Atlanta Falcons - wikipedia Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons Current season Established June 30, 1965 ; 52 years ago ( June 30, 1965 ) First season : 1966 Play in Mercedes - Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia Headquartered in Flowery Branch, Georgia Logo Wordmark League / conference affiliations National Football League ( 1966 -- present ) Eastern Conference ( 1966 ) Western Conference ( 1967 -- 1969 ) Coastal Division ( 1967 -- 1969 ) National Football Conference ( 1970 -- present ) NFC West ( 1970 -- 2001 ) NFC South ( 2002 -- present ) Current uniform Team colors Black, Red, Silver, White Mascot Freddie Falcon Personnel Owner ( s ) Arthur Blank CEO Rich McKay President Rich McKay General manager Thomas Dimitroff Head coach Dan Quinn Team history Atlanta Falcons ( 1966 -- present ) Team nicknames The Dirty Birds, Grits Blitz ( 1977 defense ) Championships League championships ( 0 ) Conference championships ( 2 ) NFC : 1998, 2016 Division championships ( 6 ) NFC West : 1980, 1998 NFC South : 2004, 2010, 2012, 2016 Playoff appearances ( 13 ) NFL : 1978, 1980, 1982, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 Home fields Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium ( 1966 -- 1991 ) Georgia Dome ( 1992 -- 2016 ) Mercedes - Benz Stadium ( 2017 -- present ) The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American 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 Falcons joined the NFL in 1965 as an expansion team, after the NFL offered then - owner Rankin Smith a franchise to keep him from joining the rival American Football League ( AFL ). In their 51 years of existence, the Falcons have compiled a record of 350 -- 450 -- 6 ( 341 -- 437 -- 6 in the regular season and 9 -- 13 in the playoffs ), winning division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016. The Falcons have appeared in two Super Bowls, the first being during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they lost to the Denver Broncos 34 -- 19, and the second being a 34 -- 28 overtime defeat by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The Falcons played their home games at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta from the 1992 to 2016 NFL seasons. Construction began on Mercedes - Benz Stadium in May 2014, and play began there in the 2017 season. Their headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50 - acre site in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Contents 1 Franchise history 1.1 Professional football comes to Atlanta 1.2 1966 -- 1977 : Early struggles 1.3 1978 -- 1989 1.4 1989 -- 1996 1.5 1997 -- 2000 : The Dan Reeves era 1.6 2001 -- 2006 1.7 2007 1.8 2008 -- 2014 : The Mike Smith era 1.8. 1 2008 1.8. 2 2009 1.8. 3 2010 1.8. 4 2011 1.8. 5 2012 1.8. 6 2013 1.8. 7 2014 1.9 2015 -- present : The Dan Quinn era 1.9. 1 2015 1.9. 2 2016 1.9. 3 2017 2 Stadiums 3 Logo and uniforms 4 Rivalries 4.1 New Orleans Saints 4.2 Carolina Panthers 5 Statistics 5.1 Season - by - season records 5.2 Record vs. opponents 5.3 Single game records 5.4 Single season records 5.5 Career records 6 Players 6.1 Current roster 6.2 Pro Football Hall of Famers 6.3 Retired numbers 6.4 Ring of Honor 6.5 Georgia Sports Hall of Fame 6.6 Starting quarterbacks 6.7 Draft history 7 Coaching staff 7.1 Head coaches 7.2 Current staff 8 Radio and television 8.1 Radio affiliates 8.1. 1 Georgia 8.1. 2 Alabama 8.1. 3 Mississippi 8.1. 4 South Carolina 8.1. 5 Tennessee 9 See also 10 Notes and references 11 External links. Franchise history For more details on this topic, see History of the Atlanta Falcons. Professional Football comes to Atlanta Professional football first came to Atlanta in 1962, when the American Football League staged two preseason contests, with one featuring the Denver Broncos vs. the Houston Oilers and the second pitting the Dallas Texans against the Oakland Raiders. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition, this time with the New York Jets taking on the San Diego Chargers. In 1965, after the Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium ( then known simply as Atlanta Stadium ) was built, the city of Atlanta felt the time was right to start pursuing professional football. One independent group which had been active in NFL exhibition promotions in Atlanta applied for franchises in both the American Football League and the National Football League, acting entirely on its own with no guarantee of stadium rights. Another group reported it had deposited earnest money for a team in the AFL. With everyone running in different directions, some local businessmen worked out a deal and were awarded an AFL franchise on June 7, 1965, contingent upon acquiring exclusive stadium rights from city officials. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who had been moving slowly in Atlanta matters, was spurred by the AFL interest and headed on the next plane down to Atlanta to block the rival league 's claim on the city of Atlanta. He forced the city to make a choice between the two leagues. By June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons franchise began on June 30, 1965, when NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle granted ownership to 41 - year - old Rankin Smith Sr. Smith, an Executive Vice President of Life Insurance Company of Georgia at the time, paid $8.5 million the highest price in NFL history at the time for a franchise. Former commissioner Pete Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta expansion franchise became the 15th NFL franchise, and they were awarded the first pick in the 1966 NFL draft as well as the final pick in each of the first five rounds. The Falcons drafted All - American linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas with the first pick of the draft, making him the first - ever Falcon. The league also held the 1966 NFL Expansion Draft six weeks later in which the Falcons selected unprotected players from existing franchises. Although the Falcons selected many good players in those drafts, they still were not able to win right away. The Atlanta Falcons Football Club received its nickname on August 29, 1965. Miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, Georgia, was singled out from many people who suggested `` Falcons '' as the nickname for the new franchise. Elliott wrote : `` the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight. It never drops its prey. It is deadly and has a great sporting tradition. '' 1966 -- 1977 : early struggles The Falcons had their first season in 1966, and their first preseason game on August 1, 1966, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. Under head coach Norb Hecker they lost their first nine regular - season games in 1966 and secured their first victory on the road against the New York Giants. The team finished the 1960s with only 12 wins. The Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in Atlanta during the 1970 season, losing 20 -- 7 to the Miami Dolphins. The only two winning seasons in this twelve - year period were 1971 and 1973. 1978 -- 1989 The Falcons ' defense taking on Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway during a 1985 game. In the 1978 season, the Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the first time and won the Wild Card game against the Eagles 14 -- 13. The following week, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27 -- 20 in the Divisional Playoffs. In the 1980 season, after a nine - game winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then - best record of 12 -- 4 and captured their first NFC West division title. The next week, their dream season ended at home with a loss to the Cowboys 30 -- 27 in the divisional playoffs. In the strike - shortened 1982 season, the Falcons made the playoffs but lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 30 -- 24. Falcons coach Leeman Bennett was fired after the loss. The team would then have losing seasons for the next eight years. 1989 -- 1996 In 1989, the Falcons drafted cornerback Deion Sanders in the first round, who helped them for the next four years, setting many records for the franchise. `` Neon Deion '' ( a.k.a. `` Prime Time '' ) had a flashy appeal and helped bring media attention to one of the league 's most anonymous franchises. Sanders was also famous for playing on major league baseball teams ( the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves ) while simultaneously playing in the NFL. The Falcons playing against the Los Angeles Rams during a 1991 away game. After defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card game, the Falcons ' 1991 season ended in a divisional playoff loss to the Washington Redskins. In 1991, the Falcons drafted Brett Favre as the thirty - third overall pick. During his rookie season, he played in two games where he amassed a record of 4 passing attempts with 0 receptions and 2 interceptions. The following February, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers. In 1992, the Atlanta Falcons opened a new chapter in their history moving into the newly constructed Georgia Dome, where the team has defeated all 31 other NFL teams at least during its time there. 1997 -- 2000 : the 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 championship. On January 17, 1999, the Falcons upset the top - seeded Vikings at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in the NFC Championship Game 30 -- 27, in an exciting overtime victory. However, in their first - ever Super Bowl appearance, they lost 34 -- 19 to the defending champion Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII. In the second game of the Falcons 1999 season, running back Jamal Anderson, who had been a key player in the Falcons ' 1998 success, suffered a season - ending knee injury. The Falcons finished the season with a very disappointing 5 -- 11 regular season record. In 2000, the Falcons suffered through another horrendous season finishing 4 -- 12 and once again missing the playoffs. 2001 -- 2006 In the 2001 NFL draft, the Falcons orchestrated a trade with the San Diego Chargers, acquiring the first overall pick ( which was used on quarterback Michael Vick ) in exchange for wide receiver - return specialist Tim Dwight and the fifth overall pick ( used on running back LaDainian Tomlinson ). The Falcons finished the 2001 season with a record of 7 -- 9 and missed the playoffs. Jessie Tuggle retired following 14 seasons in Atlanta. On December 6, 2001, Arthur M. Blank reached a preliminary agreement with the Falcons ' Taylor Smith to purchase the team. In a special meeting prior to Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans on February 2, 2002, NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the purchase. The 2002 season saw the Falcons return to the playoffs with a regular season record of 9 -- 6 -- 1, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was Vick 's first year as the starter, and the team, with newly acquired running back Warrick Dunn, delivered the Green Bay Packers their first home playoff loss ever. A 20 - 6 loss to the Donovan McNabb - led Philadelphia Eagles the following week, however, ended the Falcons ' season. On March 19, 2003, the Falcons presented their new logo. During the 2003 preseason Vick broke his leg and missed the first twelve games of the season. After losing 7 straight games, the decision was made to release head coach Dan Reeves. Wade Phillips acted as interim coach for the final 3 games. Although the Falcons won 3 of their last 4 games after the return of Vick, they ended up with a 5 -- 11 record that year. In 2004, a new head coach, Jim L. Mora, was hired and Vick returned for the full season. The Falcons went 11 -- 5, winning their third division title and earning a first - round bye into the playoffs. In the divisional playoffs, the Falcons defeated the St. Louis Rams, 47 -- 17, in the Georgia Dome, advancing to the NFC Championship Game, which they lost to the Eagles, 27 -- 10. The Falcons again fell short of achieving back - to - back winning seasons in 2005, going 8 -- 8. In 2006, Michael Vick became the first quarterback in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, with 1,039. After finishing the season 7 -- 9, however, coach Jim Mora was dismissed and Bobby Petrino, the University of Louisville 's football coach, replaced him. Before the 2007 season began, Vick was suspended indefinitely by the NFL after pleading guilty to charges involving dog fighting in the state of Virginia. On December 10, 2007, Vick received a 23 - month prison sentence and was officially cut from the Atlanta roster. 2007 Main article : 2007 Atlanta Falcons season For the 2007 season, the Falcons were forced to start Joey Harrington at quarterback. On December 11, 13 games into his first NFL season as head coach, Bobby Petrino resigned without notice to coach at the University of Arkansas, leaving the beleaguered players only a note in the locker room. Secondary Coach Emmitt Thomas was named interim coach for the final three games of the season on December 12. The Falcons ended the year with a dismal 4 -- 12 record. 2008 -- 2014 : the Mike Smith era Mike Smith After the tumultuous and disappointing 2007 season, the Falcons made a number of moves, hiring a new General Manager and head coach, drafting a new starting quarterback, and signing a starting running back. On January 13, 2008, the Falcons named former Patriots director of college football scouting Thomas Dimitroff General Manager. On January 23, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coach and former linebackers coach for the 2000 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens Mike Smith was named the Falcons ' new head coach. Chargers back - up RB Michael Turner agreed to a 6 - year deal, $30 million deal on March 2. On April 26, Matt Ryan ( quarterback from Boston College ) was drafted third overall in the 2008 NFL draft by the Falcons. 2008 Main article : 2008 Atlanta Falcons season The Falcons finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 11 -- 5, and the # 5 seed in the playoffs. On December 21, 2008, Atlanta beat the Minnesota Vikings 24 -- 17 to clinch a wild card spot, earning a trip to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Falcons would go on to lose in the wild - card round of the 2008 NFL playoffs to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals, 30 -- 24. Matt Ryan started all 16 games in his rookie season and was named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. First - year head coach Mike Smith was named 2008 NFL Coach of the Year. 2009 Main article : 2009 Atlanta Falcons season Although they failed to make the playoffs in 2009 the team rallied to win their final three regular season games to record back - to - back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. The Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 -- 10 in the final game of the season to improve their record to 9 -- 7. Main article : 2010 Atlanta Falcons season In 2010, with a regular season record of 13 -- 3, the Falcons secured a third straight winning season, their fourth overall divisional title, and the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs ; however, the Falcons were overpowered by the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs 48 -- 21. The Falcons scored 414 points -- the fifth-most in franchise history. The team sent an NFL - high and franchise - best nine players to the 2011 Pro Bowl. 2011 Main article : 2011 Atlanta Falcons season The Falcons made a surprise trade up with the Cleveland Browns in the 2011 NFL draft to select Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones sixth overall. In exchange, the Falcons gave up their first -, second - and fourth - round draft picks in 2011, and their first and fourth draft picks in 2012. Jones, along with teammates Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, have since been dubbed Atlanta 's `` Big Three '' ( based on their total number of reception yards ). On August 30, 2011, Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King, who correctly predicted the 2011 Super Bowl, made his predictions for the 2011 season and picked the Falcons to defeat the San Diego Chargers in the 2012 Super Bowl. The Falcons finished the season at 10 -- 6, securing the fifth seed after a Week 17 beatdown of Tampa Bay in which the Falcons pulled their starters after leading 42 -- 0 just 23 minutes into the game. The Falcons then went on to play the New York Giants in a 2011 NFC Wild Card Game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first half was a defensive struggle, with the first points coming off of a safety by the Falcons, giving Atlanta a 2 -- 0 lead. In the 2nd quarter, though, Eli Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks for a short touchdown pass to make it 7 -- 2 Giants heading into the 2nd half. Then the Giants took control, as Manning threw for two more TD passes to Mario Manningham and Nicks and the defense completed its shutout of the Falcons to give the New York Giants the win, 24 -- 2, and the Falcons their third straight playoff loss with Matt Ryan and Mike Smith. After the season Defense Coordinator Brian VanGorder accepted a coaching job at Auburn University, and the offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey took the head coaching job in Jacksonville. 2012 Main article : 2012 Atlanta Falcons season Atlanta exploded out of the gate, going a franchise best 8 -- 0 and remaining the last unbeaten team in the NFL that year. Their hopes to get an undefeated season came to an end with a 27 -- 31 loss to the division rival Saints. Julio Jones had a remarkable second year, grabbing 10 touchdowns and 1,198 yards. The Falcons finished the season 13 -- 3, and clinched the number one seed in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons played the Seattle Seahawks in their first playoff game. Although they went down 28 -- 27 with only 31 seconds left on the clock, Matt Ryan led the team to their first playoff victory, 30 -- 28. It was the only playoff victory in the Mike Smith era. The Atlanta Falcons then advanced to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons seized control of the game early with a Matt Bryant field goal, a trio of Matt Ryan touchdown passes caught by Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez coupled with outstanding defensive play. By the end of the half, the score was 24 -- 14. The tides of the game began to shift in the second half as the 49ers rallied back with a pair of Frank Gore touchdown runs. Atlanta 's offense attempted to reply but were ultimately shut down by the 49er defense. A few series later, late in the 4th quarter with little time remaining, Atlanta found themselves in a 4th and 4 situation at the 10 - yard line. The Falcons needed just 10 more yards to secure victory and advance to their first Super Bowl berth in 14 years. Matt Ryan fired a pass to Roddy White which was ultimately broken up by inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman, resulting in a 28 -- 24 defeat. 2013 Main article : 2013 Atlanta Falcons season Following the success of the previous season, the Falcons were an expected Super Bowl contender. However, injuries hampered the team 's performance and the team finished the season 4 -- 12. With that, the streak of consecutive winning seasons came to an end and Mike Smith had his first losing season as a head coach. Tony Gonzalez, in his final season in the NFL, was selected to the 2014 Pro Bowl as a starter representing Team Rice. Following the conclusion of the 2012 season, director of player personnel Les Snead departed the team to join the St. Louis Rams and Dave Caldwell, assistant to general manager Thomas Dimitroff, left the team to join the Jacksonville Jaguars. Scott Pioli, former GM of the New England Patriots, was announced as the Falcons ' new assistant GM. Mike Smith was given a one - year extension on his contract as head coach. The Falcons had the 6th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft with which they selected Jake Matthews, who played as offensive tackle for Texas A&M. 2014 Main article : 2014 Atlanta Falcons season Despite having another rough season, the Falcons still had an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs at the end of the regular season. The Falcons hosted the Carolina Panthers in their regular season finale, with the winners clinching the NFC South division. Unfortunately, the Falcons lost in a 34 -- 3 blowout as Matt Ryan threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns and got sacked six times. The Falcons finished the season 6 -- 10, marking the second consecutive losing season for the team. The following day, Mike Smith was fired after seven seasons as head coach. The Falcons would soon hire Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as the team 's 16th head coach. The Falcons had the 8th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft with which they selected Vic Beasley, a defensive end from Clemson University. 2015 -- present : the Dan Quinn era 2015 Main article : 2015 Atlanta Falcons season Dan Quinn In February 2015, the team was investigated by the NFL for alleged use of artificial crowd noise in the Georgia Dome. The Falcons lost a 2016 NFL Draft selection as a result of the league 's investigation. Dan Quinn 's first season saw a 5 -- 0 start, the team 's best start in four years. They would then struggle throughout the rest of the season by losing 8 of their last 11 games, resulting in an 8 -- 8 record. They did, however, give the Panthers their only regular season loss. The Falcons used their first - round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft on safety Keanu Neal from the University of Florida. 2016 Main article : 2016 Atlanta Falcons season In the Falcons ' 25th and final season in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta lost their Week 1 game to the Buccaneers 24 -- 31. The Falcons would then win their next four including one over the Panthers, when the franchise set new records. Matt Ryan threw for 503 yards, and Julio Jones caught twelve passes for 300 yards. With a 41 -- 13 thrashing of the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15, the Falcons improved to 9 -- 5 and secured their first winning season since 2012. One week later, the Falcons defeated the Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina and clinched their first NFC South division title since 2012. In their last regular season game at the Georgia Dome, the Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints, and secured an 11 -- 5 record and a first round bye. In the divisional round of the playoffs, Atlanta defeated the Seahawks 36 -- 20 in the Georgia Dome, and hosted their last game at the Dome against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game on January 22, 2017. The Falcons defeated the Packers 44 -- 21 to advance to Super Bowl LI as the NFC champions. Atlanta was up 28 -- 3 late in the third quarter, and the New England Patriots scored 31 unanswered points, with the last 6 in the first - ever overtime in the Super Bowl. The Patriots ' 25 - point comeback was the largest in Super Bowl history. In 2016, the Falcons scored 540 points in the regular season, the seventh-most in NFL history, tied with the Greatest Show on Turf ( the 2000 St. Louis Rams ). However, the Falcons defense gave up 406 points, 27th in the league. 2017 Main article : 2017 Atlanta Falcons season The Falcons moved into their new home, the Mercedes - Benz Stadium, this season. Their first game ever played at the new stadium was a preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The first regular season game at the new stadium was a rematch of the 2016 -- 17 NFC Championship, with Atlanta defeating Green Bay 34 -- 23. Stadiums Main article : Mercedes - Benz Stadium The Falcons have called only two stadiums home in their 51 years of existence, and will have a third home in their history in the late summer of 2017. The first was the Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium, sharing with the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team until 1991. In 1992, the Georgia Dome was built, and the Falcons played there from its opening to the 2016 season. The Dome has been frequently used for college football, including Georgia State football and college bowl games such as the Peach Bowl. In an effort to replace the aging Georgia Dome and potentially host a future Super Bowl, team owner Arthur Blank proposed a deal with the city of Atlanta to build a new state - of - the - art stadium not far from where the Georgia Dome is located. Blank will contribute $800 million and the city of Atlanta will contribute an additional $200 million via bonds backed by the city 's hotel / motel tax towards the construction of a retractable roof stadium. Blank will contribute additional money for cost overruns if it is needed. The team will provide up to $50 million towards infrastructure costs that were n't included in the construction budget and to retire the remaining debt on the Georgia Dome. In addition, Blank 's foundation and the city will each provide $15 million for development in surrounding neighborhoods. Though the total cost of the stadium was initially estimated to be around $1 billion, the total cost was revised to $1.5 billion according to Blank. In March 2013, the Atlanta City Council voted 11 -- 4 in favor of building the stadium. The retractable roof Mercedes - Benz Stadium broke ground in May 2014, and will begin hosting the Falcons ' and Atlanta United 's Major League Soccer games in 2017. Logo and uniforms Atlanta Falcons uniform : 1971 -- 1989 Atlanta Falcons uniform : 1997 -- 2002 The Atlanta Falcons ' colors are red, black, silver and white. When the team debuted in 1966, the Falcons wore red helmets with a black falcon crest logo. In the center of the helmet was a center black stripe surrounded by two gold stripes and two white stripes. These colors represented the two college rival schools in the state of Georgia ; rival schools Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ( White and Gold ) and the Georgia Bulldogs ( Red and Black ). Although the gold was later taken out, the white remains to this day. They wore white pants and either black or white jerseys. At first, the falcon crest logo was also put on the jersey sleeves, but it was replaced by a red and white stripe pattern four years later. They switched from black to red jerseys in 1971, and the club began to wear silver pants in 1978. A prototype white helmet was developed for the team prior to the 1974 season but was never worn. In 1990, the uniform design changed to black helmets, silver pants, and either black or white jerseys. The numbers on the white jerseys were black, but were changed to red in 1997. ( The red numerals could be seen on the away jerseys briefly in 1990. ) Both the logo and uniforms changed in 2003. The logo was redesigned with red and silver accents to depict a more powerful, aggressive falcon, which now more closely resembles the capital letter F. Although the Falcons still wore black helmets, the new uniforms featured jerseys and pants with red trim down the sides. The uniform design consisted of either black or white jerseys, and either black or white pants. During that same year, a red alternate jersey with black trim was also introduced. The Falcons also started wearing black cleats with these uniforms. In 2004, the red jerseys became the primary jerseys, and the black ones became the alternate, both worn with white pants. In select road games, the Falcons wear black pants with white jerseys. The Falcons wore an all - black combination for home games against their archrivals, the New Orleans Saints, winning the first two contests ( 24 -- 21 in 2004 and 36 -- 17 in 2005 ), but losing 31 -- 13 in 2006. The Falcons wore the all black combination against the New Orleans Saints for four straight seasons starting in 2004, With the last time being in 2007, losing 34 -- 14. They wore the combination again in 2006, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. The Falcons won that game, 14 -- 3. The Falcons also wore their all - black uniform in 2007 against the New York Giants, and in 2008 against the Carolina Panthers and against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( for the second time ). In the 1980s, the Falcons wore their white uniforms at home most of the time because of the heat. When the Falcons started playing in a dome, the team switched to their dark uniforms for home games but have worn their white uniforms at home a few times since switching to the dome. It was announced at the 2009 state of the franchise meeting that the Falcons would wear 1966 throwback uniforms for a couple games during the 2009 season. The Atlanta Falcons wore 1966 throwback jerseys for two home games in 2009 -- against the Carolina Panthers on September 20 and against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 29. The Falcons won both of those games. They donned the throwbacks again for 2 games in 2010, against Baltimore and San Francisco, winning both of those games as well. Rivalries New Orleans Saints This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( June 2017 ) Main article : Falcons -- Saints rivalry In every season except for their debut season, the Falcons have shared a division with the New Orleans Saints ( first the NFC West, and now the NFC South ). Over this time, a heated rivalry has developed between the two cities ' franchises. Atlanta leads the series 51 -- 45. Carolina Panthers This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( June 2017 ) Main article : Falcons -- Panthers rivalry In addition, the Falcons share a similar, yet smaller, rivalry with the Carolina Panthers, with both teams having been in the NFC West from the Panthers ' founding in 1995 to the NFL realignment in 2002, where they have been in the NFC South since then. The Falcons lead the series 27 -- 17. Statistics Season - by - season records Main article : List of Atlanta Falcons seasons Record vs. opponents Includes postseason records Source : Note : W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Team Percent Last result Last date Last locale Postseason St. Louis / Phoenix / Arizona Cardinals 14 15 0. 483 W 38 -- 19 November 27, 2016 Atlanta, Georgia 0 -- 1 postseason Baltimore Ravens 0. 400 L 7 -- 29 October 19, 2014 Baltimore, Maryland Buffalo Bills 7 0. 636 W 34 -- 31 ( OT ) December 1, 2013 Toronto, Ontario * ( Falcons as away team ) Carolina Panthers 27 17 0. 614 W 33 -- 16 December 24, 2016 Charlotte, North Carolina Chicago Bears 13 14 0. 481 W 23 -- 17 September 10, 2017 Chicago, Illinois Cincinnati Bengals 5 8 0. 385 L 10 -- 24 September 14, 2014 Cincinnati, Ohio Cleveland Browns 11 0. 214 L 24 -- 26 November 23, 2014 Atlanta, Georgia Dallas Cowboys 10 14 0. 417 W 39 -- 28 September 27, 2015 Arlington, Texas 0 -- 2 postseason Denver Broncos 6 8 0. 429 W 23 -- 16 October 9, 2016 Denver, Colorado 0 -- 1 postseason Detroit Lions 12 24 0. 333 L 21 -- 22 October 26, 2014 London, England * ( Falcons as home team ) Green Bay Packers 14 15 0. 483 W 34 -- 23 September 17, 2017 Mercedes - Benz Stadium 2 -- 2 postseason Houston Texans 0. 500 W 48 -- 21 October 4, 2015 Atlanta, Georgia Baltimore / Indianapolis Colts 14 0. 125 L 21 -- 24 November 22, 2015 Atlanta, Georgia Jacksonville Jaguars 0. 500 W 23 -- 17 December 20, 2015 Jacksonville, Florida Kansas City Chiefs 6 0. 333 L 28 -- 29 December 4, 2016 Atlanta, Georgia San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers 8 0. 800 L 30 -- 33 ( OT ) October 23, 2016 Atlanta, Georgia St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams 28 47. 377 W 42 -- 14 December 11, 2016 Los Angeles, California 1 -- 0 postseason Miami Dolphins 8 0. 333 L 23 -- 27 September 22, 2013 Miami Gardens, Florida Minnesota Vikings 10 17 0. 370 L 10 -- 20 November 29, 2015 Atlanta, Georgia 1 -- 1 postseason New England Patriots 6 8 0. 429 L 28 -- 34 February 5, 2017 Houston, Texas * ( Falcons as home team ) 0 -- 1 postseason New Orleans Saints 50 45 0. 526 W 38 -- 32 January 1, 2017 Atlanta, Georgia 1 -- 0 postseason New York Giants 12 11 0. 522 W 24 -- 20 September 20, 2015 East Rutherford, New Jersey 0 -- 1 postseason New York Jets 6 5 0. 545 L 28 -- 30 October 7, 2013 Atlanta, Georgia Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders 7 7 0. 500 W 35 -- 28 September 18, 2016 Oakland, California Philadelphia Eagles 13 16. 450 L 15 -- 24 November 13, 2016 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1 -- 2 postseason Pittsburgh Steelers 13. 156 L 20 -- 27 December 14, 2014 Atlanta, Georgia San Francisco 49ers 30 46. 396 W 41 -- 13 December 18, 2016 Atlanta, Georgia 1 -- 1 postseason Seattle Seahawks 6 10 0. 375 W 36 -- 20 January 14, 2017 Atlanta, Georgia 2 -- 0 postseason Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23 24 0. 489 W 43 -- 28 November 3, 2016 Tampa, Florida Houston Oilers / Tennessee Titans 7 7 0. 500 W 10 -- 7 October 25, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee Washington Redskins 9 14. 396 W 25 -- 19 ( OT ) October 11, 2015 Atlanta, Georgia 0 -- 1 postseason Total 350 449 6. 439 9 -- 12 (. 429 ) * Notes International Series Single game records Rushing : Michael Turner, 220 ( September 7, 2008 ) Passing : Matt Ryan, 503 ( October 2, 2016 ) Passing touchdowns : Wade Wilson, 5 ( December 13, 1992 ) Receptions : William Andrews, 15 ( September 15, 1981 ) Receiving yards : Julio Jones, 300 ( October 2, 2016 ) Interceptions : Several Falcons, 2, most recently Robert Alford, 2 ( October 2, 2016 ) Field goals : Norm Johnson, 6 ( November 13, 1994 ) Total touchdowns : T.J. Duckett, 4 ( December 12, 2004 ) and Michael Turner 4 ( November 23, 2008 ) Points scored : T.J. Duckett, 24 ( December 12, 2004 ) and Michael Turner, 24 ( November 23, 2008 ) Sacks : Chuck Smith, 5 ( October 12, 1997 ) Single season records Passing attempts : 651 Matt Ryan ( 2013 ) Passing completions : 439 Matt Ryan ( 2013 ) Passing yards : 4,944 Matt Ryan ( 2016 ) Passing touchdowns : 38 Matt Ryan ( 2016 ) Passing interceptions : 25 Bobby Hebert ( 1996 ) Completion percentage : 69.9 Matt Ryan ( 2016 ) Passing rating : 117.1 Matt Ryan ( 2016 ) Rushing attempts : 410 Jamal Anderson ( 1998 ) Rushing yards : 1,846 Jamal Anderson ( 1998 ) Rushing touchdowns : 17 Michael Turner ( 2008 ) Receiving catches : 136 Julio Jones ( 2015 ) Receiving yards : 1,871 Julio Jones ( 2015 ) Receiving touchdowns : 15 Andre Rison ( 1993 ) Quarterback sacks : 16.5 John Abraham ( 2008 ) Pass interceptions : 10 Scott Case ( 1988 ) Field goal attempts : 40 Jay Feely ( 2002 ) Field goals made : 34 Matt Bryant ( 2016 ) Points : 158 Matt Bryant ( 2016 ) Total touchdowns : 17 Michael Turner ( 2008 ) Career records Passing attempts : 5,064 Matt Ryan ( 2008 -- present ) Passing completions : 3,288 Matt Ryan ( 2008 -- present ) Passing yards : 37,701 Matt Ryan ( 2008 -- present ) Passing touchdowns : 240 Matt Ryan ( 2008 -- present ) Passing interceptions : 141 Steve Bartkowski ( 1975 -- 85 ) Passing rating : 93.6 Matt Ryan ( 2008 -- present ) Rushing attempts : 1,587 Gerald Riggs ( 1982 -- 88 ) Rushing yards : 6,631 Gerald Riggs ( 1982 -- 88 ) Rushing yards by a QB : 3,859 Michael Vick ( 2001 -- 2006 ) Rushing touchdowns : 60 Michael Turner ( 2008 -- 2012 ) Receiving catches : 808 Roddy White ( 2005 -- 2015 ) Receiving yards : 10,863 Roddy White ( 2005 -- 2015 ) Receiving touchdowns : 63 Roddy White ( 2005 -- 2015 ) Quarterback sacks : 68.5 John Abraham ( 2006 -- 2012 ) Pass interceptions : 39 Rolland Lawrence ( 1973 -- 80 ) Field goal attempts : 224 Morten Andersen ( 1995 -- 2000, 2006 -- 2007 ) Field goals made : 196 Matt Bryant ( 2009 -- present ) Points : 892 Matt Bryant ( 2009 -- present ) Total touchdowns : 63 Roddy White ( 2005 -- 2015 ) Pass interception return yards : 658 Rolland Lawrence ( 1973 -- 80 ) Pass interception returned for touchdowns : 3 Deion Sanders ( 1989 -- 1993 ) and Kevin Mathis ( 2002 -- 2006 ) Punt return yards : 1,723 Allen Rossum ( 2002 -- 2006 ) Kickoff return yards : 5,489 Allen Rossum ( 2002 -- 2006 ) Longest punt : 75 John James ( 1972 -- 1981 ) and Harold Alexander ( 1993 -- 1994 ) Longest field goal : 59 Morten Andersen ( 1995 -- 2000, 2006 -- 2007 ) and Matt Bryant ( 2009 -- present ) Players Current roster Atlanta Falcons roster view talk Quarterbacks 2 Matt Ryan 8 Matt Schaub Running backs 40 Derrick Coleman FB 26 Tevin Coleman 24 Devonta Freeman 25 Brian Hill 28 Terron Ward Wide receivers 18 Taylor Gabriel 14 Justin Hardy 11 Julio Jones 19 Andre Roberts 12 Mohamed Sanu 15 Nick Williams Tight ends 81 Austin Hooper 85 Eric Saubert 80 Levine Toilolo Offensive linemen 63 Ben Garland G 64 Sean Harlow G 67 Andy Levitre G 51 Alex Mack C 70 Jake Matthews T 68 Austin Pasztor T 74 Ty Sambrailo T 73 Ryan Schraeder T 71 Wes Schweitzer G Defensive linemen 99 Adrian Clayborn DE 95 Jack Crawford DT 97 Grady Jarrett DT 98 Takkarist McKinley DE 92 Dontari Poe DT 50 Brooks Reed DE 90 Derrick Shelby DE 91 Courtney Upshaw DE Linebackers 44 Vic Beasley OLB 59 De'Vondre Campbell OLB 56 Jermaine Grace OLB 36 Kemal Ishmael OLB 45 Deion Jones MLB 42 Duke Riley OLB 52 Jordan Tripp MLB Defensive backs 23 Robert Alford CB 37 Ricardo Allen FS 29 C.J. Goodwin CB 27 Damontae Kazee FS 22 Keanu Neal SS 20 Sharrod Neasman SS 30 Deji Olatoye CB 34 Brian Poole CB 21 Desmond Trufant CB 33 Blidi Wreh - Wilson CB Special teams 5 Matt Bosher P 3 Matt Bryant K 47 Josh Harris LS Reserve lists 32 Jalen Collins CB ( Susp. ) 13 Devin Fuller WR ( IR ) 96 Martin Ifedi DE ( IR ) 41 Quincy Mauger CB ( IR ) 53 LaRoy Reynolds MLB ( IR ) Practice squad 35 Marcelis Branch FS 76 Daniel Brunskill T 87 Deante Burton WR 75 Jamil Douglas G 89 Alex Gray TE 17 Marvin Hall WR 55 J'Terius Jones DE 9 Trevor Knight QB 82 Joshua Perkins TE 93 Tani Tupou DE 94 Joe Vellano DT Rookies in italics Roster updated September 19, 2017 Depth chart Transactions 53 Active, 5 Inactive, 11 Practice squad → AFC rosters → NFC rosters AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LAC OAK NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA Pro Football Hall of famers Atlanta Falcons Hall of Famers No. Player Position Tenure Year inducted -- Norm Van Brocklin Head Coach 1968 -- 1974 1971 25 Tommy McDonald WR 1967 1998 29 Eric Dickerson RB 1993 1999 21 Deion Sanders CB 1989 -- 1993 2011 56 Chris Doleman DE 1994 -- 1995 2012 87 Claude Humphrey DE 1968 -- 1978 2014 Brett Favre QB 1991 2016 5 Morten Andersen 1995 -- 2000, 2006 -- 2007 2017 Sanders and Humphrey are the only two players in the Hall of Fame that have been inducted based substantially on their service with the Falcons. Andersen spent eight of his 25 NFL seasons with the Falcons, and remains the team 's all - time scoring leader, but he also played his first 13 NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints, also leading that team 's career scoring list. Retired numbers Atlanta Falcons Retired Numbers No. Player Position Tenure 10 Steve Bartkowski QB 1975 -- 1985 31 William Andrews RB 1979 -- 1983, 1986 57 Jeff Van Note 1969 -- 1986 60 Tommy Nobis LB 1966 -- 1976 Ring of Honor The Atlanta Falcons organization does not officially retire jersey numbers, but considers certain players ' jerseys worthy of being honored. The Falcons Ring of Honor, which is featured in the rafters of the Georgia Dome, honors individual players. Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor No. Player Position Tenure Inducted 10 Steve Bartkowski QB 1975 -- 1985 21 Deion Sanders CB 1989 -- 1993 31 William Andrews RB 1979 -- 1983, 1986 42 Gerald Riggs RB 1982 -- 1988 2013 57 Jeff Van Note 1969 -- 1986 2006 58 Jessie Tuggle LB 1987 -- 2000 60 Tommy Nobis LB 1966 -- 1976 78 Mike Kenn 1978 -- 1994 2008 87 Claude Humphrey DE 1968 -- 1978 2008 Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Main article : Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Starting quarterbacks Main article : List of Atlanta Falcons starting quarterbacks Draft history Main article : List of Atlanta Falcons first - round draft picks Main article : Atlanta Falcons draft history Main article : 1966 NFL expansion draft Coaching staff Head coaches Main article : List of Atlanta Falcons head coaches In their history, the Atlanta Falcons have had 15 head coaches. Coach Years Record Notes Norb Hecker 1966 -- 1968 4 -- 26 -- 1 (. 129 ) Fired after three games in 1968. Norm Van Brocklin 1968 -- 1974 39 -- 48 -- 3 (. 433 ) Fired after eight games in 1974. Marion Campbell 1974 -- 1976 6 -- 19 (. 240 ) Fired after five games in 1976. Pat Peppler 1976 3 -- 6 (. 333 ) Interim head coach. Leeman Bennett 1977 -- 1982 46 -- 41 (. 529 ) Dan Henning 1983 -- 1986 22 -- 41 -- 1 (. 344 ) Marion Campbell 1987 -- 1989 11 -- 36 (. 234 ) Retired after 12 games in 1989. Jim Hanifan 1989 0 -- 4 (. 000 ) Interim head coach. Jerry Glanville 1990 -- 1993 27 -- 37 (. 422 ) June Jones 1994 -- 1996 19 -- 29 (. 396 ) Dan Reeves 1997 -- 2003 49 -- 59 -- 1 (. 450 ) Wade Phillips 2003 2 -- 1 (. 667 ) Interim head coach. Jim Mora 2004 -- 2006 26 -- 22 (. 542 ) Bobby Petrino 2007 3 -- 10 (. 231 ) Resigned after 13 games to take over Arkansas Razorbacks. Emmitt Thomas 2007 1 -- 2 (. 333 ) Interim head coach. Mike Smith 2008 -- 2014 66 -- 46 (. 589 ) Dan Quinn 2015 -- present 19 -- 13 (. 594 ) Current staff Atlanta Falcons staff Front Office Owner / Chairman -- Arthur Blank President / CEO -- Rich McKay General Manager -- Thomas Dimitroff Assistant General Manager -- Scott Pioli Director of Pro Personnel -- Joel Collier Director, Football Operations -- Nick Polk Director of College Scouting -- Steve Sabo National Scout -- Ruston Webster National Scout -- Phil Emery Head Coaches Head Coach -- Dan Quinn Assistant to the Head Coach -- Steve Scarnecchia Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator -- Steve Sarkisian Quarterbacks -- Bush Hamdan Running Backs -- Keith Carter Wide Receivers / Passing Game Coordinator / Assistant HC - Raheem Morris Tight Ends -- Wade Harman Offensive Line -- Chris Morgan Assistant Offensive Line -- Kyle Flood Offensive Assistant -- Charlie Jackson Offensive Assistant -- Charlie Weis, Jr. Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator -- Marquand Manuel Defensive Passing Game Coordinator - Jerome Henderson Defensive Line -- Bryant Young Linebackers -- Jeff Ulbrich Secondary -- Doug Mallory Defensive Assistant - Dave Brock Defensive Assistant -- Jess Simpson Defensive Assistant -- Justin Outten Special Teams Coaches Special Teams Coordinator -- Keith Armstrong Assistant Special Teams -- Eric Sutulovich Special Teams Intern -- Lance Schulters Strength and Conditioning Athletic Performance Manager -- A.J. Neibel Head Strength and Conditioning -- Jesse Ackerman Assistant Strength and Conditioning -- Jonas Beauchemin → Coaching staff → Management → More NFL staffs AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LAC OAK NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA Radio and television Falcons ' flagship radio station is WZGC 92.9 The Game. Wes Durham, son of longtime North Carolina Tar Heels voice Woody Durham, is the Falcons ' play - by - play announcer, with former Atlanta Falcons QB and pro football veteran, Dave Archer serving as color commentator. In 2014, The CW owned - and - operated station WUPA became the official television station of the Falcons, gaining rights to its preseason games, which are produced by CBS Sports. In the regular season, the team 's games are seen on Fox 's O&O affiliate WAGA. When the Falcons challenge an AFC team, CBS affiliate WGCL will air those games while Sunday night games are televised on WXIA, the local NBC affiliate. Radio affiliates Map of radio affiliates. Source : Georgia City Call sign Frequency Albany WSRA - AM 1250 AM Athens WRFC - AM 960 AM Atlanta WZGC - FM 92.9 FM Brunswick WSFN - AM 790 AM Clarkesville WDUN - FM 102.9 FM Columbus WDAK - AM 540 AM Columbus WBOJ 1270 AM Dalton WBLJ - AM 1230 AM Douglas WDMG - AM 860 AM Gainesville WDUN 550 AM Griffin WKEU - AM 1450 AM Griffin WKEU - FM 88.9 FM Hogansville WVCC - AM 720 AM Jesup WLOP - AM 1370 AM Jesup WIFO - FM 105.5 FM LaGrange WMGP - FM 98.1 FM Louisville WPEH - AM 1420 AM Louisville WPEH - FM 92.1 FM Macon WMAC - AM 940 AM Milledgeville WMVG - AM 1450 AM Newnan WCOH - AM 1400 AM Rome WATG - FM 95.7 FM Sandersville WJFL - FM 101.9 FM Savannah WSEG - AM 1400 AM Savannah WSEG - FM 104.3 FM Statesboro WPTB - AM 850 AM Swainsboro WJAT - AM 800 AM Thomaston WTGA - FM 101.1 FM Toccoa WNEG - AM 630 AM Valdosta WVGA 105.9 FM Vidalia WVOP - AM 970 AM Waycross WFNS - AM 1350 AM Alabama City Call sign Frequency Foley WHEP - AM 1310 AM Mississippi City Call sign Frequency Jackson WYAB - FM 103.9 FM South Carolina City Call sign Frequency Clemson WCCP - FM 104.9 FM Tennessee City Call sign Frequency Chattanooga WALV - FM 105.1 FM See also Atlanta portal National Football League portal Notes and references Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons Team Capsule '' ( PDF ). 2017 Official National Football League Record and Fact Book. National Football League. August 22, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Rise Up : Team History '' ( PDF ). 2017 Atlanta Falcons Media Guide. Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved June 6, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Hubbuch, Bart ( January 7, 2012 ). `` Queens - born owner models Falcons after hometown team ''. New York Post. Retrieved January 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons Corporate Headquarters and Training Facility ''. claycorp.com. Retrieved May 12, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons Team History ''. Nflteamhistory.com. Retrieved September 3, 2012. Jump up ^ `` 1966 NFL Draft ''. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 27, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Frequently Asked Questions ''. Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved August 5, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Franchise nicknames ''. Pro Football Hall of Fame. January 1, 2005. Retrieved August 5, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Arthur Blank buys Falcons from Smith family ''. December 17, 2001. ^ Jump up to : `` Falcons unveil new logo '' ( Press release ). Atlanta Falcons. March 19, 2003. Archived from the original on June 23, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons : Thomas Dimitroff ''. atlantafalcons.com. Jump up ^ `` Coaches ''. atlantafalcons.com. Jump up ^ `` Recent news on Michael Turner -- Unsigned Free Agent -- Rotoworld.com ''. rotoworld.com. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons Stats at NFL.com ''. nfl.com. Jump up ^ `` Matt Ryan -- Atlanta Falcons -- 2015 Player Profile -- Rotoworld.com ''. rotoworld.com. Jump up ^ Singer, Mike ( November 28, 2012 ). `` Atlanta 's Jacquizz Rodgers emerging as Falcons top back ''. CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Galleries ''. CNN. September 5, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Panthers use opportunistic defense to crush Falcons, win NFC South ''. ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Patra, Kevin. `` Atlanta Falcons fire coach Mike Smith ''. NFL.com. NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Stites, Adam. `` Dan Quinn named Atlanta Falcons head coach ''. SB Nation. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved March 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Fitzgerald, Matt. `` 2015 NFL Draft Results : Complete List of Picks, Analysis of Major Storylines ''. Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved May 24, 2015. Jump up ^ Schefter, Adam ( February 1, 2015 ). `` NFL investigating Atlanta Falcons for fake crowd noise at Georgia Dome ''. ESPN. Retrieved August 5, 2016. Jump up ^ Patra, Kevin ( March 30, 2015 ). `` Atlanta Falcons lose 2016 pick for pumping fake noise ''. National Football League. Retrieved August 5, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Patriots ' Tom Brady earns 4th Super Bowl MVP trophy with epic comeback ''. NBC Sports. Retrieved February 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Falcons tied Greatest Show on Turf for record 7th most points scored ever ''. The Falcoholic. Retrieved January 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 2016 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players ''. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons, city officials agree on financing terms for new $1 billion stadium ''. ESPN.go.com. March 7, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2014. Jump up ^ Saporta, Maria. `` New Falcons stadium cost ' rises up ' -- again -- another $100 million ''. Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals. Retrieved May 24, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta City Council approves Falcons stadium funding ''. myfoxatlanta.com. March 18, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2014. Jump up ^ Evolution of the Falcons ' colors. Atlanta Falcons. February 13, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Falcons unveil new uniforms at fan rally '' ( Press release ). Atlanta Falcons. April 24, 2003. Archived from the original on July 5, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons Team Encyclopedia ''. Pro Football Reference. 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2008. Jump up ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/head-to-head.htm Jump up ^ `` Michael Vick : Career Stats at NFL.com ''. nfl.com. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Falcons -- Ring of Honor ''. atlantafalcons.com. Jump up ^ `` History of Atlanta Falcons Head Coaches ''. Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved August 4, 2016. Jump up ^ Ho, Rodney. `` 92.9 / The Game becomes a Falcons affiliate ''. Radio & TV Talk with Rodney Ho. Atlanta Journal - Constitution. Retrieved October 19, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Falcons Announce New Local TV Partner ''. atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved August 10, 2014. Jump up ^ http://www.atlantafalcons.com/on-the-air/falcons-radio-network/radio-affiliate-stations.html Jump up ^ Braves New Home In Chattanooga Is Brewer Media 's ESPN 105.1 The Zone External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlanta Falcons. Official website Atlanta Falcons Founded in 1966 Based in Atlanta, Georgia Headquartered in Flowery Branch, Georgia Franchise Franchise Team history Seasons Players Quarterbacks Head coaches Expansion draft Draft history First - round draft picks Stadiums Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium Georgia Dome Mercedes - Benz Stadium Culture Rankin M. Smith, Sr. Arthur Blank The Dirty Bird Dance Freddie Falcon Michael Vick dog fighting investigation Cheerleaders Lore Gary Anderson 's missed field goal Rivalries Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints Division championships ( 6 ) 1980 1998 2012 2016 Conference championships ( 2 ) 1998 2016 Ring of Honor 10 21 31 42 57 58 60 78 87 Current league affiliations League : National Football League Conference : National Football Conference Division : South Division Seasons ( 52 ) 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1989 1990 1991 1993 1997 1998 2017 Links to related articles National Football League ( 2017 ) AFC East North South West Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Oakland Raiders NFC East North South West Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Seasons Seasons ( by team ) Preseason Hall of Fame Game American Bowl Regular season Kickoff game Monday Night Football International Series Thanksgiving games Christmas games Playoffs Streaks Droughts AFC Championship NFC Championship Super Bowl champions quarterbacks Pro Bowl History League history Executive history Championship history AFL Championship ( 1960 -- 1969 ) NFL Championship ( 1920 -- 1969 ) Playoff Bowl Other Owners Officials Properties Stadiums ( chronology ) Timeline Defunct franchises Franchise moves and mergers Los Angeles team history Records individual team Super Bowl All time win -- loss Last undefeated All - 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Question: when did the atlanta falcons become a team
Answer: June 30, 1965