previously been an assistant under the legendary Vince Lombardi.
13. In their very first regular-season game, the Falcons lost to the Los Angeles Rams, 19–14.
14. The first regular-season touchdown in team history was a pass from Randy Johnson to Gary Barnes.
15. Atlanta’s first regular-season win didn’t come until November 20, 1966, against the New York Giants.
16. The team finished their inaugural 1966 season with a record of 3–11.
17. During the 1960s and 70s, the team played their home games at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium.
18. In 1971, the Falcons recorded their first-ever winning season, finishing 7–6–1.
19. The famous “Grits Blitz” defense of 1977 set a record for the fewest points allowed in a 14-game season (129 points).
20. Despite that incredible 1977 defense, the team finished 7–7 and missed the playoffs because their offense struggled mightily.
21. The Falcons made their first playoff appearance in 1978.
22. Their first playoff victory was a 14–13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1978 Wild Card round.
23. In that 1978 playoff game, quarterback Steve Bartkowski led a dramatic comeback.
24. Bartkowski remains one of the most beloved figures in team history, known for his strong arm and classic 1980s look.
25. The team uniforms initially featured red helmets, which were later swapped for the iconic black helmets in the 1990s (and brought back as throwbacks later).

The Icons: Primetime, Dirty Birds, and The Vick Experience

The 80s, 90s, and early 2000s brought swagger, cultural relevance, and some of the most electrifying players to ever put on cleats.

26. In 1989, the Falcons drafted the flashy and immensely talented Deion Sanders with the fifth overall pick.
27. Sanders, known as “Prime Time,” scored a punt return touchdown in his very first NFL game with the Falcons.
28. Deion Sanders is the only athlete to hit a literal MLB home run and score an NFL touchdown in the same week (he played for the Braves and Falcons simultaneously).
29. The 1991 team, featuring Sanders, became known as the “Too Legit to Quit” team, often seen dancing on the sidelines to MC Hammer.
30. Jerry Glanville, the head coach during the early 90s, famously left tickets at the box office for Elvis Presley, just in case “The King” was still alive.
31. In 1992, the Falcons moved into the Georgia Dome, which would be their home for 25 seasons.
32. The phrase “Dirty Birds” became famous during the 1998 season, accompanied by a signature shoulder-shimming dance performed by running back Jamal Anderson.
33. The 1998 team finished with a franchise-best 14–2 regular-season record.
34. Morten Andersen, the legendary kicker, sent the Falcons to their first Super Bowl with a game-winning field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship against the Vikings.
35. That 1998 NFC Championship win is widely considered one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, as the Vikings were 15–1 at the time.
36. The Falcons lost their first Super Bowl appearance (Super Bowl XXXIII) to the Denver Broncos, 34–19.
37. Legendary safety Eugene Robinson was arrested the night before Super Bowl XXXIII for soliciting a prostitute, a major distraction for the team.
38. In 2001, the Falcons traded up to draft Michael Vick first overall from Virginia Tech.
39. Vick revolutionized the quarterback position, possessing a cannon arm and the speed of a running back.
40. On December 1, 2002, Michael Vick ran for a 46-yard touchdown in overtime to beat the Minnesota Vikings, a highlight that is still replayed constantly.
41. In January 2003, Vick led the Falcons to a historic playoff win at Lambeau Field, handing the Green Bay Packers their first-ever home playoff loss.
42. Vick became the first NFL quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season (2006).
43. The “Vick Experience” ended abruptly in 2007 due to legal troubles involving dog fighting, plunging the franchise into a brief crisis.
44. The Falcons have retired the number 31 for running back William Andrews, although they rarely officially retire numbers anymore.
45. Other numbers that are rarely issued out of respect include 10 (Bartkowski), 57 (Jeff Van Note), and 60 (Nobis).
46. Claude Humphrey (Drafted 1968) was the first Falcon to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily for his time in Atlanta.
47. Running back Warrick Dunn is famous not just for his play, but for his charity, “Homes for the Holidays,” which has provided homes for hundreds of single mothers.
48. Jessie Tuggle, known as “The Hammer,” holds the NFL record for most touchdowns returned from fumble recoveries (5).
49. Tuggle played his entire 14-year career with Atlanta and made five Pro Bowls.

The Matt Ryan & Julio Jones Era

Following the Vick turmoil, the franchise reset with a new quarterback and eventually drafted a generational wide receiver, leading to a decade of consistent contending.

50. In 2008, the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan with the third overall pick.
51. Matt Ryan’s very first NFL pass was a 62-yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins.
52. Ryan earned the nickname “Matty Ice” for his calm demeanor and ability to lead fourth-quarter comebacks.
53. In 2011, the Falcons made a massive trade with the Cleveland Browns to move up and draft Julio Jones.
54. To get Jones, Atlanta gave up five draft picks: two first-rounders, a second, and two fourths. It was worth every penny.
55. Julio Jones holds the franchise record for receiving yards in a single game with 300 yards (vs. Carolina Panthers in 2016).
56. Matt Ryan is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns, and completions.
57. In 2012, the Falcons reached the NFC Championship game but lost to the San Francisco 49ers after blowing a 17-point lead.
58. Tight end Tony Gonzalez, arguably the greatest TE in history, played five seasons for Atlanta (2009–2013) and retired as a Falcon.
59. Roddy White, a franchise legend, held most receiving records before Julio Jones broke them; White played his entire 11-year career in Atlanta.
60. Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP award in the 2016 season, the first Falcon to ever win the prestigious award.

Super Bowl LI: The Heartbreak

No list of 100 Atlanta Falcons facts is honest without addressing the elephant in the room. It is a painful chapter, but a historic one.

61. The Falcons reached their second Super Bowl (Super Bowl LI) in February 2017.
62. They played the New England Patriots in Houston, Texas.
63. Atlanta dominated the first half, leading 21–3 at halftime.
64. Robert Alford returned a Tom Brady interception 82 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
65. The Falcons led 28–3 with 8:31 left in the third quarter.
66. This deficit (25 points) is the largest lead ever blown in Super Bowl history.
67. The game was the first Super Bowl to ever go into overtime.
68. The Falcons lost the coin toss in overtime and never touched the ball, losing 34–28.
69. Despite the loss, Matt Ryan finished the game with a 144.1 passer rating.
70. Grady Jarrett tied a Super Bowl record with three sacks in that game.

The Nest: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

The team moved into a world-class facility that changed the skyline of Atlanta.

71. Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened in 2017, replacing the Georgia Dome.
72. The stadium cost approximately $1.6 billion to build.
73. It features a unique eight-panel retractable roof that opens and closes like a camera aperture.
74. The stadium is famous for its “Fan First Pricing,” featuring $2 hot dogs and affordable concessions, a trend they pioneered in major sports.
75. A massive stainless steel sculpture of a Falcon, the largest bird sculpture in the world, stands outside the stadium.
76. The stadium features the “Halo Board,” a 360-degree video board that was, at the time of opening, the largest in sports.
77. The stadium also hosts Atlanta United (MLS), who share ownership under Arthur Blank.
78. Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot, bought the Falcons in 2002.
79. Blank is known for watching games from the sidelines rather than an owner’s box.
80. The stadium was the first professional sports stadium in the US to achieve LEED Platinum certification for sustainability.

Obscure Stats & Fun Trivia

Let’s round out our list with some deep cuts and statistical oddities that you might not find on a standard Wikipedia page.

81. The Falcons share a division (NFC South) with the Saints, Panthers, and Buccaneers.
82. Their biggest rival is undoubtedly the New Orleans Saints.
83. The Falcons hold the record for the most “Dead Money” in NFL history for one season (2022) after trading Matt Ryan, absorbing over $40 million in cap hits.
84. Atlanta once had a mascot named Freddie Falcon, who has entertained fans for decades.
85. In 1966, the team briefly experimented with a live falcon as a mascot, but it escaped during a pre-game show.
86. Quarterback Chris Chandler made the Pro Bowl in the 1998 Super Bowl season, reviving his career in Atlanta.
87. Younghoe Koo, the team’s current kicker, became a fan favorite for his onside kick ability and accuracy, earning a Pro Bowl nod.
88. The Falcons have never had a tied game in the playoffs (which is true for all NFL teams due to rules), but they have had two ties in their regular-season history (1970 and 2002).
89. Devin Hester, the greatest return specialist ever, played two seasons for Atlanta and broke Deion Sanders’ return touchdown record while wearing a Falcons uniform.
90. The Falcons were featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2014.
91. Running back Michael Turner (“The Burner”) scored 60 rushing touchdowns in just five seasons with Atlanta.
92. Defensive End John Abraham recorded 68.5 sacks during his tenure in Atlanta, making him one of the best pass rushers in team history.
93. The Falcons have never had the first overall pick in the draft since the Michael Vick selection in 2001.
94. In 2020, the team unveiled new uniforms featuring a massive “ATL” across the chest, which received mixed reviews.
95. Atlanta has hosted the Super Bowl three times (1994, 2000, 2019), twice in the Georgia Dome and once at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
96. The team’s Ring of Honor includes names like Warrick Dunn, Roddy White, Steve Bartkowski, and Deion Sanders.
97. Brett Favre was actually drafted by the Falcons in 1991 (33rd overall) but threw only four passes (two were interceptions) before being traded to Green Bay.
98. This trade of Brett Favre is considered one of the worst personnel moves in franchise history.
99. The Falcons are one of the few NFL teams whose logo forms the letter of their city (the Falcon shape forms an “F”, but many argue it looks like an “A” in the modern design… it’s actually an “F” for Falcons!).
100. As of this writing, the Atlanta Falcons are still chasing their first-ever Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Final Whistle

There you have it! A complete century of trivia. Whether these 100 Atlanta Falcons facts made you cheer or cringe, there is no denying the colorful history of this franchise. From the Grits Blitz to the Halo Board, the Falcons always keep things interesting.