Forgotten Falcons: Scott Case

The mid-to-late 80s and well into the 1990s were painted with a little triumph in the history of the Atlanta Falcons franchise, as well as a lot of change. The team and the city encountered a taste of mainstream success with the drafting of legendary cornerback Deion Sanders, the early tenure of Jerry Glanville as head coach, and the sight of a few celebrities on the sideline from time to time.

In the backdrop of the bright days and cloudy seasons however, was a member of the Falcons secondary that chugging along season after season in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and the early years of the Georgia Dome. During his time in Atlanta, he orchestrated one of the more impressive seasons in team history which resulted in his only trip to the Pro Bowl. Today, we examine former Falcons Scott Case.

Time in Atlanta: 1984-1994

Falcons statistics: 178 games, 124 games, 959 tackles, 30 interceptions, 7.5 sacks, seven fumble recoveries

The former second-round pick out of the University of Oklahoma did not receive his first start until his second year in the NFL, which came for a 4-12 Falcons team in 1985 under then-head coach Dan Henning. Case was one of the few bright spots on a defense that was 28th in the league in scoring, allowing 28.3 (smh) points per game. His four total interceptions were second on the team.

Year three in 1986 saw Case earn 15 starts that season with another four interceptions, second on the team. That season also saw a slight position change for Case as he transitioned from strong safety to cornerback, though he would eventually play both safety spots and corner.

Once the 1988 season commenced, the Falcons were well in the Marion Campbell era. Case also produced the best season in his entire 12 seasons as a professional, and one of the most impressive seasons in team history. Case led the entire NFL with 10 interceptions that season and earned his well-deserved trip to the Pro Bowl at season’s end. Between 1990-1993, Case was inserted at free safety for the Falcons and posted four straight seasons of 100+ tackles, including 170 in 1990 and 162 in 1991. During Case’s entire career in Atlanta, he only experienced one winning season, which came in 1991. The versatile defender moved on to the Dallas Cowboys in 1995 and was a contributor to the eventual Super Bowl champions that same season, albeit mostly as a backujp.

While donning the red and black, Case built a reputation for being a hard-hitting defender and showed plenty of versatility while playing for three different head coaches. He may not have been as forgotten as some Falcons on this list, but he was a player whose excellence is not always appreciated to the full extent it could be. With his draft placement, Case proved to be a reliable piece to Falcons defenses for a number of years despite not necessarily being a marquee or star player.