Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons History is Short, Not Without Successes
A look back in Atlanta Falcons history shows that they are one of the younger teams in the NFL. The Falcons were added as an expansion team in 1966 . The NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle granted ownership of the team to Rankin Smith, Sr. They were awarded first pick in the NFL draft that year, and also final pick in each round. They ended up picking Tommy Nobis first, which made him the very first player in Atlanta Falcons history. They actually won their first away game versus the New York Giants in the 60s. By the end of the decade, the team had won 12 games total in their four years. Throughout this same time period, they also changed from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference, and then became a part of the Coastal Division of the Western Conference.
In 1970, the Atlanta Falcons football team was moved and became a part of the NFC Western division. They remained there for about 31 years, becoming part of the NFC South in 2002. 1971 was the first winning season for the young Falcons. In 1978, the Falcons made the playoffs. They recorded a win in the Wild Card game against the Eagles, then played the division game against the Cowboys. They made the playoffs again in 1980 and 1982, and after the 1982 coach Leeman Bennett was fired. After this, it was almost 10 years before they saw another playoff game, when theyplayed the in the Division game in 1991.
The Atlanta Falcons history for winning championships includes 1995, 1998, 2002, 2004, and 2008, and made an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII. The Atlanta Falcons history of losses includes a 22-loss streak for away games in cold-weather cities. In 1998, they won against the New England Patriots during a road game, which broke the 16 year streak of losses in colder destinations. Former Broncos coach Dan Reeves led them to a loss in the Super Bowl that year, ironically against the Denver Broncos. The Atlanta Falcons history changed and became stronger with the acquisition of Michael Vick and LaDanian Tomlinson. Vick the starting quarterback in 2002, led the team to the playoffs that year. In 2003, Vick suffered a broken leg, causing him to miss 12 games. 2003 was a tough year, leaving the Atlanta Falcons with a 5-11 record.
In 2004, they returned to the playoffs once more, only to lose to the Eagles again. 2005 kept the on-again, off-again championship visits going with an 8-8 season. The team had a shot in 2006 until the Giants beat the Redskins, knocking the Falcons out of the running for the playoffs. The Atlanta Falcons history in 2007 was controversial and news ridden. 2007 created a much more socially volatile time for the team, when Michael Vick was convicted of dog fighting. He then received a sentence of 23 months, forcing the Atlanta Falcons to replace him with Joey Harrington. That season, Bobby Petrino resigned as coach, leaving Emmitt Thomas, a secondary coach, in command for the last three games of that season.
In 2008, the team found a new general manager in Thomas Dimitroff, and Mike Smith was the new head coach. Turner signed on for a $30 million six-year deal towards the end of that year. They could clinch the wildcard spot that year, but lost in the first round to the Arizona Cardinals. The Atlanta Falcons history of players in the Hall of Fame includes two members, and has a handful of retired numbers. Talk of a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons on the old General Motors plant site at the end of 2008. The stadium is projected to use 90 acres of the space, and is highly desired by owner Arthur Blank. He suggests that a new stadium would increase their ability to attract fans, and also the ability to host Super Bowl games.
Atlanta Falcons history has produced some great games and memories for Atlanta Falcons fans. Falcons are a force to be reckoned with, especially when you consider names like Ryan and Gonzalez.
Matthew R. Love http://www.footballcollectibles.com/AtlantaFalcons.htm
Atlanta Falcons History, Blogs, News, Shopping and Memorabilia
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About the Author
Matthew R Love
Atlanta Falcons 2011 Greatest Show on Turf
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