NFC South Division Championship (2010)

Lore & Background

The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965, with the NFL awarding Atlanta a football team to prevent the franchise from joining the rival American Football League. NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle granted ownership of the team to businessman Rankin Smith, beginning play in the 1966 season as an expansion team. The name 'Falcons' was suggested by high school teacher Julia Elliott through a 1965 contest. Smith remained as the owner until his death in 1997, with ownership then transferring to his son Taylor. Taylor Smith reached a preliminary agreement with businessman Arthur Blank to purchase the team on December 6, 2001, and the sale was finalized on February 2, 2002, following a unanimous vote by NFL owners. The Falcons have played home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since 2017, previously at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (1966–1991) and the Georgia Dome (1992–2016). The team began in the Eastern Conference, moved to the Coastal division in the Western Conference, then to the NFC West after the 1970 realignment, and finally to the NFC South after the 2002 realignment.

In Their Own Story

The roar inside the Georgia Dome on that final Sunday of December was deafening, a mix of relief and jubilation that shook the very foundations of the stadium. As the final seconds ticked off the clock against Carolina, Matt Ryan raised his arms, not just celebrating a win, but the culmination of a season where every snap felt like a step toward destiny. The weight of eight years of silence was lifted in an instant; the Falcons were back on top of their division.

Reader's Guide

The Falcons have won the NFC South division title four times: 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016. The 2010 Falcons won the NFC South with a 13-3 record but lost in the Divisional Round to the Green Bay Packers. The team's first division title since moving to the NFC South in 2002 was in 2004, which was also a 13-win season. The Falcons' last playoff appearance before 2010 was in 2008.

Did You Know?

• The Falcons have appeared in two Super Bowls: Super Bowl XXXIII and Super Bowl LI, losing to the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots respectively.
• The Falcons have won the NFC Championship twice and a division title six times: twice in the NFC West (1978 and 1998) and four times in the NFC South (2004, 2010, 2012, 2016).
• The team has a record of 390 wins, 512 losses, and 6 ties over 45 seasons.