Atlanta Falcons have a great history of unsung heroes

Jerious Norwood

When you play in the backfield with one of the most electric players of all time with Michael Vick and share carries with a great running back like Warrick Dunn, it’s hard to get your name out there, but Jerious Norwood took advantage of that time every time he could get his hands on the ball.

With his blazing speed, Norwood was a threat to take the ball to the house every time he touched the ball. He didn’t put up those gaudy numbers that statheads love, he never had more than 633 rushings in any season, but if you ask anyone who followed the Falcons very closely, no one has anything bad to say about Norwood.

Brian Finneran

If you ask anyone that paid close attention to the Falcons in the early 2000s, they will tell how consistent  Brian Finneran was for the team. Finneran’s best season was in 2002 when he had a career-high in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

Most importantly, he became one of Vick’s security blankets early on in his career. Having someone like Finneran made life easy for Vick and to an extent, a young Matt Ryan.

If it weren’t for injuries, there’s no telling what Finneran would have been able to do as Matt Ryan entered his prime. Not to mention, he might have some of the best hands in Falcons history.

Not bad for a guy that spent some time in NFL Europe.

Alge Crumpler

Alge Crumpler was another trusted target of Vick. He made the Pro Bowl in four consecutive years but no one brings up Crumpler as one of the best tight ends of the early 2000s.

His numbers didn’t pop out like other tight ends and during that time, it was Tony Gonzales and then everybody else. Gonzales would end up playing for the Falcons and then after a few years, Hooper started to make a name for himself.

Crumpler is an afterthought to a lot of fans, but he was just as dependable as the two guys mentioned above.