The Atlanta Falcons are one of youngest teams in the NFL, only joining the league in 1966. But in their relatively short stint in pro football, the Falcons have proven to be one of the more consistent teams especially the past three decades.
In the last 30 seasons, the Georgia-based franchise has made the postseason 11 times; a very respectable record. They have won six Division titles, five of them won from 1998 onwards, and have been to the Super Bowl on two separate occasions. Their most recent shot at the Lombardi trophy came in 2016, when they nearly beat the New England Patriots in a thrilling Super Bowl LI. And I don't think Atlanta fans want me to remind them how that game went.
Despite having not won a championship just yet, the Falcons have a enjoyed a lot of good years in the NFL and a lot of those winning seasons can be partly attributed to the talent they've had under center. So while we patiently wait for the season to start, here's a rundown of the three best quarterbacks in Atlanta Falcons history.
Honorable mentions:
Chris Miller, Chris Chandler, Bobby Hebert
3. Michael Vick. 2001-2006
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, Vick ran one of the fastest 40-yard dashes by any quarterback in NFL history. And his speed and running would be one of the defining parts of his career, although his first season in Atlanta didn't necessarily start of on the right foot. He barely played and only started two out his eight games. His passing numbers were pedestrian at best and the lone bright spot was the 9.3 yards he averaged per carry.
His second season was different as Vick played in 12 games, starting in each one. The Falcons ended the season with a 9-6-1 record, good enough to get them into the playoffs. The Vick-led Falcons would score a huge upset over the Green Bay Packers before eventually falling to Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Virginia Tech alum would miss majority of his third season because of an injury but would eventually return and have three more excellent years with the Falcons. He would bring Atlanta back to postseason play in 2004, but would never get to the Super Bowl.
Although his time in Atlanta ended abruptly, due to controversy no less, there's no denying the impact he had on the franchise and the whole game as well. He remains a Falcons fan-favorite and some would even rank him No. 1 on this list and you couldn't blame them if they did.
Vick finished his career in Atlanta with totals of 11,505 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns, 3,859 rushing yards, and 21 rushing touchdowns.
2. Steve Bartkowski. 1975-1985
Another top selection made by the Atlanta franchise, Steve Bartkowski, otherwise known as “Bart”, is not only one of the team's best quarterbacks, but he is arguably one of their best and most important players ever.
After his senior year in California, the 1974 consensus All-American was taken number one by the Atlanta Falcons. He would turn the floundering team around and would lead them to the playoffs on three separate occasions. Most consider this his greatest contribution to the franchise. Outside all the touchdowns he threw, 154 to be exact, people believe his brilliance on the field is what helped establish the then-struggling franchise in the NFL. The team's fanbase began to grow because of Bart raising the Falcons to a competitive level, a testament to his quality in a Falcons shirt.
Bartkowski would finish his stay with the Falcons after accumulating 23,470 passing yards on a 56.2 percent completion rate.
1. Matt Ryan. 2008-Present
This one is not up for debate. Matt Ryan undoubtedly takes the cake when it comes to Atlanta Falcons quarterback history.
The third pick of his draft class, Ryan has been a hallmark of consistency and reliability from his very first snap, and this is evident in the faith the Falcons organization has had in him. As of the conclusion of the 2019 season, Ryan has started every game he's ever played including the playoffs. That's a perfect 199 out of 199 games. Talk about trust.
Under Ryan, the Falcons have a combined regular season record of 109-80 and a 4-6 postseason clip. In his MVP year, Ryan led the Falcons to their second Super Bowl and nearly won the franchise its first Lombardi trophy, all while averaging a ridiculous 117.1 passer rating.
After the devastating scandal that revolved around Vick, Atlanta's team was at one of their history's lowest points. In less than a year, Ryan was able to turn the franchise around and almost carried his team and city to the mountain top. Even if he ultimately failed in 2016, I'm sure Falcons fans everywhere would agree that Matty Ice deserves the top spot on this list.
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