The Birth of Your Falcon Fanhood

Became a Falcon fan when Tom Landry was fired from the Cowboys. Haven’t looked back.

Always been a huge FSU fan but used to watch the NFL without having a favorite team. Saw Vick in the FSU-VT NCAA championship and loved watching his running ability. Started watching the Falcons because of him but a few years later I had given up hope of him becoming a successful passer and was ready for the team to replace him because he was holding us back.

Hey everyone. Let me start by saying thanks. I love this site/blog whatever it is. I am born and raised in Australia, so as you can guess NFL isn’t really on the radar down here. Its not a popular sport, well not top 10. I am so glad i finally have a place where i can speak to other people who get this game and love this game.
Off topic. I guess my defining moment as a fan was before game pass existed. Now i can watch every game live or on demand in HD (How good in tech) but before those days i had a falcons radio subscription, i would be up at 4 am on Monday morning before work just to hear the games live. If u have every listen to NFL on the radio then u would have some idea how boring that is, watching a play by play screen and watiing a million years between every timeout and ad break. I guess thats when i realized i was committed FOR LIFE !

I remember seeing Deion return his first NFL punt for a TD. As an 8 year old…..I was hooked.

I’m from england so the NFL hasn’t really been a thing here for that long and I remember first getting into it in 2003 aged 10. My family came to USA for summer and while in LA myBrother bought madden 2004 and we both started off as packers fans but he was much more into it than I was. A couple years later I decided I wanted to support a team of my own not my brothers team so I had a quick think. I knew who Vick was ‘cos he was on the cover of madden 04 and I thought the falcons had the coolest logo so I began to support them. I went though a couple seasons as a kind of wishy washy supporter kinda knowing bits of what happened but not much else. Then 2007 hit and I kinda just didn’t pay attention to the NFL as a whole that year, all I knew? Vick was in jail and we went 4-12. After all that, The moment I became a full on proper fan and began bleeding black and red was Matt Ryan’s first professional pass. I didn’t see the game but I read about it , and about Michael Turner rushing all over the field and just got hooked.

But always saw more Cowboys games than Falcons because they never sold out and were mostly blacked out. Cowboys were winners and won 3 Super Bowls when I was a huge fan. I pulled hard for Falcons vs Denver…if they had won that game I would have devoted my allegiance then, but they didn’t. Typical Atlanta sports fan misery ensued…But then Vick came…it wasn’t enough…then Blank bought the team…that was it. I knew with the Smith family gone, Blank would do great things with this team. I think we would all agree he has so far.

In 1999 I visited my family in macon and w e had the choice to go to the Braves game or a preseason Falcons game. I remember them playing the Bengles and have never looked back since then. I still root for the team from Utah and want to go back for another game soon

One of the worst years in our beloved teams history, but we beat the saints twice. That’s all that mattered to me!!

Falcons V Tarkenton and the Vikings.Monday Night Football. 15 to 13 Falcons final score.The year would have been I guess ’74 or ’75?

They were great that night Zook,Humphries,Nobis,Reeves.What a devastating 3 deep defense.One of so very few standout performances against great competition under the bright lights.

I was 12yo and living on the south side (Lakewood Heights) when the Falcs came to town.
Watching Claude Humphrey and Ron Zook slap the sh!t out of the o’line, what could be more entertaining?

When they started and was a wee lad. And it was because I lived in GA and they were the GA team. Been putting up with these b******* ever since.

I was there

- when Nobis made every tackle first season (a sin that he is not in the HOF and Humphrey’s head slap instigated a league rule.

- when Dave Hampton became the first 1,000 yard rusher in Falcon history, and then lost 6 yards on the next play to finish with 995.

- when they drafted John Small, Joe Profit, Bubba Bean, Audray Bruce, Bruce Pickens in the first round

- when the backfield as Haskel Stanback and Bubba Bean, affectionately known as the stumble and fumble twins.

- when we had Dalls beat, knocked Stauback out, and Danny White beat us late in the playoffs, I thought we were the best team in the NFL that year.

- when Andrews shredded his knee on a practice, open field cut. Lb for Lb, the best player the Falcons have ever had. If not for that injury would be a HOF back, no doubt, was Madden’s favorite back.

- when they hired the Swamp Fox to be the head coach for the SECOND time, I almost threw up.

- when Bart was the QB and we really could throw the long ball.

- when Bob Glazebrook and Tom Pridemore formed the bruise brothers at safety for Glanville, and I swear they would let you catch a ball so they could hit you.

- when you knew if Tuggle made the tackle because the ball carrier always moved backwards. Always.

- when Buddy Curry left it all on the field every game.

- Deion coming, and Deion leaving

- Vick coming, and Vick being locked up

- wishing like hell they would draft Brees after he personally took the Dawgs to the wire in the bowl

- the Dirty Birds coming out of nowhere and then disappearing just as quick

- Petrino leaving like he stole something.

- The unbelievable rebound and start by TD and MS, sustained winning seasons and playoff disasters.

- wondering what in the hell are our GMs are doing including the current one.

It ain’t been easy, and it sure has been long. But I am still here rooting for those guys and always will as long as I draw breath.

Jerry Glanville became HC, June Jones OC. Was Rod Rust our DC during Glanville’s first year? Can’t remember. Junes Jones’ run n’ shoot offense. To name a few, I’ve seen Chris Miller, Jeff George, Steve DeBerg and Bobby Hebert be our QB but cause Brett Favre was in Jerry’s doghouse he got traded. JESSIE TUGGLE!! Who the hell can forget about Jessie Tuggle? The epitome of an ILB. I must have been a sophmore in high school. Man oh man.

…been a fan for years BUT my fandom just absolutely skyrocketed after Vick got caught up in that mess and Petrino pulled his disappearing act. I literally felt personally betrayed. That’s when I knew we belonged together, and I’ve been representing and defending ever since.

I didn’t like sports, at least team sports, growing up. Flirted with a team here and there, mainly because of where they were from or their mascot. Then I decided at some point in high school (don’t remember the month, date, or whether it was freshmen or sophomore year) that I’d pick some teams in the major pro sports, for whatever reason, and I’d stick with them.

So I chose the Falcons (because they had a lot of players from VA, and I grew up in VA), Avalanche, Celtics, and Jimmie Johnson. Don’t care about baseball, but if I did I’d have chosen the Cleveland Indians.

So anyways, that was my first year rooting for the Falcons, followed them a little bit (if game was on National TV i’d watch it, maybe check the next day to see how they did), then I remember watching the 2nd to last game against the Bucs. I was at a sports bar with an Uncle of mine who happens to be a Bucs fan. We all remember how that ended, but I had decided that if I could get through that, I might as well stick with it.

So I made it through the various seasons, went through the highs, went through the lowest lows, but I stuck with the Falcons. I guess if I wanted it to be easy, I would’ve gone for some other team. But I wanted a team that felt not like I needed it, but it needed me to root for it.

It was in 1979 or 1980, somewhere around then when I became a full blooded Falcon fan. When Dallas knocked us out of the playoffs in the last couple of minutes. The team went 12-4 that year and we all thought that was going to be the year that the Falcon curse under Rankin was going to be broken but it wasn’t to be. Man, they have broke my heart for many years and it’s still happening. I just hope before I die I get to see the Falcons win a Super Bowl. It’s been hard over the years to be a Falcons fan.

Haynes catches hail mary pass to beat the niners. He’s still one of my favorite all time players

when it was still the Atlanta Transit Authority. They ran shuttles from places like Lennox, Ansley Park, North Dekalb Mall (those weren’t the only ones, just the only ones I could remember) and the bus drivers were given one field level ticket. The seats sucked, but I didn’t give a shit. When the players were on one end of the stadium, it was so far away you had to rely on the sound of the crowd and the scoreboard down, distance and yard line lights to know what was going on. There was no Jumbo-tron in those days. I saw my first games in the late 60s and early 70s. It was like an adventure. It was against the rules for the drivers to take anyone with them, so I had to hide in the bus when he went to sign in and get his assignment. When he drove by a supervisor in Pine Street bus station, he’d yell at me “Get down, we’re going by a supervisor!” Then we’d get out of the lot and go on our way to pick up the riders usually at Lennox Mall. The alcohol was flowing, after the passengers were taken back to the Mall, the bus would be full of empty miller lites and Budweisers and solo plastic cups. On a particularly long ride, we cleaned up the bus on the way back to the Pine Street station. I cringe, when I think about it now, but dad would wait till we got to a secluded road, open the doors, and I’d throw the bottles out. I know, but it was before that indian littering public service ad (that ad was cheesy by today’s standards, but the whole country was shamed into changing their behavior. After dad dropped off all the riders, he’d go to get the tickets. He was only entitled to one ticket, so he had to ask around to find a driver who didn’t want to watch the game, so I could get his ticket and watch the game too. Great memories, I miss those days. Dad’s gone now, and I was a minor, so nobody can do anything about it. Wish the Birds could have won a Superbowl before he passed a couple of years ago, but hey, if they do it soon, I’ll take some kind of memento and put it on his grave in Malone, Fla. (shit hole)

In 1975 I was 10 years old and we’d just moved from upstate NY to Stone Mtn, GA. I liked football even at 10 but didn’t know much about it other than when we lived in NY, everyone liked the Giants. Now we were living in GA and one day my dad said we’d go see the local team Falcons at their training camp in Suwanee. I didn’t know much what training camp was but it sounded fun and dad promised pizza afterwards.

Well the whole day was just amazing. I was only 10 so I can’t remember everything but it seemed like we were VIP’s. We watched the players practice and intermingled with them freely afterwards. Back then there wasn’t so much security between the players and fans. All of the players seemed friendly and welcoming. That day I got so many autographs (Marion Campbell, Steve Bartkowski, Jim Mitchell, Wallis Francis, John Zook, Tommy Nobis, Jeff Van Note, Haskel Stanbeck, Nick Mike-Mayer and Alfred Jenkins just to name a few). I didn’t realize the enormity of all this at the time.

As we were leaving, one of the staff called out to us. He was young, just a teenager himself so he was probably one of the coaches kids. Anyway he runs up to us with a box of Falcons goodies and gave them to me. Several small felt banners, a plastic falcons football, key chains, mini helmet and a bunch of other swag. It was like Christmas in August. A new life long fan was born. Not because of the swag (which was nice) but because of the kindness so many players and coaches gave that day to a 10 year old kid. I’ve rooted for them ever since. Even saw my 1975 heroes beat Denver that year in person at the old Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.

Falcons vs Saints Bartkowski Hail Mary pass to Wallace Francis to win 20 – 17. Later the same season the PK (don’t recall his name, I was 10.) kicked a last second FG to win by the same score. The labor strifes over the years have taken a toll on my NFL fandom but I have never pulled for any other team than the FALCONS. My fantasy team is called GritzBlitz.

my favorite player ever

Was actually a Dallas fan as a kid…always wanted a Cowboys jacket in tha winter lol. But, I just happened to be watchin tha playoffs that yr, and since Atlanta was tha underdog against Minnesota I decided to root for em. Well, that was a wrap! They pulled off tha upset and were on their way to tha SB against Denver. I remember makin sure my mom wasn’t watchin anything on tv lol…and actually felt depressed when they lost. Started followin em that offseason and will never look back!!!

My daddy was a Falcons fan so I watched the game w/him and go hooked for life. I have a clear memory of a defender trying to stop William Andrews and he lowered that shoulder and boom. Guy was carried from the field. Steve Bartkowski bomb into the end zone and White Shoes Johnsons coming down with it to win the game.

My dad was in the Air Force so we lived in Alaska where all we seen was the Rams and 49ers so I kind of liked them but it was also in Alaska when I seen Benedict hit a homer vs the Pirates (81 or 82?) and became a Braves fan. Than in 1984 I was living in Arkansas and playing my first year of foosball while in 7th grade and a good friend of mine and I were talking and he liked the Rams (somehow a lot of people in that area liked the Rams or the Cards who were still in St Louis) and asked who my team was and I said I really didnt know and he told me Atlanta had a team and since I was born in Warner Robbins and was a Bravos fan why didnt I root for the Falcs. Well…I did. Bart, Riggs and Case were some of the players that year and I think that was also the year some O-lineman played with a huge cast on his hand. Followed them since…lived in Germany and never seen a game the whole 4 years there than moved to Tampa and had to deal with lovely Bucs fans and in 90 I left and 91 I ended up in SoCal. And get this…there is another Falcons fan in this small town out in the middle of the desert that works at a coffee shop!!! When the Falcs lost to the G-I-ants this year he even gave me free drinks to help sooth the pain.

…..my Dad took me to see the Falcons play Roman Gabriel and the LA Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; that was so long ago you could park your car on the street in LA and walk to the Stadium ( neither you or your car would survive such a thing today)…..I did not realize at the time that someone had probably given the tickets to my Dad for free, as the 2nd year Falcons were no match for the Rams, who coasted to a 20-3 victory.

However, I was fascinated with this downtrodden little team in the black unis with a bird on the sleeve…..after hearing about Rams, Colts, Packers and Bears all my life, it felt like these guys needed somebody to care about them – plus, somebody had left these neat cloth Falcons decals on the seats. I was hooked -and as true Falcon fans can attest, it’s in your blood.

From the freakish regimes of the Dutchman and Glanville, to the agony of the Campbell & Henning eras, the heartbreak of the 1980 Leeman Bennett team ( who still doesn’t wake up screaming “snap the ball, Van Note !!!” as Too Tall Jones tiptoes down the line of scrimmage), to Morton slaying the Vikings in 98, to the thrills and embarrassment of the Vick era, to the solid team looking to take the next step today…..I’ve seen it all. And to quote Little Feat, “fool that I am, I’d do it all over again”…..

and over the loud speakers?

“Gordy’s lets you go there, Gordy’s lets you fly!” or something like that? There was one for the Braves also

“So batter up, lets go.
The pitcher’s starting to throw,
And we’re all so glad that you came
Cause it’s a brand new game!”

Somebody from the 60s and 70s, help me. I must be getting senile.

There was always somebody around hawking boiled peanuts. I tried them once. ONCE! Nasty.

But I’m a fan from afar (New Zealand). My uncle bought me back a JC Penney catalog in ’82 when he was teaching in Boulder, CO. I loved the colours and logo, but no one in New Zealand really knew anything about the game and I was too young.

When I was about 15 there was a weekly highlights run on Sunday afternoons and I finally got to see the Falcons, although they were in black not the red I remembered from the catalog. The very first moving pictures I remember were a bunch of Falcons celebrating in the endzone in an upset thrashing of Houston in Glanville’s first season as head coach. The sleeper had awakened, and now I get to watch every game, still from afar.

Growing up on the other side of the pond during the 1980s, I knew next to nothing about American football other than that there was some fat guy called The Fridge who played for the Bears. But I was into computers and some time around 1990 I read a glowing review of a computer game called TV Sports Football. It sounded great, so I bought a copy and chose to play my first game as the team that was at the top of the (alphabetical) list… Atlanta. (The Cardinals were in Pheonix at that point).

Getting into the computer game, I then started watching the American Football game of the week on Channel 4 in the UK. On the rare occasions when they showed Atlanta I was drawn to the run-and-shoot and the high-risk blitz defense. Jerry Glanville had just taken over and they seemed to be a team on the rise. Shows what little I knew!

In those days Gamepass was just a distant dream, and we only got to see 16 regular season games plus the playoffs on the telly, so you’d be lucky to see one Atlanta game a year. If they were playing in a late game (quite common since in those days we had SF and the Rams in our division), that would finish after the TV show went off air, so the only way you could even find out a score was to check Teletext the next day.

But then a friend – who for similarly tenuous reasons had adopted the Seahawks – told me about the Armed Forces Network, broadcasting NFL commentaries on AM radio every Sunday (except when the baseball playoffs were taking place). So I started tuning in every week in the hopes of hearing score updates during whatever game they were commentating on.

The Internet’s been great for NFL fans in the UK. In the mid 1990s it became a great way of finding out team news and stats, and chatting to other fans on forums like this. But Gamepass is particularly great for far-flung fans like me. It has just two failings – it /always/ crashes at least once per game and, as someone commented above, the subscription finishes too soon. Instead of finishing at the end of the regular season, it should last until the start of the following season, so we could re-watch games during the long off-season.

Can I just say that this has been the most enjoyable thread I’ve read in a while? Fantastic stories from lots of people. It’s amazing how many different ways people have come to follow the Falcons.

… I was born a month or so before the Falcons’ 2nd season, and have been a Georgian for all of those 45 years. I was a suffering Falcons’ fan because, well, that’s just what you did. Wearing Cowboys’ gear was an excuse for a whuppin’.

But I probably became a true Falcons fan when Jolly Jerry Glanville and his circus act came to town. We may not always have won the game, but we were proud! No excuses, no apologies, just a whole lot of Andre Rison, Michael Haynes, Scott Case, Neon Deion, and JESSE the F’n HAMMER TUGGLE.

Beat the Saints in THEIR house twice that year. Went undefeated against the Rams and 49ers… and the root of my Redskins hatred came on January 4, 1992.

That team averaged over 100 yds a game with a whole bunch of NOTHING at RB… Pegram and Broussard. Gah – but we had Fralic, Hinton, Hoover, Kenn… Behind Hinton and Fralic, I think I could rush for at least 80 yards in a game.

All through middle school and into my first year of high school, I was hooked on basketball. Every year was another epic Lakers/Celtics battle. I got to watch the rise of Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and the other great scorers of the day.

The only football I ever watched was during the playoffs. This was during the time when the Joe Montana led 49ers ruled the land, so I naturally became a 49ers bandwagon fan. That ended when they replaced Joe with Steve Young. That was also my first year of high school where everyone else was watching the Falcons. So it was, in 1991, that I began to watch the woeful Falcons and I haven’t looked back since.

family is from upstate New York so Dad is a Bills fan, I grew out of that very quickly. I started liking every team that was good that year and my dad teased me all the time about it. Insert 1998 and I told my dad I would stick with ATL for life. Also I am a Virginia Tech fan because I have watched their games all my life cuz of where I live. So Vick coming enhanced the fandom even more.

Winning a game on the last play with a hail mary and dive for the end zone. I was very young, but I was hooked on Falcons since that day. Can’t remember the team we played though, guess I’ll look it up later.