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50 free Atlanta Falcons trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
45 free Atlanta Falcons trivia questions with answers. The Atlanta Falcons have given their fans everything but a Lombardi Trophy, and this quiz covers all of it. It starts in 1965, when Rankin Smith paid a record $8.5 million to keep the NFL ahead of the AFL in Atlanta and a schoolteacher from Griffin named the team, then works through Tommy Nobis, Steve Bartkowski, Deion Sanders playing two sports at once, the 1998 Dirty Bird season and Super Bowl XXXIII, the Michael Vick era, and Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and the 28-3 game that Falcons fans would rather not discuss. There are questions on the three stadiums, from Atlanta-Fulton County to the Georgia Dome to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and its pinwheel roof, on Arthur Blank's purchase of the team, on the coaches from Norb Hecker to Kevin Stefanski, and on recent names like Bijan Robinson, Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. Easy questions come first, deeper cuts on draft trades and records later. Every answer has been checked against the Wikipedia articles on the team, its players, its Super Bowls and its stadiums, and each question shows its source once you have answered.
30 of 50 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01In what year did the Falcons play their first NFL season?
1966
The NFL added them a year ahead of schedule to keep the rival AFL out of Atlanta; New Orleans followed in 1967.
Q 02How much did Rankin Smith pay for the franchise in 1965, then a record for the NFL?
$8.5 million
He and Pete Rozelle made the deal in about five minutes.
Q 03Who suggested the nickname "Falcons" for the new team in 1965?
A schoolteacher from Griffin, Georgia
Julia Elliott wrote that the falcon "is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight" and "never drops its prey".
Q 04Which Texas linebacker was the first player ever drafted by the Falcons, first overall in 1966?
Tommy Nobis
Astronaut Frank Borman radioed "tell Nobis to sign with Houston" from Gemini 7; he signed with Atlanta anyway and became "Mr. Falcon".
Q 05How many games did the Falcons lose to start their inaugural 1966 season before their first win?
9
The first win came at Yankee Stadium against the Giants on November 20, under coach Norb Hecker.
Q 06Which quarterback did the Falcons take first overall in the 1975 draft?
Steve Bartkowski
The California All-American made two Pro Bowls and played in Atlanta until 1985.
Q 07In which season did the Falcons first reach the playoffs?
1978
They beat the Eagles 14-13 in the Wild Card game before losing to Dallas; the 1980 team then won the franchise's first division title.
Q 08Which two-sport star did the Falcons draft fifth overall in 1989?
Deion Sanders
"Prime Time" played for the Yankees and then the Braves while in Atlanta, and remains the only man to play in a Super Bowl and a World Series.
Q 09Which future Hall of Fame QB did the Falcons draft in 1991 and trade to Green Bay a year later?
Brett Favre
As a Falcon rookie he threw four passes: no completions and two interceptions.
Q 10In what year did the Falcons move into the Georgia Dome?
1992
They beat all 31 other NFL teams there at least once before leaving after the 2016 season.
Q 11What was the nickname of the 1998 Falcons team that reached the franchise's first Super Bowl?
The Dirty Birds
It came from Jamal Anderson's arm-flapping touchdown dance; the team went a then-best 14-2.
Q 12How many carries did Jamal Anderson record in 1998, then an NFL single-season record?
410
He ran for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns, second only to Terrell Davis that year.
Q 13Whom did the Falcons upset in overtime in the 1998 NFC Championship Game?
The Minnesota Vikings
The 15-1 Vikings were top seeds; Atlanta won 30-27 at the Metrodome.
Q 21At which school did Matt Ryan win the Manning and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards in 2007?
Boston College
He won the Manning and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards there in 2007.
Q 22To draft Julio Jones sixth overall in 2011, the Falcons traded up with which team?
Cleveland Browns
It cost first-, second- and fourth-round picks in 2011 plus a first and fourth in 2012.
Q 23How many receiving yards did Julio Jones rack up in one 2016 game against Carolina, a franchise record?
300
Matt Ryan threw for 503 yards the same day, another team record.
Q 14Who beat the Falcons 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII?
The Denver Broncos
It was John Elway's final game; at 38 he became the oldest Super Bowl MVP until Tom Brady beat the record, also against the Falcons.
Q 15Which quarterback did the Falcons take first overall in 2001 after trading up with San Diego?
Michael Vick
The Chargers used the fifth pick they received on LaDainian Tomlinson.
Q 16What did the Falcons' left-handed quarterback become the first NFL passer to do in 2006?
Rush for over 1,000 yards in a season
He finished with 1,039 yards; the Falcons still went 7-9 and fired Jim Mora.
Q 17Which billionaire, a co-founder of Home Depot, bought the Falcons in 2002?
Arthur Blank
He agreed a reported $545 million with Taylor Smith; the sale was approved unanimously at Super Bowl XXXVI.
Q 18Which head coach quit the Falcons 13 games into the 2007 season, leaving a locker-room note?
Bobby Petrino
He left for the University of Arkansas; the team finished 4-12 with Joey Harrington at quarterback.
Q 19With which pick did the Falcons draft Matt Ryan in 2008?
Third overall
He started all 16 games as a rookie and won Offensive Rookie of the Year; his coach Mike Smith won Coach of the Year.
Q 20What is Matt Ryan's nickname?
Matty Ice
He was NFL MVP in 2016 and entered the Falcons Ring of Honor in 2024.
Q 24Which trio were dubbed Atlanta's "Big Three" in the early 2010s?
Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White
The nickname was based on their combined receiving yards.
Q 25What was the Falcons' lead late in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI before the collapse?
28-3
New England scored 31 unanswered points, the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.
Q 26What was the final score of Super Bowl LI?
34-28 Patriots
It was the first Super Bowl decided in overtime; New England won the toss and scored on the opening drive.
Q 27In which city was Super Bowl LI played?
Houston
NRG Stadium had also hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII, another Patriots win over an NFC South team.
Q 28How many points did the 2016 Falcons score, tying the 2000 'Greatest Show on Turf' Rams?
540
It was the seventh-highest total in NFL history; the defense gave up 406.
Q 29Whom did the Falcons beat 44-21 in the 2016 NFC Championship, the Georgia Dome's last game?
The Green Bay Packers
The first regular-season game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was a rematch, won 34-23 by Atlanta.
Q 30What is distinctive about the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
Eight triangular panels open like a pinwheel
When open the panels suggest a bird's wings, and the circular opening was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.