The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965, and joined the NFL in 1966 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).
Christopher Mark Chandler is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. He played for seven different teams in eight different cities during his NFL career, and is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14–2 season in 1998 followed by an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.
Aundray Bruce is an American former professional football player who was an linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). As a college football player, he played defensive end for the Auburn Tigers before the Atlanta Falcons selected him with the first overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft. He played in the NFL for the Falcons and Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders.
Emmitt Earl Thomas is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the now defunct Bishop College. He played professionally as a cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He owns the Chiefs all-time interception record with 58, which places him ninth on pro football's all-time list. Thomas was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being nominated by the Seniors Committee.
Leslie Pierce Holt is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) from 1988 to 1995. Holt played college football at Angelo State University. He was selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft. Holt was selected to his one and only Pro Bowl in 1992, his last year in San Francisco. He won two Super Bowls with the 49ers. The following year in March, Holt signed with the Atlanta Falcons for three years worth $7.5 million. He lives with his wife, Deana, in Christoval, Texas.
Mike Smith is a former American football coach. He served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2007 to 2014. Smith has also served as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his tenure as head coach of the Falcons, Smith became the franchise's winningest head coach by number of wins in addition to being the recipient of the 2008 NFL Coach of the Year Award by the Associated Press and was also voted NFL Coach of the Year Award by the Sporting News in 2008, 2010, and 2012.
Marcus Glenn Cotton is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Michael David Haynes is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 1988 NFL draft. He played college football at Northern Arizona after attending Eastern Arizona College. Haynes also played for the New Orleans Saints.
Christopher Jerrod Hinton is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Indianapolis Colts franchise. In addition to his seven seasons with the Colts, he was a member of the Atlanta Falcons for four seasons and the Minnesota Vikings for two seasons.
Bradford Wayne Edwards is an American former professional football player who was a safety for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, and the Atlanta Falcons. He is currently the chief executive officer at the NFL Alumni Association. He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Houston Roosevelt Hoover is an American former professional football offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) who played for the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Jackson State University. He was selected by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 1988 NFL draft.
Patrick James Bates is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Raiders and later played for the Atlanta Falcons after being traded by the Raiders in exchange for the Falcons' second-round selection in the 1996 NFL draft.
Charles Gene Thomas is a former professional American football center in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Houston Oilers in the eighth round of the 1985 NFL draft. He played seven seasons in the NFL, for the Atlanta Falcons in 1985 and the San Francisco 49ers from 1987 to 1992.
James Thomas Milling Jr. is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons. He was selected by the Falcons in the tenth round of the 1988 NFL draft.
Ian Thomas is an American professional football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana, and was selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft.
James Dewitt Primus is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. The Falcons selected him in the ninth round of the 1988 NFL draft.
Stanley David Clayton is an American college football coach and former guard and tackle. He is the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for Benedict College, positions he has held since 2024. He played for the Atlanta Falcons from 1988 to 1989 and for the New England Patriots in 1990 and 1991. He was selected by the Falcons in the tenth round of the 1988 NFL draft.
Aundell Terrell Jr. is an American professional football cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson and was selected by the Falcons in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Drake Anthony London is an American professional football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC and was selected eighth overall by the Falcons in the 2022 NFL draft.
