2. Steve Bartkowski
Many Atlanta Falcons fans cannot let go of Michael Vick and what could have been in Atlanta. Vick's off-the-field decisions instantly rule him out of franchise legend status. It doesn't matter how great Vick might have been on the field, this decision leaves him overrated in franchise history. One quarterback that does deserve the attention and doesn't get his due credit is Steve Bartkowski.
The veteran quarterback was the first franchise quarterback in Atlanta's history. Offering stability and a level of play the franchise had been unable to find before. Bartkowski's numbers might be underwhelming in comparison to today's quarterbacks, however, his impact and production shouldn't be overlooked.
It was an entirely different game where brutality was not only allowed but encouraged. For a quarterback to continue to play as long as he did and produce at a high level deserves respect and far more credit.
Offering a decade of stability to a franchise that had been unable to find any answers this was Atlanta's first taste of how life-changing a franchise quarterback can be. Bartkowski might not be among the team's best, however, he remains overlooked based on the impact and longevity in a difficult time for the Falcons.