The NFL Draft is the most notable off-field event in the league, especially because of the unpredictability surrounding the selections and trades. Deals involving high-level picks can improve a franchise in a hurry, or set one back for years. The Atlanta Falcons have made more trades involving top-five selections than most teams, and have benefited from many of those moves. 

1. January 28, 1975:

Falcons received: No. 1 overall pick and a sixth-round pick in the 1975 Draft

Baltimore Colts received: T George Kunz and No. 3 overall pick in the 1975 Draft

Most expansion teams do not have immediate success, and the Falcons were no different. They won just six games in their first three seasons and had not made the playoffs in their first nine years of existence before making this trade for the top pick in the 1975 NFL Draft. Atlanta selected quarterback Steve Bartkowski, a 1974 All-American from the University of California. Bartkowski was a two-time Pro Bowler who threw for 3,000 or more yards three times and led the NFL with 31 touchdowns in 1980. He led the Falcons to a 12-4 mark that season, which stood as a team record for victories until 1998, and the season resulted in the second of Atlanta’s three postseason berths during his tenure. By the time he signed with the Rams for one final season in 1986, Bartkowski held team records for the Rams with 23,470 yards and 154 touchdowns (both marks have since been passed by Matt Ryan). The sixth-round pick turned into UCLA linebacker Fulton Kuykendall. Although he never was selected to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, Kuykendall was a solid player who appeared in 123 games in 10 seasons with Atlanta. His physical, and even reckless, style of play earned him the nickname “Kaptain Krazy.” 

Kunz had been selected to the Pro Bowl five times in six seasons with the Falcons at the time of the trade, and he continued that high level of play with the Colts. He was a Pro Bowler in his first three years with Baltimore, and earned All-Pro honors in 1975. Kunz injured his back and missed 13 games in 1978 and all of the following season before returning to play nine games in 1980 and then retiring. The Colts used the third overall pick on guard Ken Huff, who played 102 games in eight years with Baltimore, then spent his final three as part of the Redskins’ “Hogs” offensive line in the mid-1980s. 

Assessment: Kunz and Huff helped the Colts reach the playoffs three straight years from 1975-77, but the team went downhill fast afterward. The spiral culminated in 1983 first overall pick John Elway refusing to play in Baltimore, and the team moved to Indianapolis the following year. Although Bartkowski had fewer individual awards than Kunz after the trade, he was the main reason Atlanta went from bottom-dweller to respectable in the NFC. FALCONS

2. April 30, 1985:

Falcons received: No. 2 overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft

Vikings received: No. 4 overall pick and a third-round selection in the 1985 NFL Draft

The Vikings originally held the No. 3 pick in 1985, but swapped spots with the Oilers to move up on April 9, also trading a second-rounder to Houston. Minnesota moved the selection to Atlanta three weeks later, and the Falcons were very happy with their choice of Bill Fralic, a two-time All-American guard from the University of Pittsburgh. Fralic spent the next eight seasons in Atlanta, starting 131 games and earning four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro selections. Although the Falcons made the playoffs just once during Fralic’s tenure, they defeated the Saints in the 1991 Wild Card round for just their second postseason win in franchise history. He signed with the Lions for one final season in 1993 before retiring. He died from cancer in December 2018. 

Minnesota used the fourth pick on a future star as well, drafting defensive end Chris Doleman, who was Fralic’s teammate at Pitt. Doleman spent his first nine seasons with the Vikings, earning six Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. He was the franchise’s all-time sacks leader with 96½ (since passed by John Randle) and led the league with 21 in 1989. Doleman was traded to the Falcons in 1994 and had 16 sacks in two seasons before signing with the 49ers. He spent three years in San Francisco before returning for one final season in Minnesota in 1999. A 2012 Pro Football Hall of Famer, Doleman died from brain cancer in January 2020. The third-round pick was used to select Tim Meamber, a linebacker out of the University of Washington. His pro career lasted just four games with the Vikings in 1985. Meamber has dealt with drug abuse, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and Parkinson’s disease after his football career. 

Assessment: Although both Fralic and Doleman became stars, the Vikings went to the postseason six times during Doleman’s tenure, including a run to the NFC Championship Game in 1991, giving the slight edge in this trade to Minnesota. VIKINGS

3. April 19, 1990:

Falcons received: WR Andre Rison, T Chris Hinton, a fifth-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft and a first-rounder in 1991

Colts received: The No. 1 overall pick and a fourth-rounder in the 1990 NFL Draft

Rison was coming off a rookie season in which he amassed 820 yards and four touchdowns with Indianapolis. In Atlanta, he went to the Pro Bowl in his first four seasons, was an All-Pro in 1990 and led the NFL with 15 scores in 1993. “Bad Moon” was fourth in team history with 423 receptions and 56 touchdowns, and was fifth with 5,633 yards. Rison retired in 2000 after splitting the previous six seasons between five teams, making the Pro Bowl once in 1997 with the Chiefs. Hinton is no stranger to being a part of Draft Day trades. After being selected fourth overall in 1983, he was sent to the Colts in the deal that brought John Elway to the Broncos. Hinton went to six Pro Bowls in his first seven seasons before the trade to Atlanta, and he earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1991 and an All-Pro nod two years later with the Falcons. He signed with the Vikings in 1994 and spent his final two seasons in Minnesota. 

Atlanta’s fifth-round pick in 1990 was Reggie Redding, a tackle from Cal State-Fullerton who played 13 games with the Falcons in 1991 and started 14 with the Patriots the following year before retiring. The 1991 first-rounder turned out to be Colorado wide receiver Mike Pritchard, who totaled 2,187 yards and 14 touchdowns in three seasons with Atlanta. He was traded to the Broncos in 1994 and, after two seasons in Denver, spent the final four years of his career in Seattle before retiring in 1999. 

The player everyone coveted in the 1990 NFL Draft, and the Colts’ first overall selection, was quarterback Jeff George, a high school All-American who starred at Illinois. George never lived up to the hype with Indianapolis. He threw for 9,551 yards in four years with the Colts, but his 41-46 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 14-35 record as a starter left much to be desired. He also expressed a desire to hold out in 1993 until Colts owner Jim Irsay threatened him with heavy fines if he did not report to training camp. The fourth-round pick was used on Florida wide receiver Stacey Simmons, who was decent as a kick returner but caught just four passes in the 1990 season, his only year in the NFL. 

Assessment: Hinton did not earn the same recognitions he did as a Colt, Pritchard only lasted three seasons in Atlanta and Redding was a backup with the Falcons. However, Rison’s production, plus not having to deal with George initially (more on that in a minute), makes Atlanta the big winners. FALCONS

4. March 24, 1994:

Falcons received: QB Jeff George

Colts received: First- and fourth-round picks in the 1994 NFL Draft and a first-rounder in 1996

Atlanta must not have seen all Indianapolis went through with George, because the franchise decided to trade for him after four not-so-productive seasons. George threw for 4,143 yards and 24 touchdowns in 1995 while leading the Falcons to the playoffs, but a nationally-televised sideline argument with coach June Jones resulted in George being suspended for the final 13 games of the season his trade to the Raiders. He threw 29 scoring passes and led the NFL with 3,917 yards with Oakland in 1997, but his play slowly deteriorated. He last played with the Redskins in 2001, although he had failed tryouts with the Seahawks (in 2002), Bears (2004), and Raiders (2006). 

The Colts traded both picks from the 1994 Draft to the Rams for the fifth overall selection. First-rounder Bryant Young became a four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who spent 14 seasons with the 49ers. The fourth-round selection was Auburn running back James Bostic, who did not appear in an NFL game during his first four seasons. Bostic played in 11 contests in two years with the Eagles (1998-99), totaling just 19 yards rushing and eight receiving. The trade with the Rams netted Indianapolis Trev Alberts, an All-American from Nebraska who played just 29 games over three NFL seasons due to injury. 

Indianapolis used the 1996 first-round pick on Marvin Harrison, one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history. Harrison holds team records with 1,102 receptions, 14,580 yards, and 128 touchdowns. He was selected to eight straight Pro Bowls from 1999-2006 and also earned three All-Pro nods. Harrison led the NFL twice each in yards and receptions and set an NFL record with 143 catches in 2002 (broken by Saints star Michael Thomas in 2019). He was a part of the Colts’ victory over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. 

Assessment: If this trade was based solely on the 1994 picks, Atlanta might have won this trade. However, Harrison makes Indianapolis the clear winner. COLTS

5. February 24, 1997:

Falcons received: QB Chris Chandler

Tennessee Oilers received: Fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 1997 NFL Draft

Although the Falcons and Seahawks made a trade sending the No. 3 overall pick (cornerback Shawn Springs) to Seattle in March, this deal involved stars on both ends of the trade. Before coming to Atlanta, Chandler was on his way to becoming an NFL journeyman. He spent time with the Colts, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Rams and Oilers in his first nine seasons, but found stability with the Falcons. Chandler made two Pro Bowls over five seasons in Atlanta, and posted career-highs with 3,154 yards and 25 touchdowns in 1998. He ranks fourth in team history with 13,268 yards and is tied for third with 87 scoring passes. Chandler led the Falcons to Super Bowl XXXIII, but threw three interceptions as the Broncos won their second straight title by a 34-19 margin. He signed with Chicago in 2002 and spent two seasons with the Bears and one with the Rams before retiring in 2004. 

The Oilers were playing their first season in Tennessee in 1997 and the fourth-round pick they acquired in this deal turned out to be Michigan State wide receiver Derrick Mason, who earned two Pro Bowl selections and was an All-Pro in 2000. His tenure in Tennessee included four 1,000-yard seasons and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV, in which the Rams edged the Titans 23-16. Mason is fifth in franchise history with 453 receptions and sixth with 6,114 yards and 37 touchdowns. He signed with the Ravens in 2005 and went over the 1,000-yard mark four more times in six seasons, becoming Baltimore’s all-time leader with 5,777 yards. Mason split 2011 between the Texans and Jets before retiring. The Oilers traded their sixth-round pick (LSU tight end Nicky Savoie, who had one catch for 14 yards in his only NFL game with New Orleans in 1997) as part of a deal to move up in the fourth round and select Pratt Lyons, a defensive end from Troy State who had 4½ sacks in two seasons with Tennessee.

Assessment: While Chandler did lead the Falcons to the Super Bowl, it was the team’s only playoff appearance during his tenure. The Titans went to the postseason four times while Mason was on the team, and he also had more individual success. TITANS

6. April 17, 1999:

Falcons received: A second-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft

Ravens received: A first-round pick (No. 5 overall) in the 2000 NFL Draft

The Falcons sacrificed the future for the present, and it backfired in a big way. Atlanta used the pick they acquired in 1999 on Mississippi State tight end Reggie Kelly, who primarily took on a blocking role throughout his 12-year NFL career. Kelly played four years in Atlanta, then signed with Cincinnati in 2003 and spent the next seven seasons with the Bengals. He returned to the Falcons for one final year in 2011, and ended his career with 1,767 yards and five touchdowns. 

The Ravens ended up with the fifth overall pick in 2000 and used it to select running back Jamal Lewis, who was a member of Tennessee’s BCS National Championship team in 1998. Lewis was named to the All-Rookie Team after rushing for 1,364 yards in 2000, and he also ran for 102 yards and a score in Baltimore’s 34-7 win over the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. Lewis was unable to capitalize on his great rookie year, however, as he missed the entire following season after injuring his knee during training camp. He returned and ran for 1,000 or more yards in four of the next five years, including 2,066 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2003. Lewis earned Offensive Player of the Year, All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors while becoming the fifth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. He is Baltimore’s all-time leader with 7,801 yards and 45 scores. Lewis signed with the Browns in 2007, and had two straight 1,000-yard seasons. He retired after rushing for 500 yards in 2009. 

Assessment: Although this series is in its infancy, this is easily the most lopsided trade so far. RAVENS

7. April 20, 2001:

Falcons received: No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft

Chargers received: No. 5 overall pick and second-rounder in 2001 NFL Draft and a second-round pick in 2002 48

When the 2001 Draft came around, the Chargers had Doug Flutie at quarterback, and 1999 Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Vick from Virginia Tech was the consensus top pick. San Diego traded the selection to Atlanta and instead drafted some guy named Drew Brees in the second round. The Falcons took Vick, who became a dual-threat star in his six seasons with Atlanta. The three-time Pro Bowler threw for at least 2,000 yards four times and ran for 1,039 yards in 2006, a single-season record by a quarterback until Lamar Jackson ran for 1,206 in 2019. Vick led the Falcons to the playoffs twice, including a loss to the Eagles in the 2005 NFC Championship Game. However, he missed the next two seasons after pleading guilty for running an illegal dogfighting ring. After his release from prison, he signed with the Eagles in 2009. He spent five years in Philadelphia, making the Pro Bowl in 2010. Vick played for the Jets in 2014 and the Steelers in 2015 before retiring. 

With the fifth overall pick, the Chargers selected running back LaDainian Tomlinson, a 2000 All-American from TCU. “L.T.” ran for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons, and he tops the franchise list with 12,490 yards and 138 touchdowns. The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro led the league in yards and scores twice each. In 2006, he was the MVP and Offensive Player of the year after leading the NFL with 1,815 yards and setting a league record with 28 touchdowns. Tomlinson signed with the Jets in 2010 and spent his final two seasons in New York. San Diego used their third-round pick on Florida State cornerback Tay Cody, another 2000 All-American. Cody had two interceptions as a rookie in 2001, but played just five games over the next two seasons. He signed with the CFL in 2005 and spent one season with the Edmonton Eskimos and three with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before retiring in 2008. The 2002 second-rounder was Reche Caldwell, a former Florida wide receiver who caught just 76 passes in four seasons with the Chargers but excelled on special teams. He had 16 receptions in three playoff games with the Patriots in 2006, but New England fell to Indianapolis in the AFC Championship Game. Caldwell saw his last NFL action with the Redskins in 2007. He is currently awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health fraud in 2020.

Assessment: Had Vick stayed on the straight and narrow, this trade would be closer to even. However, Tomlinson is a future Hall of Famer while Vick lost two years in the prime of his career. CHARGERS

8. March 22, 2006:

Falcons received: DE John Abraham (from Jets), plus first- and third-round picks in the 2006 NFL Draft and a fourth-rounder in 2007 (from Broncos)

Broncos received: A first-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft (from Falcons)

Jets received: A first-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft (from Broncos)

Multiple-team deals are rare in the NFL, but this one ended up helping all three teams. Abraham went to three Pro Bowls in six seasons with the Jets, and he was an All-Pro in 2001 when he had 13 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles. Abraham spent seven seasons with Atlanta, setting team records with 68½ sacks and 24 forced fumbles. He was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2010 after another 13-sack season. His last appearance with the Falcons was a start in a loss to the 49ers in the 2012 NFC Championship Game. The picks the Falcons received in this deal were both traded. The 2006 third-rounder, eventually USC tight end Dominique Byrd, was traded first to the Packers and then the Rams. 

The Broncos traded the pick acquired from the Falcons (No. 15) along with a third-rounder to the Rams for the 11th selection, which they used on Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler. He lasted just three seasons in Denver, but made his lone Pro Bowl in 2008 after throwing for 25 touchdowns and a career-high 4,526 yards with the Broncos. Cutler was traded to the Bears in 2009, and threw for at least 3,000 yards five times with Chicago. He only led the Bears to the playoffs once, but they reached the 2010 NFC Championship Game before losing to the Packers. Cutler signed with the Dolphins in 2017 and retired after the season. 

Atlanta moved the late first-round pick they acquired from the Broncos to the Jets in exchange for Abraham. New York selected Nick Mangold, an All-American center from Ohio State. Mangold was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro, and he was a key piece on back-to-back Jets trips to the AFC Championship Game in 2009-10. He missed eight games in 2016 after injuring his ankle, and sat out the entire 2017 season before retiring the following year. 

Assessment: Cutler had a decent career but spent only three seasons in Denver. Abraham set Atlanta records in two defensive categories. However, Mangold’s individual and team accomplishments give New York the edge. JETS

9. April 23, 2009:

Falcons received: TE Tony Gonzalez

Chiefs received: A second-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft

Gonzalez spent 12 seasons with Kansas City, earning 10 Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections and setting team records with 916 catches, 10,940 yards, and 76 touchdowns. With Atlanta, he made the Pro Bowl four times and was selected as an All-Pro in 2012. Although he did not reach 1,000 yards in any one season with the Falcons (he hit the mark four times with the Chiefs), Gonzalez totaled 4,187 yards and 35 scores in five seasons. He retired in 2013, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. 

The second-round pick Kansas City acquired was cornerback Javier Arenas, a 2009 All-American and a member of Alabama’s 2010 National Championship team. Arenas had four sacks and two interceptions in three seasons with the Chiefs, as well as 1,075 kickoff and 1,029 punt return yards in Kansas City. Arenas had one sack after being traded to the Cardinals in 2013 and played six games with the Falcons the following season. He had failed tryouts with the Jets, Bills, and CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks before retiring in 2017. 

Assessment: On one side of the trade, we have a future Hall of Fame tight end who went to four Pro Bowls in five seasons. On the other is a cornerback who lasted five seasons in the NFL and had more success on special teams than on defense. Hmmm… FALCONS

10. April 28, 2011:

Falcons received: No. 6 overall pick in 2011 NFL Draft

Browns received: A first-, second- and two fourth-round picks in the 2011 NFL Draft and a first-rounder in 2012

The Falcons used the sixth pick on Julio Jones, a high school All-American and member of Alabama’s National Championship team in 2009. Jones has been racking up the accolades at the professional level as well: All-Rookie Team in 2011, seven Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections, seven 1,000-yard seasons, led the NFL in yards twice (1,871 in 2015 and 1,677 in 2018) and 2010s All-Decade Team member. He tops the team’s all-time list with 12,125 yards, ranks second with 797 catches, and is tied for second with 57 touchdowns. Jones had nine receptions for 180 yards and two scores in a win over the Packers in the 2016 NFC Championship Game and four catches for 87 yards in a Super Bowl LI loss to the Patriots. 

The 2011 first-round pick for the Browns was originally at 27, but turned out to be the 26th pick after the Ravens failed to make their selection in time. Cleveland traded the pick to Kansas City, who selected Pitt wide receiver (and draft bust) Jonathan Baldwin. The Browns got the 21st selection in that deal and took Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor, who had just seven sacks in four seasons before being released. He signed with the Broncos in 2016 but missed the season due to a knee injury. A quad injury kept Taylor out in 2017 after he signed with the Redskins, and he finally retired in 2019 after being out of the NFL for four years. Instead of Jones, the Browns selected North Carolina wide receiver Greg Little in the second round. Little totaled 1,356 yards and six touchdowns in his first two seasons, but he was not able to continue at that level and Cleveland released him in 2013. He spent one uneventful season with the Bengals and failed to make the Bills in 2016 and Cardinals in 2018 before retiring. The Browns traded the first of the fourth-round picks to the Chiefs, who used it to select Colorado cornerback Jalil Brown. Cleveland took Stanford’s All-Pac-10 tight end Owen Marecic with the second fourth-rounder. The Browns converted Marecic to fullback and he was Peyton Hillis’ lead blocker for two seasons. After retiring in 2013, he worked at a Stanford medical research lab and is a candidate for the university’s School of Medicine. The 2012 first-round pick was used on Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, who threw for 3,385 yards and 14 touchdowns as a rookie but never came close to those numbers for the rest of his career. He had a 5-15 record with the Browns before signing with the Cowboys in 2014. Weeden signed with Houston after Dallas waived him in 2015, and he played just two games over the next two seasons. He served as the third-string quarterback with the Titans in 2017 and appeared for one kneel-down with the Texans in 2018 before retiring. 

Assessment: Other than two seasons from Little and one from Weeden, the Browns received almost no production from this trade. Meanwhile, Jones has become arguably the best receiver in the NFL. FALCONS

All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Next: Baltimore Ravens

-By: Kevin Rakas

Writer

Entering their 55th season, the Atlanta Falcons have yet to win their first championship. The team has been to the playoffs 14 times, won seven division titles and appeared in two Super Bowls. Four years ago, the team had arguably its best and worst moment in one game. The Falcons had a 28-3 lead in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI, only to see the Patriots come back and win in the first overtime in the penultimate game’s history. Atlanta’s best players have played in the three most successful eras, the first playoff years (1978-82), the seasons surrounding Super Bowl XXXIII (1995-2004) or the ones around Super Bowl LI (2008-present). 

BEST

10. (tie) Jamal Anderson, RB (Round 7, Pick 201 in 1994), William Andrews, FB (Round 3, Pick 79 in 1979) and Gerald Riggs, RB (Round 1, Pick 9 in 1982) -  Three of the top five rushing totals in club history come from Falcons draft picks. Anderson was a diamond in the round taken in the seventh round out of Utah, and he ranks fifth in team history with 5,336 yards. The originator of the “Dirty Bird” dance, he ran for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns in 1998, when he earned his only Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. He also ran for 276 yards and two scores during the playoffs that season, which saw the Falcons reach Super Bowl XXXIII against the Broncos. Andrews is third in franchise history with 5,986 yards, and he also has 30 touchdowns. After running for 1,023 yards as a rookie, the Auburn product was a Pro Bowler in each of the next four seasons, reaching a high of 1,567 yards in 1983. Despite missing the following year with a knee injury, Andrews spent the latter part of his career blocking for Riggs, who ranks first on the team’s all-time list with 6,631 yards and second with 48 scores. The Arizona State product was selected to three Pro Bowls and had three 1,000-yard seasons, with a high of 1,719 in 1985. Riggs appeared in Super Bowl XXVI as a member of the Redskins in 1991, and Washington’s victory gave him a title in his final NFL appearance. 

9. (tie) Steve Bartkowski, QB (Round 1, Pick 1 in 1975) and Michael Vick, QB (Round 1, Pick 1 in 2001) - Atlanta has had the top overall pick in the NFL Draft four times, and used the selection on quarterbacks twice. The Falcons did not reach the playoffs until 1978, their 13th year of existence, but when they did, Bartkowski was under center. After splitting playing time at Cal with Vince Ferragamo, a future starting quarterback with the Rams in Super Bowl XIV, Bartkowski became a two-time Pro Bowler and led the NFL with 31 touchdowns in 1980. The golden-haired gunslinger ranks second in team history with both 154 scoring passes and 23,470 yards, including three seasons with 3,000 or more. He led the team to a 12-4 record in 1980, and appeared in four playoff games overall. Vick was a dynamic playmaker who finished third in the 1999 Heisman Trophy voting as a freshman with Virginia Tech (the award was won by Wisconsin star and future Giants running back Ron Dayne). Although not as accomplished of a passer as Bartkowski, Vick took the NFL by storm thanks to his running ability. He was a three-time Pro Bowler with Atlanta, and ranks seventh in team history with 3,859 rushing yards. Vick ran for 902 yards in 2004, and became the first quarterback to run for 1,000 yards in a season with 1,039 two years later (he was the only player at the position to reach that mark until Lamar Jackson in 2019). After that, his career was nearly ruined thanks to his role in a dog fighting venture that landed him in prison for the better part of two years. Vick returned to the NFL with the Eagles in 2009, and earned a Pro Bowl nod and the Comeback Player of the Year Award the following season. 

8. (tie) Mike Kenn, T (Round 1, Pick 13 in 1978) and Keith Brooking, LB (Round 1, Pick 12 in 1998) - The Falcons selected two players in the middle of the first round who made an impact during successful eras in franchise history. Kenn was a huge presence in college, helping Michigan to a 28-6-2 record in his three seasons. From there, the nearly 6-foot-7 tackle spent the next 17 seasons protecting Bartkowski and Chris Miller. Kenn was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro whose 251 games played is the most in franchise history. Brooking was a standout at Georgia Tech before spending 11 years as Atlanta’s resident tackle machine. The five-time Pro Bowler ranks second on the team’s all-time list with 1,133 tackles, including eight seasons with 100 or more and a league-high 126 solo stops in 2003. Brooking appeared in Super Bowl XXXIII in 1998 and made four tackles against the Eagles in the 2004 NFC Championship Game. 

7. Jeff Van Note, C (Round 11, Pick 262 in 1969) – Van Note was a jack-of-all-trades who succeeded at one of the most under-appreciated positions on the field. He played running back and defensive end at Kentucky, but the Falcons saw him as a linebacker when they drafted him in 1969. Atlanta head coach Norm Van Brocklin moved him to center the following year, and there he stayed for 18 seasons and 246 games, which ranks second behind Kenn in team history. The six-time Pro Bowler appeared in the franchise’s first four playoff games and missed just four contests in his career before retiring in 1986. 

6. Roddy White, WR (Round 1, Pick 27 in 2005) - A product of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, White starred for 11 seasons in Atlanta. White tops the team’s all-time list with 808 receptions and 63 touchdowns, and he ranks second with 10,863 yards. The four-time Pro Bowler had six straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2007-12 and led the NFL with 115 receptions in his 2010 All-Pro campaign. White appeared in five playoff games and had a seven-catch, 100-yard effort in a loss to the 49ers in the 2012 NFC Championship Game. 

5. Julio Jones, WR (Round 1, Pick 6 in 2011) - Quintorris Lopez Jones is the given name of one of the most gifted athletes in the NFL. Nicknamed “Julio” by his mother in middle school, Jones went on to become a high school All-American and a key member of Alabama’s 2009 run to the National Championship. He dominated in the pros almost instantly, making the All-Rookie Team after posting 959 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. Overall, he tops the franchise list with 12,125 yards and ranks second with 797 receptions and 57 touchdowns, trailing only White, who he shared the field with for his first five seasons. The seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro led the league in receiving yards twice, including a career-high 1,871 in 2015, which is the second-highest total in NFL history behind Calvin Johnson’s 1,964 with Detroit in 2012. Jones has had several stellar playoff performances, including 11 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to San Francisco in the 2012 NFC Championship Game and a 9-180-2 stat line against the Packers that led to a conference title four years later. He had four catches for 87 yards in Super Bowl LI, but the Patriots won in overtime after trailing 28-3. 

4. Deion Sanders, CB (Round 1, Pick 5 in 1989) – Like Bo Jackson, Sanders was a two-sport star in the professional ranks, playing with four teams in seven major league seasons, most notably with the Braves and Reds. In football, he was a two-time All-American and the Jim Thorpe Award winner as college football’s best defensive back while at Florida State. Early in his NFL career, Sanders starred as both a cornerback and a returner. He fumbled and recovered his first punt return, which was negated by a penalty, then brought back the re-kick for a score. In all, he had five return touchdowns (three on kickoffs and two on punts). “Prime Time” was also a ballhawk in the secondary, picking off 24 passes and returning three for scores. He was selected to three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams with Atlanta, but his biggest success came in other locations. Sanders was named the 1994 Defensive Player of the Year and won a title with San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIX. He also was a member of Dallas’ Super Bowl XXX championship squad the following year, and was named a three-time All-Pro with the Cowboys. Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

3. Tommy Nobis, LB (Round 1, Pick 1 in 1966) - Atlanta’s first draft pick was clearly one of the best. In college, Nobis was a member of Texas’ 1963 National Championship team. He excelled at both guard and linebacker, winning the Outland Trophy as best interior lineman and the Maxwell Award as college football’s best all-around player. Nobis had a choice to make, since he was also picked first by the AFL’s Houston Oilers. Houston is home to the NASA space program and Frank Borman, an astronaut who was on the Gemini VII spacecraft orbiting earth sent a message back that he hoped Nobis would sign with the Oilers (since his sons were ball boys for the team). Instead, Nobis picked Atlanta and became known as “Mr. Falcon.” He earned the NFL Rookie of the Year Award and made the Pro Bowl in 1966. Despite tackles being an unofficial statistic at the time, his total of 294 stands as the single-season record for both the team and the league. Nobis, who totaled 12 interceptions and led the team in tackles nine times in 11 years, was a five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1967. He died in 2017 due to the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) on his brain. 

2. Claude Humphrey, DE (Round 1, Pick 3 in 1968) - The Hall of Famer came to the NFL after earning All-American honors at Tennessee State in 1967. Humphrey was the Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned five straight Pro Bowl selections from 1970-74 and was a two-time All-Pro before a knee injury cost him the 1975 season. He returned to harass opposing quarterbacks and earn his sixth Pro Bowl nod in 1977. After one more year with the Falcons, he signed with the Eagles, where he got his first taste of the playoffs. Philadelphia lost Super Bowl XV to the Raiders while Humphrey was a reserve in the game. Although sacks were not kept by the NFL until he retired, Humphrey’s career total of 126½ included a career-high 15 sacks in 1976. He influenced several other great pass rushers, such as Reggie White, Bruce Smith and Michael Strahan, who joined him as part of the 2014 class in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

1. Matt Ryan, QB (Round 1, Pick 2 in 2008) - Ryan earned All-American honors after posting 4,507 yards and 31 touchdowns at Boston College in 2007, and he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year with Atlanta in 2008. Ryan was the league MVP after establishing career-highs with 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2016, but Atlanta’s season ended with a loss to New England in Super Bowl LI. He is the team’s all-time leader with 321 touchdown passes and 51,186 yards, including 4,000 or more in the past nine seasons. The four-time Pro Bowler earned his “Matty Ice” nickname thanks to 38 career game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime. Ryan enters 2020 looking to move up from 10th overall in passing yards, and he needs just 289 to pass John Elway. 

WORST

10. (tie) Peria Jerry, DT (Round 1, Pick 24 in 2009) and John Small, DT (Round 1, Pick 12 in 1970) - Jerry was a 2008 All-American at Mississippi, but his rookie season in Atlanta was derailed by a knee injury. The younger brother of Bengals guard John Jerry lasted just five years in the NFL, posting 67 tackles and 5½ sacks. Small was a three-time member of the All-Southern Conference team at The Citadel, and was named to the college’s first Hall of Fame class in 1977. However, his professional career was not nearly as successful. He played 47 games in five NFL seasons, three with the Falcons and two with the Lions, before retiring in 1974. After football, he became a public speaker and created a Christian ministry program for troubled youth before passing away in 2012. 

9. Clarence Ellis, S (Round 1, Pick 15 in 1972) - Ellis was a 1971 All-American at Notre Dame and helped the Fighting Irish defeat previously-unbeaten Texas in the Cotton Bowl that season. He had eight interceptions over three seasons as Atlanta’s starting free safety before retiring in 1975 to embark on a business career with IBM and Honeywell International. 

8. Earnest “Bubba” Bean, RB (Round 1, Pick 9 in 1976) - Bean had a stellar four-year career at Texas A&M which included him making the cover of Sports Illustrated during his senior season. With the Falcons, he missed the 1977 season with a torn ACL and finished his career with 1,528 yards and six touchdowns. William Andrews beat him out for the starting spot in 1979, and was soon out of the league. After his playing career, Bean worked at Texas A&M’s career planning office, operated his own construction company and is now the youth outreach coordinator for the City of Bryan in Texas. 

7. Nick Rassas, S (Round 2, Pick 17 in 1966) – Rassas is the first player to be listed for multiple teams. He was also selected in the second round (pick 16) by the Chargers in the AFL Draft but chose the expansion Falcons. Rassas played just 27 games in three NFL seasons, amassing 434 kickoff return yards, two fumble recoveries and an interception. After he retired, the Notre Dame product spent more than 40 years in the finance industry. 

6. Joe Profit, RB (Round 1, Pick 7 in 1971) - Profit was a three-time member of the All-Gulf States Conference team (now called the Sunbelt Conference), but he totaled just 471 yards in three seasons with the Falcons and Saints. Profit was much more successful after football. He ran several successful businesses, including being the founder and CEO of Communications International Inc., and is now the CEO of the Multimedia Digital Broadcast Corporation. He also is a published author, a proponent of the Youth United for Prosperity leadership organization and is running for the United States House of Representatives seat in Georgia’s 7th district. 

5. Michael Booker, CB (Round 1, Pick 11 in 1997) - Booker was the Defensive MVP of Nebraska’s win over Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. He started during the 1998 playoffs, including Atlanta’s lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII. Booker totaled 109 tackles and eight interceptions, but he started just 11 games in five seasons with the Falcons and Titans. The 1997 NFL Draft featured quite a few talented players after the first round, and Atlanta missed out on star defensive backs Darren Sharper (pick 60 to Green Bay) and Ronde Barber (pick 66 to Tampa Bay). 

4. Tony Smith, RB (Round 1, Pick 19 in 1992) – Smith was a star at Southern Mississippi, and he spent two seasons playing with Brett Favre in college. Ironically enough, this was the pick that the Falcons acquired when they traded Favre to the Packers. Smith ran for 329 yards and two touchdowns while also returning kicks and punts as a rookie, but still ended up in Jerry Glanville’s dog house. The longtime coach wanted the team to draft a defensive back instead, and he benched Smith for all of the 1993 and ’94 seasons. Smith signed with the Panthers during their 1995 expansion season, but fractured his tibia and fibula. He spent 1998 with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL and tried out with the Eagles the following year, but he injured his hamstring and retired soon after. 

3. Jamaal Anderson, DE (Round 1, Pick 8 in 2007) - Anderson was a wide receiver in high school, but injuries forced his move to defensive end at Arkansas. He started 44 games his first three seasons, including all 16 as a rookie, but totaled just 142 tackles and 7½ sacks in six seasons with the Falcons, Colts and Bengals. A pair of seven-time Pro Bowl defensive legends in linebacker Patrick Willis (pick 11 to the 49ers) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (pick 14 to the Jets) were available at this spot. 

2. Bruce Pickens, CB (Round 1, Pick 3 in 1991) - Pickens was a great athlete, but he benefited from playing for a Nebraska program that was very good in the 1980s and early ’90s. This resulted in him being dramatically overdrafted. Pickens played just 27 games with the Falcons, and split the 1993 season with the Packers and Chiefs. After sitting out in 1994, he spent one more year with the Raiders before he was out of the league. Pickens finished his career with 88 tackles and two interceptions. 

1. Aundray Bruce, LB (Round 1, Pick 1 in 1988) - Bruce came into the league as the “next Lawrence Taylor,” but ended up one of the least successful No. 1 picks of the past 40 years.   He was a 1987 All-American at Auburn and was the third of Atlanta’s four top overall picks (Nobis in 1966, Bartkowski in 1975 and Vick in 2001). Bruce started his career with back-to-back six-sack campaigns and was named to the All-Rookie Team in 1988. He finished his four-year Falcons tenure with 16 sacks and totaled 16 more in seven seasons in Oakland after signing with the Raiders in 1992. 

Statistics courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/.

Next: Dallas Cowboys

-By: Kevin Rakas

Writer

A Look at the Surprising Results from Week 10 of the NFL

November is an important month in the National Football League. As the season moves towards the later weeks, teams begin to gain some separation. While the top dogs are establishing themselves, the middle of the pack begins to see some competitive games. 

Week 10 provided the league with compelling matchups and some very important games for the fringe teams. Entering Thursday night’s game there were five teams sharing a 4-4 record and three teams with a 4-5 record. Many divisions are incredibly close with teams separated by only a few games. Dallas entered the week with a record of 5-3, just a half-game ahead of the 5-4 Eagles. While the AFC South and West divisions should have their juggernauts with the Chiefs and Texans, the divisions have remained very competitive down the stretch of the season. Meanwhile, the NFC North and West divisions look to potentially send four teams to the playoffs as Green Bay, Minnesota, San Francisco and Seattle have all looked like solid playoff teams amidst a messy and constantly shuffling NFC field. 

Week 10 blessed viewers and cursed certain fan bases with a few surprising results, adding to the confusion around the landscape of the league this season.

Let’s take a look at the four biggest surprises of Week 10.

Atlanta upsets the revived Saints

Perhaps the most surprising result on Sunday was the Saints losing to the Falcons at home. 

The Saints offense has been hobbled by injuries all season. Drew Brees made just his second start since suffering a thumb injury in the second game of the season. Alvin Kamara has been out since Week 6 with a variety of knee and ankle issues. Tight end Jared Cook had missed the Saints previous two games with an ankle injury of his own. Wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith also returned this week after suffering a high ankle sprain earlier in the season. 

The timing of the injury recoveries resulted in New Orleans being able to field their healthiest and most dangerous offense since Week 2 against the Rams. The weapons returned just in time to face a 23rd ranked Atlanta Falcons defense which was missing its top cornerback, Desmond Trufant, to an injury of his own. 

The result was not what anyone would have expected as Drew Brees and company failed to find the end zone once all game. Kicker Wil Lutz accounted for all of the team’s offense with 28, 29, and 47-yard field goals. 

The Saints offense struggled to find its rhythm thanks in large part to a stellar Atlanta pass rush, which would become the story of the game. Atlanta has been struggling to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks all season. At one point the team had a streak of 19 consecutive quarters without a sack. New Orleans, meanwhile, has allowed a relatively-low twelve sacks all year entering the contest. Yet, the Falcons dragged Brees down behind the line an astonishing six times on Sunday, including two big sacks in the fourth quarter. Grady Jarrett finished the game with two and a half sacks in what was a dominant showing for the fifth-year player.

New Orleans’ best opportunity to score came on their first offensive possession. On a third and goal play from the two-yard line, Brees dropped back and had a wide-open Alvin Kamara in the flat for a likely touchdown. Kamara stumbled before his quarterback could unload the ball to him, and Brees instead ended up taking a sack. The play foreshadowed the offensive struggles ahead for a Saints team that just couldn’t seem to find the end zone. Michael Thomas continued to look as solid as ever, racking up 152 yards on 13 receptions, but Kamara appeared to still be regaining his rhythm as he returns from nagging injuries.

Matt Ryan, despite ankle issues of his own, finished with a decent stat line, completing 20 of his 35 attempts for 182 yards. He completed touchdown passes to Hooper and running back Brian Hill. He even scrambled for a few first downs, perhaps proving his ankle is not of much concern.

The Falcons ended up taking the road game by a score of 26-9. While the Atlanta defense was the true highlight in the surprising result, their recently acquired kicker, Younghoe Koo, made all four field goals in his debut, including a 48-yard blast in the fourth quarter.

The Saints still sit comfortably atop the NFC South with a record of 7-1, while the Falcons postseason hopes are long gone as they inch to a 1-7 record with their first win.

Tennessee takes down Kansas City in a wild finish

The craziest game on Sunday took place in Tennessee as the Titans hosted Kansas City in Patrick Mahomes’ first start since injuring his knee cap against the Broncos.

The 6-3 Chiefs entered the game as the obvious favorites against a 4-5 Tennessee team coming off a loss in Carolina. The game got off to a predictable start with Mahomes completing a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce. On the ensuing Tennessee possession, Chris Jones strip-sacked Ryan Tannehill and the Chiefs recovered. Harrison Butker would go on to kick a 30-yard field goal to give the Chiefs a quick 10-0 lead.

From there the game would see a lead change after lead change, missed opportunities, and other madness. 

Near the six-minute mark in the second quarter Chiefs tailback, Damien Williams, fumbled a first-down carry. Tennessee’s Rahsaan Evans recovered and returned it for the score. Titans kicker Ryan Succop would miss the PAT leaving Tennessee with a 13-10 lead. After getting the ball back, Kansas City tied the game up with a Harrison Butker 41-yard field goal. Just before halftime, Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens dropped an interception that could have led to six points to close out the half. Instead, the teams entered the half tied.

The third quarter saw touchdowns for each team. Butker missed his PAT, while Succop converted his attempt following a ridiculous touchdown run by Derrick Henry. Just before the 4th quarter, Butker redeemed himself with a 43-yard attempt to put the Chiefs up 22-20. 

The fourth quarter was as exciting of a final period we’ve seen since the Saints and the Texans wild finish in Week 1. Kansas City struck first on a Mecole Hardman 63-yard catch and run, where Hardman took off so tenaciously you might have thought he was Tyreek Hill upon first glance. Derrick Henry would later punch in a one-yard touchdown run to bring Tennessee within two points again. 

With 3:16 remaining in regulation Harrison Butker converted yet another field goal to put the Chiefs up 32-27. After stopping the Titans on fourth down, Mahomes and his offense took the field at the Titans’ 32-yard line with a chance to put their team up eight points in the dying moments of the contest. Instead, the Chiefs would fail to convert a first down and settled for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Holder Dustin Colquitt bobbled the snap and attempted to throw the ball away, which resulted in an intentional grounding penalty. The Titans would take over possession at their 39-yard line with no timeouts and 1:16 left in regulation. Tannehill commanded an effective drive capped off by a 23-yard touchdown to Adam Humphries. A successful two-point conversion gave Tennessee a 35-32 lead with 23 seconds left to play. 

Mahomes displayed his poise and accuracy by getting Butker in field goal range in just 17 seconds. However, the Titans would block the last-second 52-yard field goal attempt to win the game.

It was a game that featured five lead changes, three of which coming in the second half. The Titans came away with the victory despite running just 49 plays to the Chiefs 78. Derrick Henry had a monster game on the ground as he finished with 189 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. 

The Browns’ new backfield gets it done against Buffalo

The underwhelming Browns entered Sunday’s contest in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Recent conversations in Cleveland have been centered on the lack of Odell Beckham Jr.’s impact, but in the build-up to the Week 10 contest Browns fans could get excited for the addition of yet another offensive weapon, Kareem Hunt. Hunt was serving an eight-game suspension he was dealt in March of this year. 

It was indeed the Cleveland run game that made a sizable impact on Sunday’s game, however, it was the bonafide star Nick Chubb who lead the way. Chubb rumbled to 116 yards on 20 carries, while Hunt racked up 30 yards on four carries. The addition of Hunt gives Cleveland one of the stronger backfields in the league, and they utilized a two-back set for nearly half of their offensive plays. Hunt proved to be an imposing lead blocker for Chubb, and he also managed to catch seven passes for 44 yards.

Cleveland found success in the passing game as well, with Baker Mayfield and receiver Jarvis Landry linking up nine times for 97 yards and a pretty touchdown on the Browns’ first offensive possession. Mayfield would later complete the game-winning touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. Mayfield finished the day completing 26 of his 38 attempts for 238 yards and two touchdowns. It was a solid outing against a Buffalo defense that ranks in the top five against the pass.

For Buffalo, it was a story of missed opportunities. Their defense kept the game close and put the squad in a position to win. Cornerback Tre’Davious White made a nice defensive play to break up what would have been a touchdown pass to Odell Beckham in the first quarter. Later that same series the Bills would make a big fourth-down stop at the goal line, stuffing Nick Chubb in the backfield for a loss of yards. At the end of the second quarter, they would make another goal-line stop forcing a field goal. At the beginning of the third quarter, Tremaine Edmunds dragged down Mayfield in his own endzone for a safety to tie the game up at 9-9. 

Josh Allen had a few impressive connections to receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley, and he found the endzone on the ground twice. 

But it is Buffalo kicker Stephen Hauschka who is going to take much of the blame for Buffalo’s loss. Hauschka missed a 34-yard attempt at the end of the first half, and in the fourth quarter, after the Buffalo offense’s two-minute drill moved the ball down the field, Hauschka missed a 53-yard attempt to send the game to overtime. To pin all the blame for the loss on Hauschka is unfair, but that doesn’t stop him from being the obvious scapegoat.

Miami wins two in a row

The Dolphins entered Sunday’s game coming off of the momentum of a win for the first time all season. The Colts, meanwhile, started backup quarterback Brian Hoyer for the first time this season following a knee injury suffered by Jacoby Brissett in last week’s loss to the Steelers. While Brissett was originally listed as questionable, he was officially ruled out for the contest on Saturday. 

The decision to sit Brissett might have been influenced by the quality of Indianapolis’ opponent, or lack thereof, but the game turned out to be a nightmare for the Colts passing game. 

Miami has been one of the worst defenses in the league this season, but they proved to be a major problem for Brian Hoyer, who was intercepted three times, including an endzone pick by Steven Parker, and completed less than half of his attempts. 

Neither offense looked very imposing in what was a sloppy grudge match. Fins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 21 of his 33 attempts but only racked up 169 yards and threw an interception himself. That pick came courtesy of Colts linebacker Darius Leonard, who also tallied a season-high 13 tackles. 

The 16-12 Dolphins win comes as a surprise for a few reasons. Veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri missed a PAT and was outperformed by Miami’s Jason Sanders, who made all three of his field-goal attempts including the go-ahead 48-yarder in the fourth quarter. The Colts had an embarrassingly bad outing against a weak Miami defense, and the need for Jacoby Brissett to be back and healthy was made apparent. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have now won two games in a row and currently have the longest win streak in the AFC East. 

-By: Jonny Hart

Writer/ Interviewer