Atlanta Falcons greatest years are under the guidance of Thomas Dimitroff
2000-2007
- Head coaches: 5
- Starting quarterbacks: 9
- Wins: 55
- Losses: 72
- Division Titles: 1
- Playoff appearances: 2
- Playoff wins: 1
- Double-digit win seasons: 1
- NFC title game appearances: 0
- Super Bowl appearances: 0
We all remember where we were when then NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced these words: “With the first pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Michael Vick, quarterback, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University“. The best player in college football was now a member of the Atlanta Falcons; a franchise that was only a couple years removed from their first Super Bowl appearance. Certainly, a player like Mike Vick would be able to get us back the world stage.
As we all know and as electrifying as Mike was at time on the field, he also was very underwhelming as an actual quarterback. The Falcons would make NFL history in 2002 when they became the first franchise to win a playoff game on the road in Green Bay. That would be the first of two playoffs win number 7 would have as the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons as well as the only two in his entire career.
From 2000 to 2007, the Falcons would experience the highs, beating Green Bay in the playoffs, and of course, the lowest of lows any NFL franchise could have experience when Michael Vick was charged with two felony counts in relation to a side business he was operating out of his home state of Virginia.
We said goodbye to Rich McKay as general manager, good bye to Jim Mora/Bobby Petrino as head coaches and welcomed in Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith. While the Atlanta Falcons faithful did not realize it then, this would end up being a blessing in disguise and lead us to where we are now.