Super Bowl LI Overtime Thriller

Lore & Background

The Falcons have appeared in two Super Bowls, the first during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they lost to the Denver Broncos 34–19, and the second 18 years later, a 34–28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. They are the oldest major professional sports team in America with no championships.

In Their Own Story

The Houston night air was thick with humidity and expectation as Matt Ryan looked downfield, seeing nothing but open space. The scoreboard read 28-3; the crowd roared, believing history was being written in black and red. But as the fourth quarter ticked away, the roar turned to a nervous hum, then a gasp of disbelief. Every Patriots touchdown felt like a punch to the gut, erasing years of hope until the final whistle blew, leaving only the silence of a dream deferred.

Reader's Guide

The Falcons' current home field is Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened for the 2017 season; the team's headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50-acre (20 ha) site in Flowery Branch, northeast of Atlanta in Hall County.

Did You Know?

• The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965.
• The team's nickname was suggested by Miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, who wrote: 'the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight.'
• The Falcons have won division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016.