More than 100 million Americans will be watching the Super Bowl on February 5 when the Atlanta Falcons game and the New England Patriots face off for a crack at the crown.
Due to their record-breaking seventh Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots are well-known to most people, but the Falcons may be less well-known. Here are 10 intriguing facts about Atlanta that the common fan may not be aware of in honor of the Falcons’ second Super Bowl trip and their effort to capture their first championship.
1.
Although the Atlanta NFL club was created in June 1965, it lacked a name at the time. A year before the team’s debut, the franchise sponsored a name-the-NFL-team contest. Numerous suggestions were made, including those from the Goobers, Knights, Bombers, Fireballs, and Rebels.
Although the Falcons were cited by many, Julia Elliott, a teacher, was selected the winner because she noted in her essay, “The falcon is noble and dignified, with enormous courage and fight. It never abandons a victim. It is perilous and rich in sports history.
2.
In the start of the 2017 season, the Falcons are projected to play in a new site named the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The planned total cost of the 75,000-seat stadium was $1.5 billion. The new stadium, which will replace the Georgia Dome, will boast the largest LED television display in all of sports and a retractable roof that can open or close in less than seven minutes.
3.
The Falcons selected a live falcon as their emblem in 1966. The falcon, however, managed to depart the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium during one rehearsal after being spooked away. A few days later, perched atop a Kraft Food plant in adjacent Decatur, some 12 miles east of the city center, it was found.
4.
Arthur Blank, who has a net worth of around $3.3 billion, is the owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He and Bernard Marcus launched The Home Depot in 1978, which contributed greatly to his income. Following unanimous approval from the other owners, he officially paid $545 million for the Falcons.
5.
In the NFL, a tie game happens infrequently when the score is still knotted after the completion of overtime. The Atlanta Falcons, on the other hand, had two ties in a single season in 1970. The Falcons, in comparison, have tied a game just twice since 1974.
6.
The Falcons’ helmets have always been either black or red. However, the team introduced a white helmet concept and developed a prototype in 1974. In the end, the plans were abandoned.
7.
The franchise’s 1998 campaign enjoyed its highest degree of success to date. The team stunned the league by winning the NFC West and compiling a 14-2 record. The team progressed to Super Bowl XXXIII where it suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos after overcoming the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings to claim the NFC championship. Fans still hold the year in high respect despite the loss due of its accomplishments, including the franchise high in points scored and wins.
8.
Over the years, the team has enjoyed unequal success. The team’s inaugural season began in 1966, but its first winning season didn’t arrive until 1971. The team has never achieved consecutive winning seasons in its first 40 years of existence.
9.
Steve DeBerg had a five-year sabbatical from football and returned in 1998 as a backup quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons. On October 25, when Chris Chandler was unable to play against the New York Giants, DeBerg stepped over as the starting quarterback and lead the team to victory at the age of 45 years and 12 days. DeBerg was the oldest player ever to be put on a team for the Super Bowl when the Falcons proceeded later that season, despite the fact that he didn’t play.
10.
The Atlanta Falcons staged their debut training camp in 1966 at a poor facility in the North Carolina mountains, according to Matt Winkeljohn’s book “Tales from the Atlanta Falcons Sideline.” Many of the guys developed food sickness because the dinner was so bad. The medical authorities summoned famed linebacker Tommy Nobis to the hospital where he had to “crap into a pot or whatever” in order to establish what sparked the condition.
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