List of Atlanta Falcons seasons
The Atlanta Falcons have played their home games at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium since 2017.
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia . They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965, with the NFL awarding Atlanta a football team to prevent the franchise from joining the rival American Football League . NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle granted ownership of the team to businessman Rankin Smith , beginning play in the 1966 season as an expansion team .[ 1] [ 2] The name "Falcons" was suggested by high school teacher Julia Elliott through a 1965 contest.[ 3] Smith remained as the owner of the Falcons until his death in 1997, with ownership of the team then transferring to his son Taylor. Taylor Smith reached a preliminary agreement with businessman Arthur Blank to purchase the team on December 6, 2001. The sale was finalized on February 2, 2002, following a unanimous vote by NFL owners.[ 4] Since the team's inception, it has been based in Atlanta, playing their home games at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium since 2017.[ 5] They previously played home games at the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (1966–1991) and the Georgia Dome (1992–2016).[ 6] [ 7] The Falcons began play in the Eastern Conference of the NFL, before moving to the Coastal division in the Western Conference . Following the 1970 NFL realignment, the team moved to the NFC West division.[ 8] The team moved for the third and final time to the NFC South division following the 2002 NFL realignment.[ 9]
Over their 58 seasons in the NFL, the Falcons have accumulated a record of 390 wins, 503 losses, and 6 ties, which is the fifth-worst all-time regular season record among active franchises in terms of win–loss percentage.[ 10] They have also made the playoffs fourteen times and have the seventh-worst playoff record in terms of win-loss percentage with 10 wins and 14 losses.[ 10] The Falcons appeared in two Super Bowl championships—Super Bowl XXXIII and Super Bowl LI —losing to the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots , respectively. The Falcons have won the NFC Championship twice and a division title six times, winning the NFC West twice (1978 and 1998 ) and the NFC South four times (2004 , 2010 , 2012 and 2016 ).[ 11] The team currently has seventeen winning seasons, four tied seasons, and thirty-six losing seasons.[ 12]
Seasons
See also
Notes
^ The NFL underwent a realignment of teams in the 1970 season, with the Falcons moving to the NFC West division.[ 8]
^ In 1978, the NFL expanded its regular season schedule, which had been 14 games since 1961, to 16 games.[ 27]
^ a b The 1982 season was shortened to nine games after a players' strike . The top eight teams in each conference advanced to the playoffs.[ 33]
^ The 1987 NFL strike caused the schedule to be reduced to 15 games.[ 39]
^ Following the 2002 NFL realignment, the Falcons played in the NFC South division.[ 9]
^ In 2021, the NFL expanded its regular season schedule, which had been 16 games since 1978, to 17 games.[ 27] [ 77]
References
^ "This Day In Sports: The City Of Atlanta Gets Its NFL Wings" . ESPN . June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "Team History" (PDF) . 2022 Atlanta Falcons Media Guide . NFL . Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023 .
^ Johnston, Andy (January 31, 2017). "Teacher helped name the Atlanta Falcons" . WSB-TV . Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ Rhlm, Kris (February 17, 2022). " 'We need more rings': Arthur Blank reflects on 20 years of ownership, Falcons future" . Atlanta Falcons . Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "Mercedes-Benz Stadium History" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ Bradley, Mark (February 20, 2016). "Atlanta's stadium farewells: Fun and flops" . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . ISSN 1539-7459 . Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ Odum, Charles (January 6, 2017). "Falcons' 25-year stay in Georgia Dome coming to an end" . Savannah Morning News . Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ a b Anderson, Dave (February 27, 2000). "Sports of The Times; The Woman Who Aligned the N.F.C. Teams" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Archived from the original on October 24, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024 .
^ a b "New alignment takes effect in 2002" . ESPN . Associated Press . May 22, 2001. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2024 .
^ a b "List of all the Pro Football Franchises" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "Team Facts" . Pro Football Hall of Fame . Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "Atlanta Falcons Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1966 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1966 Awards Voting" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1967 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1968 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1968 Awards Voting" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1969 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1970 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1971 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1972 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1973 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1974 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1975 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1976 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1977 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ a b "NFL Regular Season Games Played per Season" . Pro Football Hall of Fame . Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023 .
^ "1978 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1979 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1980 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1980 Awards Voting" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1981 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ Lowitt, Bruce (November 21, 1982). "Here it is mid-November already, and everyone's still in the race!" . The News Tribune . p. B2. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1982 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1983 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1984 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1985 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1986 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ Snider, Mike (January 5, 2023). "Has the NFL ever canceled games before? Bills-Bengals cancellation a rare move for the league" . USA Today . Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023 .
^ "1987 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1988 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1989 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1990 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1991 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1992 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1993 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1994 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1995 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1996 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1997 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1998 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1998 Awards Voting" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "1999 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2000 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2001 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2002 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2003 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2004 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2005 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2006 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 22, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2007 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2008 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2008 Awards Voting" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2009 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2010 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2011 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on December 17, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2012 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2013 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on December 14, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2014 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2015 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2016 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2016 Awards Voting" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2017 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2018 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2019 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2020 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ Belson, Ken (March 30, 2021). "N.F.L. Officially Adds 17th Regular Season Game" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on July 29, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023 .
^ "2021 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2022 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
^ "2023 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024 .
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Wild card / First round berths (8) Division championships (6) Conference championships (2) Ring of Honor Current league affiliations