Atlanta Falcons were founded in 1966 as the 15th expansion team. Prior to the team joining the NFL, the American Football League (AFL) staged two preseason contests, with one featuring the Denver Broncos vs the Houston Oilers and the second being 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. The rival AFL was looking at expansion teams in Atlanta and Philadelphia but eventually chose the Miami Dolphins in 1966 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968.

The Falcons have yet to win a Super Bowl but have appeared in two (XXXIII and more recently XLI in the 2016 season).

Thirteen hundred people combined to suggest more than 500 names, including Peaches, Vibrants, Lancers, Confederates, Firebirds, and Thrashers. While several fans submitted the nickname Falcons, schoolteacher Julia Elliott of nearby Griffin was declared the winner of the contest for the reason she provided. The falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight, Elliott wrote. It never drops its prey. It is deadly and has great sporting tradition. She won four season tickets for three years and a football autographed by the entire 1966 inaugural team.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

NAMES

Atlanta Falcons(1966-PRESENT)

LOCATION

Atlanta,GA(1966-PRESENT)

AFFILIATIONS

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE(1966-)
Eastern Conference(1966)
WESTERN CONFERENCE(1967-1969)
Central Division(1967-1969)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE(1970-)
NFC West(1970-2001)
NFC South (2002-)

SEASONS

Click the "Seasons" text to hide and show the seasons.

Franchise records according to Pro-Football-Reference.com

SEASON LEAGUE CONF DIVISION FINISH W L T PLAYOFFS
1966 NFL EASTERN 7TH 3 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1967 NFL WESTERN COASTAL 4TH 1 12 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1968 NFL WESTERN COASTAL 4TH 2 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1969 NFL WESTERN COASTAL 3RD 6 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1970 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 4 8 2 DID NOT QUALIFY
1971 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 7 6 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1972 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 7 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1973 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 9 5 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1974 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 3 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1975 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 4 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1976 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 4 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1977 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 7 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1978 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 9 7 0 WON WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (Eagles) 14-13
LOST DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (COWBOYS) 20-27
1979 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1980 NFL NFC WEST 1ST 12 4 0 LOST DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS (COWBOYS) 27-30
1981 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1982 NFL NFC 5th 5 4 0 LOST FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS (VIKINGS) 24-30
1983 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1984 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1985 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1986 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 7 8 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1987 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 3 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1988 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1989 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 3 13 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1990 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1991 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 10 6 0 WON WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (SAINTS) 27-20
LOST DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (REDSKINS) 7-24
1992 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1993 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1994 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1995 NFL NFC WEST 2ND 9 7 0 LOST WILD CARD PLAYOFFS (PACKERS) 20-37
1996 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 3 13 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1997 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1998 NFL NFC WEST 1ST 14 2 0 WON DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (49ERS) 20-18
WON NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (VIKINGS) 30-27 (OT)
LOST SUPER BOWL XXXIII (Broncos) 19-34
1999 NFL NFC WEST 3RD 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2000 NFL NFC WEST 5th 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2001 NFL NFC WEST 4TH 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2002 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 9 6 1 WON WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (PACKERS) 27-7
LOST DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (Eagles) 6-20
2003 NFL NFC SOUTH 4TH 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2004 NFL NFC SOUTH 1ST 11 5 0 WON DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (Rams) 47-17
LOST NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (Eagles) 10-27
2005 NFL NFC SOUTH 3RD 8 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2006 NFL NFC SOUTH 3RD 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2007 NFL NFC SOUTH 4TH 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2008 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 11 5 0 LOST WILD CARD PLAYOFFS (CARDINALS 24-30
2009 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 9 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2010 NFL NFC SOUTH 1ST 13 3 0 LOST DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS (PACKERS) 21-48
2011 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 10 6 0 LOST WILD CARD PLAYOFFS (GIANTS) 2-24
2012 NFL NFC SOUTH 1ST 13 3 0 WON DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (SEAHAWKS) 30-28
LOST NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (49ERS) 24-28
2013 NFL NFC SOUTH 3RD 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2014 NFL NFC SOUTH 3RD 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2015 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 8 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2016 NFL NFC SOUTH 1ST 11 5 0 WON DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (SEAHAWKS) 36-20
WON NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (PACKERS) 44-21
LOST SUPER BOWL LI (PATRIOTS) 28-34 (OT)
2017 NFL NFC SOUTH 3RD 10 6 0 WON WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (Rams) 26-13
LOST DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (Eagles) 10-15
2018 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2019 NFL NFC SOUTH 2ND 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2020 NFL NFC SOUTH 4TH 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2021 NFL NFC SOUTH 3RD 7 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2022 NFL NFC SOUTH 4TH 7 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2023 NFL NFC SOUTH 3Rd 7 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY

SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES

SEASON SUPER BOWL W/L OPPONENT SCORE HOST CITY VICTORY APP
1998 XXXIII L
DENVER
BRONCOS		 34-19 MIAMI - 1
2016 LI L
NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS		 34-28(OT) HOUSTON - 2

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

NFC21998, 2016

DIVISION TITLES

12
NFC SOUTH62004, 2010, 2012, 2016
NFC WEST21980, 1998
NFC SOUTH42004, 2010, 2012, 2016

PLAYOFFS APPEARANCES

141978, 1980, 1982, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010-2012, 2016, 2017
LOGOS
(1966-1989) (1990-2002) (2003-)

HELMETS

(1966-1969) (1970-1977) (1978-1983) (1984-1989)
(1990-2002) (2003-2019) (2020-)

STADIUMS

nflFULTON
COUNTY STADIUM
(ATLANTA, GA)
(1966-1991)
 GEORGIA DOME
(ATLANTA, GA)
(1992-2016)
 MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM
(ATLANTA, GA)
(2017-)