The Atlanta Falcons are one of the most successful teams in the National Football League. The team has won three Super Bowls and made it to six NFC Championships. They also hold several records for individual players like Michael Vick, who set the record for highest quarterback rating. We’ll explore how they managed to be so successful and how they plan on getting even better!
The Atlanta Falcons’ history
Throughout the years, the Falcons have had their fair share of successes and failures.
An expansion team in 1965, the Falcons began as the NFL’s 14th franchise and were located in Atlanta, Georgia. They were placed in the NFC West and their first draft pick was Tommy Nobis from Texas. As a result of this draft they would see their first season end in a 4-8 record.
One of their early years was in 1966 when they made it to the NFL Championship game but they lost to the Green Bay Packers.
In 1967, they would go 7-7 and in 1968 would make another appearance in the Championship Game but this time losing to the Cowboys.
In 1991, they made it to their first Super Bowl but lost. For a while, they went through a lot of bad seasons but when Michael Vick arrived at the team in 1998 things changed.
They became more competitive and Vick became one of the most recognizable faces in football. When he retired in 2006 after his incarceration for dogfighting, things took a downward turn for the team. Unfortunately, they would lose to the Eagles 17-49.
They didn’t make any playoff appearances until 2010 when they began to get back on their feet with quarterback Matt Ryan and head coach Mike Smith.
A list of the top 10 players in franchise history
- Matt Ryan
- Michael Vick
- Julio Jones
- Desmond Trufant
- Alge Crumpler
- Deion Sanders
- Roddy White
- Jake Scott
- William Andrews
- Claude Humphrey
How many Super Bowls have Atlanta Falcons won
With head coach Mike Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan leading the way forward, the Falcons are certainly one of the most successful teams in NFL history. They have won 3 Super Bowls and 6 NFC Championships, which is how they managed to be so successful.
Mike Smith, who was just named coach of the year in 2007, has been coaching the Atlanta Falcons since 2008. He is a graduate of Clemson University and played linebacker there. His NFL playing career lasted for 12 years with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers.
Smith has an impressive track record with the Falcons after having won three championships in four seasons. It should be noted that his team has only lost one playoff game during his tenure as head coach: Super Bowl XLIII, when they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-31.
Predictions for the 2017 season
I’m predicting the Falcons will make it to the NFC Championship game but fall short of making it to the Super Bowl. They had an incredible season last year, but I think they’ll get knocked out in the first round. They’re a really good team, but I think they might be a bit too cocky. What do you think?
Conclusion
The Falcons have had some significant changes in their coaching staff throughout the years which do seem to affect how well they perform on the field.
Hopefully, this article on how the Atlanta Falcons are one of the most successful teams in the National Football League has been insightful. From how they have dealt with different issues to how they have been able to be one of the best NFL teams, there’s a lot to learn from their success!