Falcons Legends Named Among Best to Never Win a Championship

The Atlanta Falcons legend was the only member of the franchise to crack this list from CBS Sports

The Falcons have had their greats, but one stood out in particular when it came to no rings | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Although the Atlanta Falcons have yet to capture the ever-elusive Lombardi trophy with a Super Bowl victory, the organization has been home to some of the most electrifying talent the league has ever seen. 

That legacy was reinforced this week, as former Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez was ranked by CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo as the eighth-greatest player in NFL history to never win a ring, a powerful and poignant reminder that individual greatness doesn’t always guarantee championships.

“Gonzalez retired after the following season as the most prolific tight end in NFL history,” DeArdo wrote.

Gonzalez spent 12 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before Atlanta acquired him for a second-round pick ahead of the 2009 NFL season. During his five seasons with the Falcons, he remained one of the league’s most consistent and productive weapons, hauling in 409 receptions, an average of 81 per season, for 4,187 yards (837 per season) and 35 touchdowns, averaging seven scores per campaign. 

Even in the latter stages of his career, Gonzalez delivered elite-level production and served as a cornerstone of the Falcons’ offense. He finished top 10 in receiving yards among tight ends in four of his five seasons in Atlanta, including two top-five finishes, and ranked inside the top 10 in touchdowns at his position every single year, with three top-five finishes. 

A model of sustained excellence, Tony Gonzalez earned Pro Bowl honors in four of his five seasons with the Falcons and added a First Team All-Pro selection in 2012. Gonzalez played a pivotal role in powering the Falcons to a league-best 13-3 record and a trip to the NFC Championship game.

Taking a look at Gonzalez’s entire body of work only strengthens his argument that he is one of the best to ever do it. His 111 touchdown receptions are the second-most ever by a tight end. His 15,127 receiving yards stand as the all-time record at the position, more than 2,000 ahead of Jason Witten, and his 1,325 receptions are also the most in NFL history for a tight end, nearly 100 more than second place.

Gonzalez is easily one of the greatest players to ever lace them up and never win a ring.

The former tight end is the only former Falcon to be included in DeArdo’s list, although two more names certainly deserve a shout: quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones. 

Ryan’s name is often forgotten when mentioned with the best quarterbacks of all time, due to the unfortunate ending of Super Bowl 51 when the Falcons blew the biggest lead in Super Bowl history. But when DeArdo has Phillip Rivers 29th on his list, Ryan’s resume stacks up very well when compared to the former Charger.

Rivers has just one more playoff win than Ryan despite playing three more seasons (not including 2025, where he suited up for three games).  Ryan, meanwhile, has reached one more conference championship than Rivers and boasts a Super Bowl appearance, something Rivers has never done.

Not to mention, Ryan has an MVP award, and he became the first player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass to 13 different wide receivers en route to claiming the honor, a testament to his ability to elevate his weapons. 

Both players boast similar counting stats, with both quarterbacks in the top 10 all-time in passing touchdowns and yards. If Rivers is in the conversation for best player to never win a championship, Ryan should be as well. 

Julio Jones is one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. He was the fastest player in NFL history to 10,000 career receiving yards, doing so in 104 games, 11 fewer than Calvin Johnson, who owned the record previously. 

Jones had a historic career. His 12,896 receiving yards through his first 10 seasons rank second all-time in NFL history for a player’s first decade, trailing only Jerry Rice, widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time. Jones also ranks fourth all-time in receptions (848) and fifth all-time in yards per reception (15.28) among receivers through their first 10 seasons, underscoring both his consistency and big-play ability.

Jones is one of only six wide receivers to have a game with 300 or more receiving yards. His 1,871 receiving yards in 2015 are the third most in a single season all time, and he is one of just six players to have 1,800+ in a season. Jones was the last player to lead the league in receiving yards twice; no active player has achieved that feat. 

Despite the Falcons’ lack of a Super Bowl, their history is filled with transcendent talent whose individual greatness cannot be overlooked. Tony Gonzalez may be the only former Atlanta Falcon to crack CBS Sports’ list, but both Matt Ryan and Julio Jones had careers that could easily warrant recognition alongside him.