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Deeply immersed in our city’s culture, the Atlanta Falcons’ beginnings date back to June 30, 1965. Rankin Smith Sr., then the Executive Vice President of Life Insurance Company of Georgia, paid $8.5 million for the football franchise, making it the largest purchase in the NFL at the time.
The idea of a falcon mascot came from Julia Elliott, a Griffin schoolteacher who noted that the falcon is “proud and dignified, with great courage and fight.” Since 1965, the team has won six division championships, appeared in the Super Bowl twice, and eight players have gone on to become Hall of Famers.
– MaryGrace Williams, 360 Media, Inc.