The Greatest Atlanta Falcon Of All Time: The Nominations

by Dave the Falconer on Jun 4, 2009 8:00 AM EDT Comment 30 comments

This seems like a natural extension of the discussion we had the other day on favorite Falcons. Basically, I'd like everyone to nominate the Atlanta Falcon they think was the most talented or most successful during their careers.

You say you want some guidelines? Here's some easy ones!

Please don't nominate anyone who played like five or six seasons in Atlanta, as that's simply not enough. I absolutely loved Chris Miller, but he wasn't around long enough to be considered for something like this.
Please don't nominate anyone who is a personal favorite but clearly wasn't one of the best ever. We may want to expand this into individual positions--and let me know if that's the case--but no matter how much you want Chris Draft to win this thing, it ain't gonna happen.
Debate early and often, but be civil. This is the kind of discussion that deserves plenty of back-and-forth, but I don't want a flame war to start. We just had the carpets cleaned!

And.....go!

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On value, tenure, and pro bowls alone, it's gotta be

Jeff Van Note.

6 pro bowls, 18 years on the line, 226 starts, and pivotal in the magical 1980 season.

"If the Falcons ever manage to win a Super Bowl in my lifetime, I'll french kiss a toilet." - a friend.

by tlozwarlock on Jun 4, 2009 8:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

…and he’s a UK grad, may I add…

by johnnybacardi on Jun 4, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

William Andrews - Not sure if he lasted long enough...

Injury may have stopped him short of the longevity requirement, but William Andrews was a beast. In an era of bruising running backs such as Earl Campbell, George Rogers and OJ Anderson, William was our man.

by MikeInValdosta on Jun 4, 2009 9:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Andrews only played 5 or 6 seasons, BUT

I don’t think any “greatest Falcon ever” discussion is complete without him.

by skigator93 on Jun 4, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hear hear

I agree!

by johnnybacardi on Jun 4, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I may...

<img src=“”http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnybacardi/3595359586/" title=“Nobis by jbacardi, on Flickr”> Nobis "/>

Allow me to be the one to nominate Tommy Nobis. I dont think his value to the Falcons in their early days can be denied.

by johnnybacardi on Jun 4, 2009 9:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Boy I sure wound up with a lot of extra code in there…

by johnnybacardi on Jun 4, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was too young to appreciate Nobis.

But Larry Czonka’s quote is pretty impressive.

by Mnemonic on Jun 4, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another source's Top 12 list

I think they got the players right – we could all debate the order a little, but here’s the list from the Bleacher Report

One name that probably should be mentioned is Morten Andersen. You can’t really name a kicker as the team’s best player of all time, but nobody can argue that Andersen was money in the clutch. Plus he played about 63 seasons for us and another 42 for the Saints.

by skigator93 on Jun 4, 2009 9:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Meh

There’s no way kciV should be in the top 12. Plus, Tuggle’s probably too low and Bartkowski is too high for my liking.

by orang3b on Jun 4, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right on queue

Here’s another top 10 list from Bleacher Report that is much better, IMO.

by orang3b on Jun 5, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No Brooking...

I’m a little surprised. Maybe last season left a bad taste in our mouths, but he was a mainstay of our defense for a decade.

Its true. I'm a Falcoholic! I just can't live without Falcohol!

by phoenix falcoholic on Jun 4, 2009 12:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I meant to post that under the Bleacher report's top 12

Its true. I'm a Falcoholic! I just can't live without Falcohol!

by phoenix falcoholic on Jun 4, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Claude Humphrey

Sacks 126½
Games 171
Safeties 2
6× Pro Bowl selection (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977)
5× First-team All-Pro selection (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977)
3× Second-team All-Pro selection (1969, 1970, 1976)
1968 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Should be in the Hall also enough said……….

by Falconsrule8373 on Jun 4, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No list is complete without Claude!

by Dave the Falconer on Jun 4, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My vote would go to Jesse Tuggle or Mike Kenn

I lean towards Kenn, just because I think the OL gets overlooked. 5 pro bowls. Started every game he played in, holds Falcons records for games played at 256. A first round pick that truly earned the pick – he lasted 17 seasons (that is an average of over 15 games per season – I can’t remember his ever getting hurt).

I think he went 5 years without EVER getting a holding call against him, and then a story was written about that stat, and the ref’s called him 3 times in a game out of general principle.

My honorable mentions? Gerald Riggs, Terance Mathis, Steve Bartkowski

by Mnemonic on Jun 4, 2009 1:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No love for Chuck Smith??

"We're not maxed out, ... The best is still ahead of us."

Bobby Bowden

by NaGaNole on Jun 4, 2009 2:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well,

I know he holds the franchise record for sacks, but he never went to a single Pro Bowl – I’d think Claude Humphrey would have to be ahead of him at “all-time” DE.

by orang3b on Jun 4, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like Jamal Anderson, he played for 7 seasons but he was awesome.. I would also nominate Jesse Tuggle and Chuck Smith…

by MTB33 on Jun 4, 2009 4:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow,

After giving myself a little history lesson (thanks, Dave – this has been fun!), I’ve come to realize that the Falcons have had some great Linebackers (well, I knew that) and some great Offensive Linemen through the years…

I’d say the top 5 (in no particular order) would have to be: Claude Humphrey, Mike Kenn, Jeff Van Note, Bill Fralic, and Tommy Nobis.

Then my next 5 would be from this group: Jessie Tuggle, William Andrews, Gerald Riggs, Keith Brooking, Bartkowski, Alfred Jenkins, and George Kunz.

I do have a question, though – does anybody remember Elbert Shelley (4 Pro Bowls) or Rolland Lawrence (only 1 Pro Bowl, but also 1st Team All-Pro, has franchise record in INT’s)? I guess they’d be in the next group of all-time greats, but I don’t know anything about them. Lawrence was before my time, and I simply do not remember Shelley at all…

by orang3b on Jun 4, 2009 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You're welcome

Glad to see so much enthusiasm for stuff like this. I think I got in a bit of a rut in May.

by Dave the Falconer on Jun 4, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remember Lawrence

He was a good one. Wasn’t Shelley a special teamer?

by skigator93 on Jun 4, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess

You’re right – he’s listed as a DB here, but I probably would have figured it out if I paid closer attention to his numbers: 53 career tackles, 1 Interception, 2 Sacks – and 4 Pro Bowls… I guess he was sort of the Falcon’s version of Steve Tasker.

by orang3b on Jun 5, 2009 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Dave,

Got an idea. You mentioned per-position at the tail end of the post. Why don’t we as a community vote for the Falcoholic All-Time Falcons team. We can build this team in the humdrum boredom of pre-camp June/July. Each post would have a poll based on suggestions from early in the week.

Just a thought.

"If the Falcons ever manage to win a Super Bowl in my lifetime, I'll french kiss a toilet." - a friend.

by tlozwarlock on Jun 4, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs