| Team: | Atlanta Falcons |
| Year: | 2001 |
| Record: | 7–9 |
| Division Place: | 3rd NFC West |
| Coach: | Dan Reeves |
| General Manager: | Harold Richardson |
| Stadium: | Georgia Dome |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | LB Keith Brooking |
| Shortnavlink: | Falcons seasons |
The 2001 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise’s 36th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons obtained the first pick overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. With the pick, the Falcons drafted Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick.[1]
This was Jamal Anderson’s final season as he re-aggravated his surgically repaired knee in Week 3, and this time, it ended his career. The Falcons improved on their 9–23 record from the previous two seasons, but still failed to qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive campaign after a 6-4 start.
This was the final season under the Falcons' founding ownership, the Rankin M. Smith Sr. family, as the franchise was sold to The Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank in March 2002.
It was also the first season since 1986 that Jessie Tuggle was not on the roster, as he announced his retirement on August 28, 2001.
Vick was selected in the 2001 NFL draft as the first overall pick and first African American quarterback taken number 1 in the NFL Draft. The San Diego Chargers had the number one selection spot in the draft that year but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons’ first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001 (used to draft CB Tay Cody), a second round pick in 2002 (used to draft WR Reche Caldwell) and WR/KR Tim Dwight.[2] With the Chargers’ downgraded spot (the 5th overall), they selected Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who went on to become league MVP in 2006.[3] Although Vick has never become league MVP, he finished second in voting in 2004.[4] In this way, Tomlinson and Vick are linked as having been “traded” for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks and contract negotiations.
See main article: 2001 NFL draft. [5]
| Position | College | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Feely | Kicker | Michigan | |
| Dave Kadela | Offensive tackle | Virginia Tech |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 16–17 | 0–1 | Georgia Dome | ||
| 2 | at New York Jets | W 20–10 | 1–1 | Giants Stadium | ||
| 3 | at Washington Redskins | W 27–6 | 2–1 | FedExField | ||
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 36–7 | 3–1 | Georgia Dome |
This was the Falcons’ 32nd and final season as a member of the NFC West Division. If one counts its predecessor, the Coastal Division of the NFL’s Western Conference prior to the 1970 merger, it was the franchise’s 35th season in this division. The Falcons moved to the new NFC South as part of the NFL’s realignment plan for the following season.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 13–16 | 0–1 | 3Com Park | 65,989 | |
| 2 | September 23 | Carolina Panthers | W 24–16 | 1–1 | Georgia Dome | 47,804 | |
| 3 | September 30 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 34–14 | 2–1 | Sun Devil Stadium | 28,878 | |
| 4 | October 7 | Chicago Bears | L 3–31 | 2–2 | Georgia Dome | 46,483 | |
| 5 | October 14 | San Francisco 49ers | L 31–37 | 2–3 | Georgia Dome | 46,727 | |
| 6 | October 21 | at New Orleans Saints | W 20–13 | 3–3 | Louisiana Superdome | 70,020 | |
| 7 | Bye | ||||||
| 8 | November 4 | New England Patriots | L 10–24 | 3–4 | Georgia Dome | 44,229 | |
| 9 | November 11 | Dallas Cowboys | W 20–13 | 4–4 | Georgia Dome | 69,010 | |
| 10 | November 18 | at Green Bay Packers | W 23–20 | 5–4 | Lambeau Field | 59,849 | |
| 11 | November 25 | at Carolina Panthers | W 10–7 | 6–4 | Ericcson Stadium | 72,234 | |
| 12 | December 2 | St. Louis Rams | L 6–35 | 6–5 | Georgia Dome | 59,318 | |
| 13 | December 9 | New Orleans Saints | L 10–28 | 6–6 | Georgia Dome | 68,826 | |
| 14 | December 16 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 27–41 | 6–7 | RCA Dome | 55,603 | |
| 15 | December 23 | Buffalo Bills | W 33–30 | 7–7 | Georgia Dome | 43,320 | |
| 16 | December 30 | at Miami Dolphins | L 14–21 | 7–8 | Pro Player Stadium | 73,559 | |
| 17 | January 6 | at St. Louis Rams | L 13–31 | 7–9 | Trans World Dome | 66,033 | |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | |||||||