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⁾