Atlanta Falcons Tickets : The Falcons Selected Many Good Players In Drafts

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 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). The AFL instead granted a franchise to Miami, Florida (the Miami Dolphins). In their 45 years of existence, the Falcons have compiled a record of 298/402/6 with division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, and 2010. Their first and only Super Bowl appearance was Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999.

Once a stadium, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, was built, Atlantans 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 NFL, 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. On June 30 Rankin Smith and the NFL were the choice.

The Atlanta Falcons franchise began on June 30, 1965 when NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle granted ownership to Rankin Smith Sr. The expansion team was 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.The Falcons selected many good players in drafts, but they still could not win. The Falcons had their first season in 1966, and their first preseason game on August 1, 1966, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. They lost their first nine regular-season games 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. The 1971 season was their first with a winning record.

On January 13, 2008, the Falcons named the former Patriots director of college football scouting Thomas Dimitroff General Manager On January 23, 2008, 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.On March 2, Michael Turner agreed to a 6-year deal worth $30 million. On April 26, Matt Ryan was drafted third overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He started all 16 games in his rookie season and was named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The Falcons finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 11/5. On December 21, 2008, Atlanta Falcons 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.

The Atlanta Falcons hold the record among all major American sports leagues for the longest streak of seasons without consecutive winning seasons, a streak that lasted from 1966/2008. Though they failed to make the playoffs, the streak ended in 2009 when the Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20/10 in the final game of the season to improve their record to 9/7.

In 2010, with a regular season record of 13/3, their best regular season record since the 1998 Super Bowl season, 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.