# 2001 Atlanta Falcons season

The 2001 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise’s 36th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons obtained the first pick overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. With the pick, the Falcons drafted Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick.
This was Jamal Anderson’s final season as he re-aggravated his surgically repaired knee in Week 3, and this time, it ended his career. The Falcons improved on their 9–23 record from the previous two seasons but still failed to qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive campaign after a 6–4 start.
This was the final season under the Falcons' founding ownership, the Rankin M. Smith Sr. family, as the franchise was sold to The Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank in March 2002.
It was also the first season since 1986 that Jessie Tuggle was not on the roster, as he announced his retirement on August 28, 2001.

## Offseason

Vick was selected in the 2001 NFL draft as the first overall pick and first African American quarterback taking number 1 in the NFL Draft. The San Diego Chargers had the number one selection spot in the draft that year but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons’ first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001 (used to draft CB Tay Cody), a second round pick in 2002 (used to draft WR Reche Caldwell) and WR/KR Tim Dwight. With the Chargers’ downgraded spot (the 5th overall), they selected Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who went on to become league MVP in 2006. Although Vick has never become league MVP, he finished second in voting in 2004. In this way, Tomlinson and Vick are linked as having been “traded” for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks and contract negotiations.

### NFL Draft

2001 Atlanta Falcons draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 1 | Michael Vick * | Quarterback | Virginia Tech |
| 2 | 35 | Alge Crumpler * | Tight end | North Carolina |
| 4 | 99 | Roberto Garza | Guard | Texas A&M–Kingsville |
| 4 | 102 | Matt Stewart | Linebacker | Vanderbilt |
| 5 | 136 | Vinny Sutherland | Wide receiver | Purdue |
| 6 | 167 | Randy Garner | Defensive end | Arkansas |
| 7 | 215 | Corey Hall | Defensive back | Appalachian State |
| 7 | 219 | Kynan Forney | Guard | Hawaii |
| 7 | 226 | Ronald Flemons | Defensive end | Texas A&M |
| 7 | 236 | Quentin McCord | Wide receiver | Kentucky |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

### Undrafted free agents

2001 Undrafted Free Agents of note :
| Player | Position | College |
| Jay Feely | Kicker | Michigan |
| Dave Kadela | Offensive tackle | Virginia Tech |

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue |
| 1 | August 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 16–17 | 0–1 | Georgia Dome |
| 2 | August 11 | at New York Jets | W 20–10 | 1–1 | Giants Stadium |
| 3 | August 17 | at Washington Redskins | W 27–6 | 2–1 | FedExField |
| 4 | August 31 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 36–7 | 3–1 | Georgia Dome |

## Regular season

This was the Falcons’ 32nd and final season as a member of the NFC West Division. If one counts its predecessor, the Coastal Division of the NFL’s Western Conference prior to the 1970 merger, it was the franchise’s 35th season in this division. The Falcons moved to the new NFC South as part of the NFL’s realignment plan for the following season.

### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| 1 | September 9 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 13–16 (OT) | 0–1 | 3Com Park | 65,989 |
| 2 | September 23 | Carolina Panthers | W 24–16 | 1–1 | Georgia Dome | 47,804 |
| 3 | September 30 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 34–14 | 2–1 | Sun Devil Stadium | 28,878 |
| 4 | October 7 | Chicago Bears | L 3–31 | 2–2 | Georgia Dome | 46,483 |
| 5 | October 14 | San Francisco 49ers | L 31–37 (OT) | 2–3 | Georgia Dome | 46,727 |
| 6 | October 21 | at New Orleans Saints | W 20–13 | 3–3 | Louisiana Superdome | 70,020 |
| 7 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 8 | November 4 | New England Patriots | L 10–24 | 3–4 | Georgia Dome | 44,229 |
| 9 | November 11 | Dallas Cowboys | W 20–13 | 4–4 | Georgia Dome | 69,010 |
| 10 | November 18 | at Green Bay Packers | W 23–20 | 5–4 | Lambeau Field | 59,849 |
| 11 | November 25 | at Carolina Panthers | W 10–7 | 6–4 | Ericcson Stadium | 72,234 |
| 12 | December 2 | St. Louis Rams | L 6–35 | 6–5 | Georgia Dome | 59,318 |
| 13 | December 9 | New Orleans Saints | L 10–28 | 6–6 | Georgia Dome | 68,826 |
| 14 | December 16 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 27–41 | 6–7 | RCA Dome | 55,603 |
| 15 | December 23 | Buffalo Bills | W 33–30 | 7–7 | Georgia Dome | 43,320 |
| 16 | December 30 | at Miami Dolphins | L 14–21 | 7–8 | Pro Player Stadium | 73,559 |
| 17 | January 6 | at St. Louis Rams | L 13–31 | 7–9 | Trans World Dome | 66,033 |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |||||||

### Standings

NFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ St. Louis Rams | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 503 | 273 | W6 |
| $^{(5)}$ San Francisco 49ers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 409 | 282 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 333 | 409 | L4 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 291 | 377 | L2 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1 | 15 | 0 | .063 | 253 | 410 | L15 |