The Atlanta Falcons were established on June 30, 1965, becoming the 15th NFL franchise.1)
Their inaugural season was in 1966, making them one of the older teams in the league.2)
The Falcons’ first regular-season game was against the Los Angeles Rams on September 11, 1966, which they lost 19-14.3)
The team’s first win came on November 20, 1966, when they defeated the New York Giants 27-16.4)
They initially played their home games at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, which they shared with MLB’s Atlanta Braves.5)
The Falcons’ mascot is “Freddie Falcon,” who has been entertaining fans since the 1970s.6)
The team’s falcon logo is designed to resemble the letter “F.”7)
The Falcons' traditional colors are black, red, white, and silver.8)
The Falcons have played in two Super Bowls: Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 and Super Bowl LI in 2017.9)
The Falcons became famous for the “Dirty Bird” touchdown celebration dance during their Super Bowl XXXIII run in the 1998 season.10)
In Super Bowl LI, they famously led the New England Patriots 28-3 before losing 34-28 in overtime—the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.11)
As of 2023, the Falcons have won six division titles, including four NFC South titles.12)
The Falcons won the NFC Championship twice, in 1998 and 2016.13)
In 2001, the Falcons drafted Michael Vick as the No. 1 overall pick, making him one of the most electrifying players in NFL history.14)
The Falcons made their first playoff appearance in 1978, losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round.15)
The Falcons earned their first-ever playoff victory in 1978 against the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round.16)
Hall of Famer Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, one of the greatest cornerbacks and return specialists ever, was drafted by the Falcons in 1989.17)
In the late 1970s, the Falcons' defense was known as the “Grits Blitz” for their aggressive, blitz-heavy style.18)
The 1998 Falcons finished the season 14-2 and advanced to their first Super Bowl after defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game.19)
Wide receiver Roddy White holds the record for the most career receiving yards in Falcons history.20)
The Falcons drafted quarterback Matt Ryan third overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, and he became the face of the franchise for over a decade.21)
Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP award in 2016 after leading the Falcons to the Super Bowl and posting one of the best statistical seasons by a quarterback.22)
In 2002, Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot, purchased the Falcons, ushering in a new era of stability and success for the franchise.23)
The Falcons have a Ring of Honor, which recognizes the greatest players in franchise history. Inductees include legends like Tommy Nobis, Jessie Tuggle, and William Andrews.24)
Kicker Matt Bryant holds the record for the most points scored in Falcons history.25)
The Falcons moved into the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017, a state-of-the-art facility with a retractable roof and the world’s largest 360-degree HD video board.26)
The Falcons’ largest regular-season win was a 56-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 18, 2014.27)
The Falcons endured a playoff drought from 1983 to 1990, not making the postseason for seven straight years.28)
The Falcons’ fiercest rivals are the New Orleans Saints, with whom they have one of the NFL’s longest-standing and most heated rivalries.29)
Linebacker Tommy Nobis was the Falcons' first-ever Pro Bowl selection in 1966.30)
In 2011, the Falcons traded up in the NFL Draft to select wide receiver Julio Jones, who became one of the most dominant wideouts in the league.31)
Julio Jones holds the franchise records for the most receiving yards in a season and is one of the fastest players in NFL history to reach 10,000 receiving yards.32)
Linebacker Tommy Nobis was the first-ever player drafted by the Falcons and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.33)
In Super Bowl XXXIII, the Falcons managed only 19 points, losing to the Denver Broncos 34-19.34)
The Falcons finished with a 7-9 record in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, sparking talk of a “7-9 curse.”35)
Quarterback Steve Bartkowski, drafted in 1975, was the Falcons' first No. 1 overall draft pick and one of the franchise’s first stars.36)
The Falcons cheerleading squad, originally named the “Falconettes,” has been part of the team since 1966.37)
Mike Smith is the Falcons’ winningest head coach in franchise history, leading them from 2008 to 2014.38)
The Falcons' former home, the Georgia Dome, hosted two Super Bowls and numerous other events before being demolished in 2017.39)
The Falcons have made the playoffs 14 times as of the 2023 season.40)
During the 2016 Super Bowl run, the Falcons’ young defense earned the nickname “Fast and Physical.”41)
The Falcons' biggest comeback in a regular-season game came in 2022, when they rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Carolina Panthers.42)
The Falcons played their first game on Monday Night Football in 1970, defeating the Miami Dolphins.43)
The Falcons have played games internationally, including a game in London in 2014 as part of the NFL's International Series.44)