Plan Patience: Falcons Owner Grudgingly Embraces Rebuild
Everyone knows the story all too well.
The Atlanta Falcons suffered a 34-28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The Falcons blew a 25-point lead inside NRG Stadium in Houston. Since the heartbreaking defeat, the Falcons have yet to come close to returning to the big game.
The departure of star wide receiver Julio Jones in 2021, followed by Matt Ryan's exit this offseason, signals that the Falcons have grudgingly embraced the rebuild. The franchise has had one winning season after its Super Bowl appearance in 2016 and is currently in a four-year post-season drought.
Owner Arthur Blank remains determined to lead the Falcons to their first Vince Lombardi trophy under his ownership. But his goal will require a virtue that is not Blank's forte.
Patience.
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"Being patient is not the best virtue I have," Blank said at the NFL Owners Meetings last month. "I certainly want rings, and I want rings now. It’s not for me. It’s for Atlanta. You have to plan for the future. It’s not always about the next 12 months. It’s about how can you transition your organization for the next 15 years and have another version of Matt Ryan — who’s been a blessing."
Blank said the franchise did what it could to keep the championship window open, but the salary cap started to become an issue. The Falcons are in an impaired financial situation in 2022. So much so that general manager Terry Fontenot is bracing to "take one to the chin" this year.
"When you have one player consuming between 20 and 25 percent of your cap, it’s difficult to build the kind of franchise you want," Blank said. "I feel like we always have to think not just about the transaction at the moment, but are we doing the right thing long term with the best interest of the football club, in the best interest of our fans?
"At the end of the day, it’s about doing right by our fans. I’m a steward for the team, but in many ways, the fans are the ones that are the owners."
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The Falcons' first Super Bowl appearance occurred during the 1998 campaign against the Denver Broncos.
Outside of holding an early 3-0 lead, the Falcons never had control of the game — unlike their appearance 18 years later. Behind quarterback John Elway, the Broncos took a 34-19 victory over the Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII. Elway was awarded Super Bowl MVP.
