2013 year in sports - Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

2013 year in sports - Atlanta Falcons

The 13 moments that sum up 2013 for the Atlanta Falcons, according the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter.

The Falcons losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game: The Falcons were the No. 1 seed and appeared set to make the second trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history. The Falcons took a 17-0 lead and lead 24-14 at halftime, before crumbling in the second half. The 49ers stormed back to win 28-24 as the Falcons last-ditch effort finished stalled at the 10-yard line.

The Falcons beating Seattle in the finals seconds of the NFC divisional playoff game: The Falcons hadn’t won a playoff game since beating the Rams 47-17 on Jan. 15, 2005 in the divisional round. The Falcons blew a 20-0 halftime lead and trailed 28-27 in the final minute. Kicker Matt Bryant strutted onto the field with 13 seconds remaining after a quarterback Matt Ryan a led drive that began 18 seconds earlier, and drilled a 49-yard field goal through hearts of the Seattle Seahawks. The boot gave the Falcons, who had blown two 20-point leads, a 30-28 victory and the first playoff win for head coach Mike Smith, tight end Tony Gonzalez, Ryan and Bryant.

Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez announcing that he was coming back to play one more season: The previous season ended up 10 yards short of the Super Bowl and Gonzalez had stated that he was 95 percent sure that he’d stay retired. The Falcons worked that other five percent and convinced him to return for one more season. Just hours before the start of free agency on March 12, Gonzalez informed the team that he was returning for his 17th season in the NFL.

Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones suffering a season-ending foot injury after the fifth game of the season: Jones was off to an amazing start to the 2013 season when he injured his left foot in a loss to the New York Jets. He had surgery the following week and would be out of the season. Through five games he had 41 catches for 580 yards and two touchdowns. He was on pace to catch 131 passes, which would have been second the NFL single-season mark of 143 passes caught by Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison in 2002.

The Falcons signing quarterback Matt Ryan to a six-year, $103.75 million contract extension: Matt Ryan had posted five consecutive winning seasons and had guided the Falcons to the playoffs in four of those seasons. The franchise wanted to keep their quarterback from being a free agent.

The Falcons cutting veterans Michael Turner, John Abraham (55) and Dunta Robinson all of the same day: In order to make room for Matt Ryan’s contract, the Falcons had to part with some veterans. Turner and Abraham had played instrumental in the team’s rebound from the 2007 season, while Robinson was a free-agent signee who under-performed. Later, tight tackle Tyson Clabo would also be released.

The Falcons trading up to draft cornerback Desmond Trufant: After letting three of their top five cornerbacks leave, the Falcons traded with the St. Louis Rams to move up eight spots from 30th to 22nd. They picked Washington cornerback Desmond Trufant, who’s two older brothers also played in the NFL.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank giving coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff a “vote of confidence” after the team was embarrassed by Tampa Bay: The Falcons were rolled by the Bucs to drop to 2-8 after fourth-string running back Bobby Rainey ran for 163 yards on the defense. Owner Arthur Blank gave Smith and Dimitroff a vote of confidence and praised their work in the previous five seasons.

The signing of running back Steven Jackson, one of the top active rusher in the league: It was thought to be a coup when the Falcons signed running back Steven Jackson, who’d put up eight straight 1,000-yard seasons while playing for the Rams.

The signing of defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who won two Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants: With Abraham released, the Falcons signed to two-time Super Bowl winner to a two-year $8.5 million contract.

The Falcons electing to play four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Roddy White with a high ankle sprain through the first five games before he suffered a hamstring injury: The Falcons didn’t learn from the last time they tried to push a player with a high ankle sprain. When Michael Turner was pushed, he was promptly reinjured and missed the remainder of the 2009 season. This season, Roddy White was pushed to play with a bad high ankle sprain suffered in the exhibition season. He suffered an additional hamstring injury and was never the same until late in the season.

The retirement of longtime center Todd McClure after 13 years of service: The Falcons tried to clear the way for center prospect Peter Konz and didn’t offer McClure a contract. Konz was not ready and was replaced after nine games.

The enshrinement of running back Gerald Riggs into the Falcons’ ring of honor: Gerald Riggs, Sr., the Falcons all-time leading rusher, was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during halftime of tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game against the New York Jets at the Georgia Dome on Oct. 7. Riggs, the ninth player selected overall in the 1982 draft, became the ninth member of the Falcons’ Ring of Honor.

1/13

The Falcons losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game: The Falcons were the No. 1 seed and appeared set to make the second trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history. The Falcons took a 17-0 lead and lead 24-14 at halftime, before crumbling in the second half. The 49ers stormed back to win 28-24 as the Falcons last-ditch effort finished stalled at the 10-yard line.

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