The Atlanta Falcons are a member of the NFL’s National Football Conference (NFC). They joined the league as an expansion team in 1965.
Along with the Miami Dolphins, the Falcons are one of the oldest teams in the South. The Falcons, known as the Dirty Birds, reached the Super Bowl just once in 1998; they have yet to win the big dance. Many fans have doubts about their success during this upcoming season, but one thing is for sure – they always look fashionably good on the field.
The team currently plays in the Georgia Dome, with a state-of-the-art stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) expected to be completed for 2017. The team’s jerseys orbit around red, white, silver, and black colorways.
Soar through the skies, or through history, as we take a deeper look into the transformation of the #FalconsNation jersey over time.
Logo History
1966–1989: The franchise’s first logo is a black falcon outlined in red trim. The positioning of the head and talon gives the bird the appearance of the letter “F.”
1990–2002: The Falcons remove the red trim from the logo and keep a minimal black-and-white coloring.
2003–Present: The organization remasters the logo for a more modern, aggressive design. The bird receives vibrant red shading on the body and feathers, and the angling of the logo is slightly tweaked as well.
Atlanta Falcons WinCraft 27’’ x 37’’ Primary Vertical Banner Flag
Notable Jersey Changes
1966–1967: Atlanta’s original home uniform opts for a sleek black appearance with white pants. The numbering is white with red trim, and two logos are printed on the shoulder pads. The helmet is painted red with a black-and-white stripe down the middle. The away uniform features the same white pants, but with inverted colors on the jersey.
1969: The team adds red-and-white stripes to the sleeves of the home uniform. A patch on the left shoulder also marks the NFL’s 50th season.
1971: The Falcons depart from the black home uniforms and inverted colors to use red as the primary shade.
1978: Atlanta debuts silver pants with both uniforms instead of the traditional white ones. Additionally, the sleeves receive the team logo. On the road uniform, the numbers are colored in red instead of black.
1980: The red jerseys receive a slightly darkened gray numbering instead of white. A red belt is also added for a touch of color.
1986: The white uniform receives a red-and-black trim along the neckline and sleeves.
1988: The main difference on the uniform this year is on the sleeves. The Falcons’ logo is placed over the stripes, and the stripes encompass the entire sleeve with a much bulkier appearance.
1990: For the team’s 25th anniversary, the Falcons reverse the red color pattern and go with black jerseys and a matching black helmet. Stripes on the helmet, neckline, and sleeves are removed, but the uniform maintains a hint of red trim. The silver pants also remain.
Deion Sanders Atlanta Falcons Mitchell & Ness 1992 Retired Player Vintage Replica Jersey – Black
1994: The Falcons unveil black numbering again on the road jerseys along with the return of the red helmet. The uniform combination is a throwback to the team’s 1960s look to help celebrate the league’s 75th anniversary. A commemorative patch is also displayed on the left shoulder.
1998: The Falcons return to the red numbering, but the stripes on the sleeves are removed, and a black helmet is added to the white uniform. Additionally, the stripes on the pants change slightly.
2003: The organization sees its first major uniform overhaul. The Falcons redesign the logo with more red-and-silver coloring to reflect an aggressive-looking bird. Red trim is added to the side of the uniform, and the team mixes it up with black/white jerseys and black/white pants. The white pants are a departure from the team’s previous decision to wear silver. The Falcons also introduce a red jersey worn as an alternate uniform, which will later become the primary home uniform instead of black.
2004: The team opts to wear all-black uniforms for select games against divisional opponents/rivals. The Atlanta organization continues to do so with various combinations of black, white, and red to vary the team’s appearance.
Riddell Atlanta Falcons Revolution Speed Full-Size Authentic Football Helmet
2009: The Falcons announce that the team will wear throwback jerseys, which reflect the 1966 season with classic red helmets.
2012: With the league’s new Nike sponsorship, team jerseys receive slight modifications to give them a fresh, vibrant appearance.
Looking Back to Look Forward
Along with other teams in the South, such as the Dallas Cowboys, the Falcons have chosen not to retire jersey numbers. Instead, they opt to remember legendary players by placing their names in the Ring of Honor – featured on the rafters running along the inside of the Georgia Dome Stadium. Only the best of the best make it up the ring; currently, only nine names wrap around the stands.
Recipients of the Falcons Ring of Honor are inducted by class year:
2004 (Inaugural Class) – William Andrews,Steve Bartkowski, Tommy Nobis, Jessie Tuggle
2006 Class – Jeff Van Note
2008 Class – Mike Kenn, Claude Humphrey
2010 Class – Deion Sanders
2013 Induction – Gerald Riggs
Be a part of #FalconsNation today by gearing up with the latest Falcons gear and memorabilia! Look no further than Fanatics, one of the largest online retailers of sports apparel and merchandise, for all of your game day needs.
Sources
- http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2016/2/4/10899384/super-bowl-51-odds-falcons-longshots
- http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/history/ring-of-honor.html
- http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/173/Atlanta_Falcons/
- http://blog.heritagesportsart.com/2010/08/atlanta-falcons-uniform-and-team.html
- http://uniformcritics.com/football/nfl/atlanta-falcons/
