NFC East Division Championship (1980)
The Falcons are a team with a passionate fanbase and a history of memorable moments, though they have yet to win a Super Bowl.
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965, and joined the NFL in 1966 as an expansion team.
Quick Facts
- Season
- 1980
- Actual division
- NFC West
- Regular season record
- 12-4
- Head coach
- Leeman Bennett
- Playoff status
- Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Dallas Cowboys 30-27)
- Home stadium
- Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Lore & Background
In the 1980 season, after a nine-game winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then-best record of 12–4 and captured their first NFC West division title. The next week, their dream season ended at home with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys 30–27 in the divisional playoffs. The head coach in 1980 was Leeman Bennett.
Reader's Guide
The Falcons have won division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016. They have appeared in two Super Bowls: Super Bowl XXXIII (1998 season) and Super Bowl LI (2016 season). Their current home field is Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened for the 2017 season.
Did You Know?
- The Falcons were the 15th NFL franchise, awarded the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft.
- The team's nickname 'Falcons' was suggested by school teacher Julia Elliott from Griffin, Georgia.
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