1966 Atlanta Falcons season


The 1966 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's inaugural season in the National Football League. The Falcons finished in seventh place in the NFL Eastern Conference with a record of 3–11, ahead of only the New York Giants.

Offseason

The Falcons attempted to acquire Green Bay Packers running back Jim Taylor. There were tensions in Green Bay because the Packers first round pick, Jim Grabowski would be groomed to take over for Taylor. The signing of Grabowski upset Taylor but he stated he would leave Green Bay once his contract expired, therefore the Falcons could not acquire the running back.

NFL Draft

Due to the addition of the team for the 1966 NFL Season, the Falcons were allotted the first pick in all twenty rounds of the 1966 NFL draft, as well as five compensatory picks and the end of the first five rounds.
RoundPickPlayerPositionSchool
11Tommy NobisLinebackerTexas
116Randy JohnsonQuarterbackTexas A&I
217Nick RassasDefensive BackNotre Dame
232Jerry JonesTackleBowling Green
333Mike DennisRunning BackMississippi
348Phil SheridanWide ReceiverNotre Dame
449Ken ReavesDefensive BackVirginia State
464Willie AsburyRunning BackKent State
565Bill WolskiRunning BackNotre Dame
580Martin KahnTackleNorth Texas State
681Charley CaseyWide ReceiverFlorida
796William JohnsonRunning BackUniversity of the South
8111Bill GossLinebackerTulane
9126Bob SandersCenterNorth Texas State
10141Mike BenderGuardArkansas
11156Steve SloanQuarterbackAlabama
12171Ken HollisterTackleIndiana
13186Bob CollinsTackleSouth Carolina
14201Steve EckerKickerShippensburg
15216Tom TollesonWide ReceiverAlabama
16231Jim ViningGuardRice
17246Lurley ArchambeauCenterToledo
18261Doug KorverCenterSouthern Iowa
19276Walt MainerDefensive BackXavier
20291Bob RiggleDefensive BackPenn State

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Regular season

The Falcons played their first game on August 1, 1966, against the Philadelphia Eagles before a crowd of 26,072 at Atlanta Stadium, a two-point Falcons loss, 9–7. In their inaugural regular season, Atlanta played each of the fourteen other teams in the league once. The Falcons lost their first nine regular season games; their first win was on the road against the New York Giants, 27–16, on November 20. Former Giant Ernie Wheelwright scored two touchdowns receiving and ran for 51 more yards as QB Randy Johnson hit for a trio of touchdowns.
Their first ever home victory was over the St. Louis Cardinals, 16–10, before 57,169 on December 11. The Falcons ended their inaugural season at 3–11, yet Tommy Nobis won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award and became the first Falcon named to the Pro Bowl.

Schedule

Awards and records