The Atlanta Falcons have yet to win a Super Bowl, but they have been very successful nonetheless, led by many top players. The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference South division.
Arthur Blank is the founder of the Falcons and Arthur Smith is the current head coach
We take a look at some of the Atlanta Falcons Top Players Of All Time. There are probably 10 or more players who could make it into the top five, but we’ve narrowed it down to five.
Let’s take a look at the top five Falcons players of all time.
5. Michael Vick
Michael Vick deserves to be in the top five of Falcon’s greatest players although his time with the Falcon’s wasn’t particularly memorable however currently he has paid off his debts.
The Falcons selected Vick as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. Nothing was safe when Vick was on the field, and no one tried to look away from him. He threw for 11,505 yards during his stint with the Falcons and as good as his arm was, he was mainly known for his legs. He sprinted for 3,859 yards while eluding numerous opponents.
It’s a shame what occurred because if he had continued with the Falcons, he could have climbed at least a couple of slots on this chart.
4. Deion Sanders
In 1989, the Falcons picked Deion Sanders with the fifth overall choice, making him one of the top draft picks in franchise history. Sanders barely stayed with the team for five seasons, but his influence on the squad during that time earned him a spot on this list.
Sanders was a lockdown corner that defensive linemen didn’t bother challenging because they knew it was pointless. When they tested Sanders, it frequently resulted in an interception.
Sanders had 24 interceptions during his stint with the Falcons. He was given the title of three Pro Bowls and made two First-Team All-Pro selections.
3. Matt Ryan
The Atlanta Falcons should have won the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, and Matt Ryan would have been number one on this list if that had happened. Unfortunately, the Falcons lost a 28-3 lead, dropping Ryan to third place.
In the 2008 NFL Draft, Ryan was chosen with the third overall pick. Since then, he has provided the Falcons with a great deal of quarterback steadiness. Ryan has thrown for 51,186 yards, 321 touchdowns, and 147 interceptions in 189 games for the Falcons.
Ryan has been selected to four Pro Bowls and has won the NFL MVP award once. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2008.
2. Jeff Van Note
When it comes to outstanding players, offensive linemen are frequently underestimated, yet there is no denying Jeff Van Note’s contribution to the Falcons.
Van Note was chosen in the 11th round of the 1969 draft, and there were low expectations for him when he was picked. He did not only outperform his selection position, but he also developed into one of the best centers of his era.
Van Note set a franchise record by appearing in 155 consecutive games with the Falcons. He was named to six Pro Bowls throughout his 18 years with the team. Van Note is frequently ignored when discussing the greatest Falcons of all time.
1. Tommy Nobis
In the 1965 draft, the Falcons selected Tommy Nobis as their first player. Nobis won rookie of the year in his first year in the league and immediately established himself as one of the top linebackers in the game.
Nobis was the Falcons’ defensive mainstay from 1966 through 1976. When Nobis was a part of the team, tackles weren’t an official statistic, but he had a lot of them. Five times he was named to the Pro Bowl and once to the All-Pro team.
When Nobis was playing, he wasn’t given enough credit, and he still isn’t given enough kudos for what he accomplished for the Falcons.
