3 players who can be inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor next
Many people are confused whenever they see someone wearing 21 in a Falcons uniform because it should be retired for the great Deion Sanders. Those people fail to realize that the Falcons don't retire numbers, instead, they put players into their Ring of Honor.
The list only includes 12 players throughout Atlanta's 58-year history. The Falcons have inducted some players in the past couple of years. They added Roddy White in 2019 and Todd McClure in 2022. It's a mystery when they'll add another player. For now, we can only speculate a handful of names. Obviously, there are a couple of players that will be on this list once they officially retire, but until then, I'm going to go over three deserving guys that could be added to the team's Ring of Honor.
1. Michael Vick
Let's rip off the band-aid early here. Michael Vick's tenure in Atlanta ended in an awful fashion. That's no secret, however, Vick served his time and has been rebuilding his image for years now, especially in Atlanta. Although many people will never forgive him, Vick deserves a place in the rafters for what he meant to the city, both on and off the field. Vick was the first quarterback for Atlanta that genuinely encapsulated the city with his play. He broke multiple rushing records for a quarterback and brought a different style of play to the position. He made three Pro Bowls during his six-year run in Atlanta. He had numerous iconic performances throughout his time, including his run against the Vikings and his playoff win at Lambeau Field against the Packers. Seeing him at the closing celebration of the Georgia Dome felt like the final step towards healing for Vick and the city.
2. John Abraham
The Falcons haven't been known for having a pass rush. It's pretty easy to remember whenever the team does have a dominant pass rusher. That's what Abraham was for year with Atlanta. After six seasons with the Jets, Abraham joined Atlanta and was a force off the edge. Abraham has the franchise record for sacks with 68.5 and was a first-team All-Pro in 2010. He also holds the team's single-season sack record with 16.5. Abraham wreaked havoc on tackles in a way that I haven't seen since he left. During the winning in the early 2010s, Abraham was a key member of the defense. One of the often-forgotten players in franchise history deserves his flowers.
3. Matt Bryant
The Atlanta kicking game has been consistent for the better part of a decade and that starts in 2009 with Matt Bryant's arrival in Atlanta. Bryant's impact on the team has been monumental. Bryant played 11 years in Atlanta and holds the franchise record for points scored. With that record, he also holds every other kicking-related record. He's made countless clutch field goals to help the Falcons win games over the years. The biggest one was in 2012 versus the Seahawks as it helped clinch the first playoff win in the Matt Ryan era. It's not often that a kicker would get selected to something like this, but Bryant held down the fort as one of the best kickers in Falcons' history.
There are a couple of honorable mentions that had to be left off. Tony Gonzalez didn't play long in Atlanta, but became a fan favorite and earned four straight Pro Bowls. Michael Turner was a key member of the franchise's turn around in 2008. Jonathan Babineaux was a reliable piece of the defense and spent his entire career in Atlanta after being with the team from 2005 to 2016. He actually holds the record for most tackles for loss in Falcons history. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are the obvious guys, but as I said earlier, they haven't retired yet. Any of these guys would be deserving of the honor.