Arthur Blank and the resurrection of Atlanta Falcons football

The city of Atlanta is blessed to have an owner like Arthur Blank and the way he has transformed the Atlanta Falcons is something that should be commended.

There at a lot of owners in the NFL that are money hungry, not ashamed to put an awful product on the football field and just plain don’t care about the people and the city they are in. However, there are a select few that care about the team, the city and the fans. As Atlanta Falcons fans, we are lucky.

Since he brought the team in 2002, there has been a different kind of energy in Atlanta; infectious energy that gave not only the team hope but a starving city and fan base as well.
The Falcons have enjoyed more success under the ownership of Arthur Blank than it has at any other point during the history of the franchise.

Between 1965 and 2001, the Falcons made the playoffs six times advancing the one NFC championship game and one Super Bowl appearance. Since Blank has been the owner; the Falcons have had eight playoff appearances, made three NFC championship games, and another Super Bowl appearance.

Even when the Falcons went through a dark time, he did not shy away. After Michael Vick was charged and sent to prison, the franchise took a turn for the worst and it seemed as if it would take a long time to recover. Couple that in with the hiring and immediate resignation of the turncoat Bobby Petrino, it was a disaster altogether. Blank was able to ride it out and build this franchise up to new heights.

Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Roddy White are just a few of the great players that are homegrown talent. Hall of Famer Tony Gonzales and All-Pro Alex Mack are some of the players that were brought into the brotherhood and you can bet your bottom dollar Blank had something to do with that as well.

He’s done things for the city of Atlanta not just in the sports world but communities as well. The construction of the Mercedes-Benz Dome on the westside of Atlanta not only gave jobs to a struggling part of the city, but it also embraced the mantra “In Brotherhood” by not only making a team great but the city as a whole.

There are very few owners in any league that has done the things Arthur Blank has done. He has revitalized a city and fan base and essentially helped turn Atlanta into somewhat of a football city. There is only a matter of time before the Falcons reach the pinnacle of the NFL and become Super Bowl champions and Arthur Blank will be a big reason why.