query: when does the atlanta falcons new stadium open

pos: Mercedes-Benz Stadium and operated by AMB Group, the parent organization of the Falcons and Atlanta United. The total cost was estimated at $1.6 billion, as of June 2016. The stadium officially opened on August 26, 2017 with a Falcons preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, despite the retractable roof system being incomplete at the time. Work on the retractable roof was completed on July 14, 2018. In May 2010, it was reported by multiple news outlets that the Atlanta Falcons were interested in demolishing the Georgia Dome and replacing it with a newly constructed open-air stadium. The team was pursuing a new

pos: Rich McKay years after building Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, McKay, as President and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons, has worked closely with Falcons Chairman and Owner Arthur M. Blank, the city of Atlanta, and the Georgia World Congress Center stadium authority to secure approval and financing for the Falcons to begin construction on a new, $1.2 billion stadium that will be built in downtown Atlanta. The Falcons broke ground on the new building on May 19, 2014, and the stadium, known as Mercedes Benz Stadium, opened on August 26, 2017. McKay is believed to be the only current NFL executive who

pos: Mercedes-Benz Stadium March 1, 2017; however, the opening date was later delayed to June 1, 2017, then to July 30, 2017, and then to August 26, 2017. Steve Cannon, CEO of the Atlanta Falcons' parent company AMB Group, stated that the Falcons' preseason schedule and the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Games would not be affected by the new opening date; however, three of Atlanta United's matches would be affected. The July 30 game against Orlando City SC was moved to Atlanta United's interim home of Bobby Dodd Stadium for July 29 while two home matches scheduled in August were moved to later dates. Additionally,

pos: 2017 Atlanta Falcons season 2017 Atlanta Falcons season The 2017 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 52nd season in the National Football League and their third under head coach Dan Quinn. They entered the season as the defending NFC champions and tried to defend their NFC title for a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl after losing the previous year against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. This was the Falcons' first year in Mercedes-Benz Stadium after spending the previous 25 seasons in the Georgia Dome, which was demolished on November 20, 2017. Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened as scheduled on August 26, 2017; however, its

pos: Sports in Atlanta Atlanta's Negro League team from around 1921 until 1949. The Braves' Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers of the International League, has been based in the Gwinnett County suburb of Lawrenceville since 2009. The Falcons have been Atlanta's National Football League franchise since 1966. The Falcons recently completed construction of a new retractable roof stadium, Mercedes Benz Stadium, playing their first pre-season game there on August 26, 2017. They have won the division title six times in two different divisions (NFC West and current NFC South), and two conference championships, going on to lose to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl

neg: Atlanta Falcons initially estimated to be around $1 billion, the total cost was revised to $1.5 billion according to Blank. In March 2013, the Atlanta City Council voted 11–4 in favor of building the stadium. The retractable roof Mercedes-Benz Stadium broke ground in May 2014, and became the third home stadium for the Falcons and the first for the new Atlanta United FC Major League Soccer club upon opening in 2017. The Atlanta Falcons' colors are red, black, silver and white. When the team began play in 1966, the Falcons wore red helmets with a black falcon crest logo. In the center

neg: Atlanta United FC a new stadium at the Falcons' annual meeting with season ticket holders, he stated that an additional benefit of the new stadium was that it could help attract a Major League Soccer franchise and potentially host World Cup matches. Later that year, in November, Garber said that if the Falcons could complete plans for a new stadium, MLS would "try to figure out how an MLS team could be part of their plans." Rich McKay, Falcons president and CEO, said in 2013 that the team was "open to various options, including [its] ownership of a team or someone else owning

neg: 2017 Atlanta Falcons season elected to open the roof if weather permitted, marking the first time since the 1991 season, the team's final season at their original home of Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, that the Falcons played a home game in Atlanta under open air. The Falcons controlled most of the game, went up by as much as 24, and won 34–23. They were led by Devonta Freeman (19 rushes, 84 yards, 2 TD) and Julio Jones (108 yards, 5 receptions). The 2017 Falcons became only the fourth team in NFL history to start 2–0 after they lost the Super Bowl the previous year. In

neg: Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, often referred to as Fulton County Stadium and originally named Atlanta Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in the southeastern United States, located in Atlanta. It was built to attract a Major League Baseball team and in 1966 succeeded when the Milwaukee Braves relocated from Wisconsin. The Braves and expansion Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League shared the venue for 26 years, until the Falcons moved into the newly completed Georgia Dome in 1992. The Braves continued to play at the stadium for another five years, then moved into Turner Field in 1997, the

neg: Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium designed by a joint-venture team of FABRAP (Finch Alexander Barnes Rothschild & Paschal) and Heery, Inc. Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, often referred to as Fulton County Stadium and originally named Atlanta Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in the southeastern United States, located in Atlanta. It was built to attract a Major League Baseball team and in 1966 succeeded when the Milwaukee Braves relocated from Wisconsin. The Braves and expansion Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League shared the venue for 26 years, until the Falcons moved into the newly completed Georgia Dome in 1992. The Braves continued to

neg: Rankin M. Smith Sr. construction of the Falcons’ next stadium, the Georgia Dome, threatening to move the Falcons elsewhere if a new stadium was not built. When Smith backed out from the AFL agreement, the AFL franchise was then awarded to Miami, which would start play as the Dolphins in 1966. Smith continued to manage day-to-day operations of the team until 1990, when he turned control of the team over to his son Taylor Smith. The team was sold to Arthur M. Blank in 2002 for $545 million. On Interstate 985 in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Exit #12—which leads to the Atlanta Falcons

neg: Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl history. In 2016, the Falcons scored 540 points in the regular season, the seventh-most in NFL history, tied with the Greatest Show on Turf (the 2000 St. Louis Rams). However, the Falcons defense gave up 406 points, 27th in the league. The Falcons moved into their new home, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, this season. Their first game ever played at the new stadium was a preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The first regular season game at the new stadium was a rematch of the 2016–17 NFC Championship, with Atlanta defeating Green Bay 34–23. Their first loss of

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in its first year of use, once for an Atlanta Falcons game - a Sunday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers on September 17, 2017 and a nationally televised MLS soccer game, when the Atlanta United FC hosted Toronto FC in a sold out game of more than 70,000 fans on October 22, 2017. However, President of the Atlanta Falcons, Rich McKay told the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" that he expects all issues with the roof to be completely resolved before the Atlanta Falcons season starts in 2018. McKay said he expects the fixes to allow the stadium to be

neg: Chick-fil-A respect –regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender." Chick-fil-A's reputation on being closed on Sundays extends to non-traditional locations. On December 17, 2017 Chick-fil-A broke their tradition and opened on a Sunday to prepare meals for passengers left stranded, during the power outage at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. In addition to countless shopping malls and airports, a Chick-fil-A location at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is closed on Sundays despite the fact that its main tenant, the Atlanta Falcons, plays most of their home games on Sundays. The location is open when the Falcons have a Monday night,

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium a business that famously closes on Sundays, despite its main tenant, the Falcons, playing most of their home games on Sundays. The location opens when the Falcons have a Monday night or Thursday night home game, as well as non-Sunday home games of Atlanta United FC and other events at the stadium. On Sundays, the digital signs will be flipped and concessionaire Levy Restaurants will sell non-branded food and drinks at the location. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium's projected opening date was delayed three times due to the complexity of the eight-panel retractable roof. The stadium was originally intended to open on

neg: U.S. cities with teams from four major league sports area without all four leagues behind Houston. Georgia is now home to the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, MLB's Atlanta Braves, and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. The Falcons and Hawks currently play within the city limits of Atlanta; the Braves moved just outside the city in 2017 to the Vinings/Smyrna area in Cobb County. The Braves' new stadium is within a small slice of Cobb County that has always had an Atlanta mailing address. Previously, North Carolina had been the most populous state without teams in all four sports, having edged out New Jersey when the southern state's population surpassed the northern

neg: Atlanta Falcons 2010, 2012, and 2016. The Falcons have appeared in two Super Bowls, the first during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they lost to the Denver Broncos and the second was eighteen years later, a overtime defeat by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The Falcons' current home field is Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened for the 2017 season; the team's headquarters and practice facilities are located at a site in Flowery Branch, northeast of Atlanta in Hall County. Professional football first came to Atlanta in 1962, when the American Football League (AFL) staged two preseason contests,

neg: Atlanta United FC a team". Dan Courtemanche said, "We are big believers in the Atlanta market," and cited the city's growing Hispanic population and corporations that could serve as its sponsors. Then, in March 2013, the city and the Falcons agreed to financing terms, and in May 2013, the Georgia Department of Economic Development board approved $30 million in bonds to finance the land purchase for the new stadium. The stadium was set to open in 2017 and could be configured for professional soccer. Atlanta remained at the top of the list for an MLS expansion team, as Garber, in the December 2013

neg: 2016 Atlanta Falcons season Falcons' season record at 13-6. 2016 Atlanta Falcons season The 2016 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Dan Quinn. It also marked the team's 25th and final season playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, as the Falcons moved into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons won the NFC South for the first time since 2012 and improved on their 8–8 record from 2015, going 11–5 and earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 36–20 in the

neg: 2016 Atlanta Falcons season 2016 Atlanta Falcons season The 2016 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Dan Quinn. It also marked the team's 25th and final season playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, as the Falcons moved into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons won the NFC South for the first time since 2012 and improved on their 8–8 record from 2015, going 11–5 and earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 36–20 in the Divisional Round to advance to

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium the Georgia Dome. During a January 10, 2013 press conference, Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed expressed his optimism and confidence in the construction of the new stadium; he also mentioned the possibility of the new stadium helping the city compete for its first Major League Soccer team. On March 7, 2013, the Atlanta Falcons and the city of Atlanta agreed to build the new downtown stadium. The maximum public contribution for the project is $200 million, coming from the hotel-motel tax in Atlanta and unincorporated Fulton County. The Atlanta City Council officially approved the stadium on March 19, 2013. The council

neg: 2018 Atlanta Falcons season 2018 Atlanta Falcons season The 2018 season is the Atlanta Falcons' 53rd in the National Football League, their second playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (the venue for Super Bowl LIII) and their fourth under head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons attempted to be the first team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium as an expected Super Bowl contender. However the Falcons were riddled with injuries, losing 7 starters to IR with the Falcons stumbling to a 1–4 start. Following a 31–17 loss to the Saints in Week 12, the Falcons fell to 4–7 and failed

neg: 1991 Atlanta Falcons season quarter. 1991 Atlanta Falcons season The Atlanta Falcons season was the team's 26th season in the National Football League (NFL). It was also the final season they played at Fulton County Stadium, before moving into the Georgia Dome the following year. The season would be the most successful Atlanta compiled in almost a decade, with the team recording a winning record for the first time in nine years. Additionally, the team won its first playoff game since 1978, by defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card Game. The Falcons' most notable selection in the 1991 NFL draft

neg: 1991 Atlanta Falcons season 1991 Atlanta Falcons season The Atlanta Falcons season was the team's 26th season in the National Football League (NFL). It was also the final season they played at Fulton County Stadium, before moving into the Georgia Dome the following year. The season would be the most successful Atlanta compiled in almost a decade, with the team recording a winning record for the first time in nine years. Additionally, the team won its first playoff game since 1978, by defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card Game. The Falcons' most notable selection in the 1991 NFL draft was

neg: 2018 Atlanta Falcons season assures that the Super Bowl host team will not play the championship game on their own field. 2018 Atlanta Falcons season The 2018 season is the Atlanta Falcons' 53rd in the National Football League, their second playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (the venue for Super Bowl LIII) and their fourth under head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons attempted to be the first team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium as an expected Super Bowl contender. However the Falcons were riddled with injuries, losing 7 starters to IR with the Falcons stumbling to a 1–4 start.

neg: 2016 NFL season The following players were named First Team All-Pro by the Associated Press: The following were named the top performers during the 2016 season: The Atlanta Falcons played their 25th and final season at the Georgia Dome, with the team's new home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, slated to open in . The Minnesota Vikings played their first season at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. Construction on the team's new home field in downtown Minneapolis wrapped up at the start of the 2016 season. The new stadium is built on the site of the Vikings' former home, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome,

neg: Atlanta Falcons 2017. The first was the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, sharing with the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team until 1991. In 1992, the Georgia Dome was built, and the Falcons played there from its opening to the 2016 season. The Dome has been frequently used for college football, including Georgia State football and college bowl games such as the Peach Bowl. In an effort to replace the aging Georgia Dome and potentially host a future Super Bowl, team owner Arthur Blank proposed a deal with the city of Atlanta to build a new state-of-the-art stadium not far from where the Georgia

neg: Venues of the 1996 Summer Olympics Venues of the 1996 Summer Olympics For the 1996 Summer Olympics, a total of twenty-nine sports venues were used. Several sports venues for the 1996 Olympics were built before the 1960s as college venues. The first professional teams in Atlanta came in 1966, when Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee and the NFL added the Atlanta Falcons as an expansion team. In 1968, the NBA came to the city when the Atlanta Hawks arrived from St. Louis, and the NHL arrived four years later with the expansion Atlanta Flames. The Braves and Falcons shared Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium from

neg: Atlanta Falcons many people who suggested "Falcons" as the nickname for the new franchise. She wrote: "the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight. It never drops its prey. It is deadly and has a great sporting tradition." The Falcons' inaugural season was in 1966, and their first preseason game was on August 1, a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Under head coach Norb Hecker, Atlanta lost their first nine regular season games in 1966; their first victory came on the road against the struggling New York Giants on November 20 in Yankee Stadium. Two weeks later, Atlanta won

neg: Atlanta Falcons 2012 Super Bowl. The Falcons finished the season at 10–6, securing the fifth seed after a Week 17 beatdown of Tampa Bay in which the Falcons pulled their starters after leading 42–0 just 23 minutes into the game. The Falcons then went on to play the New York Giants in a 2011 NFC Wild Card Game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first half was a defensive struggle, with the first points coming off of a safety by the Falcons, giving Atlanta a 2–0 lead. In the 2nd quarter, though, Eli Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks for

neg: Major League Soccer to open it in 2019. Until that time, the team is playing in Minneapolis at TCF Bank Stadium, home to University of Minnesota football. Atlanta United FC began play in 2017 at a college football facility, Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium, before moving into its permanent home at the retractable-roof Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which it shares with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons; the two teams share a common owner and the stadium is equipped with screens to cordon off the upper tiers for most matches. Los Angeles FC, which began play in 2018, opened Banc of California Stadium on the former site

neg: 1998 Atlanta Falcons season fourth in the league in points scored (442 points) and surrendered the fourth-fewest points (289) in 1998; the Falcons also led the league in turnover differential at +20. They became the first dome team to play in a Super Bowl. This would also be the only season the Falcons reached a Super Bowl until Super Bowl LI, which they lost to the New England Patriots, 34-28, in overtime. This was the first occasion when the Falcons played the New York Giants since 1988, and their first visit to Giants Stadium since 1982. This is due to old NFL scheduling formulas

neg: 2013 Atlanta Falcons season 2013 Atlanta Falcons season The Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League and the sixth under head coach Mike Smith. An expected Super Bowl contender riddled with injuries, the Falcons had a tough start to the season, finishing with a 4–12 record and failing to improve their 13–3 record from 2012. Notes The Falcons would travel to New Orleans to open their season. The Falcons would carry a 17-13 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Saints would score a touchdown with 6:22 remaining. The Falcons would try to rally, but the comeback fell

neg: 2013 Atlanta Falcons season time since 1997. 2013 Atlanta Falcons season The Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League and the sixth under head coach Mike Smith. An expected Super Bowl contender riddled with injuries, the Falcons had a tough start to the season, finishing with a 4–12 record and failing to improve their 13–3 record from 2012. Notes The Falcons would travel to New Orleans to open their season. The Falcons would carry a 17-13 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Saints would score a touchdown with 6:22 remaining. The Falcons would try to rally, but

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Mercedes-Benz Stadium The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), it replaced the now-demolished Georgia Dome, the Falcons' home stadium from 1992 through 2016. Mercedes-Benz stadium holds the record of the world's largest halo board and is one of few American football stadiums with retractable roofs, and one of five in the NFL that has such a roof. The stadium is owned by the state of Georgia through the Georgia World Congress Center Authority,

neg: Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders The Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders are the cheerleading squad of the Atlanta Falcons. The group performs a variety of moves during the Falcons home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The squad debuted in 1969 as "The Falconettes". The squad currently has 40 cheerleaders. The tryouts for the squad are held annually at the Georgia World Congress Center in April, as well as the Arthur Blank Family Office. Like many other squads, the squad also makes various appearances at events throughout Atlanta. Other than the squad, fans could also hire Falcons mascot Freddie Falcon for appearances. The squad also has

neg: Falcons–Panthers rivalry also known as the "I-85 Rivalry" due to Atlanta and Charlotte being only four hours apart on Interstate 85. Indeed, games between the two feature large contingents of Falcons fans at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and Panthers fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (prior to 2017, the Georgia Dome) in Atlanta. Carolina's first ever regular season game was a 23–20 overtime loss to the Falcons on September 3, 1995. Later that season, Carolina defeated Atlanta 21–17 for their seventh win of the year–the most ever for an expansion franchise. Carolina faced Atlanta in the first regular season game played at

neg: 1980 Atlanta Falcons season the Falcons 30-27. 1980 Atlanta Falcons season The 1980 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 15th season. It was the first season division title in franchise history. After a 3-3 start the Falcons went on a nine-game winning streak as Quarterback Steve Bartkowski has a career season passing for 3,544 yards while connecting on 31 Touchdown passes, as the Falcons won their first ever division Championship. The Falcons, would earn home field throughout the playoffs. Playing before 60,022 fans at Fulton County Stadium the Falcons lead the Dallas Cowboys 24-10 in the 4th Quarter. However, the Cowboys would score 20

neg: Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders a "Junior Cheerleader" Program for the squad's child counterparts. The squad also releases an annual swimsuit calendar. Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders The Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders are the cheerleading squad of the Atlanta Falcons. The group performs a variety of moves during the Falcons home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The squad debuted in 1969 as "The Falconettes". The squad currently has 40 cheerleaders. The tryouts for the squad are held annually at the Georgia World Congress Center in April, as well as the Arthur Blank Family Office. Like many other squads, the squad also makes various appearances at events throughout Atlanta. Other

neg: 2008 Atlanta Falcons season as Jackson got a 2-yard touchdown run, followed by Brown nailing a 27-yard field goal. Atlanta then took the lead for good as Norwood got a 45-yard touchdown run. With the win, the Falcons closed out the regular season at 11–5 and due to Carolina's victory over New Orleans, earned the NFC's #5 seed. Entering the playoffs as the NFC's fifth seed, the Falcons began their playoff run at the University of Phoenix Stadium against the #4 Arizona Cardinals. Atlanta trailed early in the first quarter as Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner completed a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry

neg: 1980 Atlanta Falcons season 1980 Atlanta Falcons season The 1980 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 15th season. It was the first season division title in franchise history. After a 3-3 start the Falcons went on a nine-game winning streak as Quarterback Steve Bartkowski has a career season passing for 3,544 yards while connecting on 31 Touchdown passes, as the Falcons won their first ever division Championship. The Falcons, would earn home field throughout the playoffs. Playing before 60,022 fans at Fulton County Stadium the Falcons lead the Dallas Cowboys 24-10 in the 4th Quarter. However, the Cowboys would score 20 points to stun

neg: Carolina Panthers Panther fans for their high-energy, colorful announcing style. The Panthers have developed heated rivalries with the three fellow members of the NFC South (the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New Orleans Saints). The team's fiercest rivals are the Falcons and Buccaneers. The Falcons are a natural geographic rival for the Panthers, as Atlanta is only 230 miles (370 kilometers) south on I-85. The two teams have played each other twice a year since the Panthers' inception, and games between the two teams feature large contingents of Panthers fans at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium and large contingents of Falcons fans at

neg: National Football League rivalries This first meeting came in 1995 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson when the Bucs won 20–13. The last meeting came in 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa when the Bucs won 17–16. The Panthers lead the series 20–12. The Falcons–Panthers rivalry is a rivalry between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Both franchises have a combined twelve divisional titles (eleven as members of the same division) and four Super Bowl appearances, with the Falcons appearing in Super Bowl XXXIII and Super Bowl LI and the Panthers appearing in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50. The

neg: 2009 Atlanta Falcons season After yet another possession, with time running out, the Panthers tried to rally as Delhomme threw a deep desperation pass, but it resulted incomplete as cornerback Brent Grimes batted it down. With the win, the Falcons improved to 2–0. Coming off a successful two-game home stand, the Falcons flew to Gillette Stadium for a Week 3 inter-conference battle with the New England Patriots. Atlanta led early with a 26-yard field goal from Jason Elam, but the Patriots tied the game with a 21-yard field goal from kicker Stephen Gostkowski. New England took the lead in the second quarter with running

neg: Centennial Olympic Stadium seat track and field stadium in Downtown Atlanta since the 71,000 seat Georgia Dome had been completed 4 years earlier by the state of Georgia and became the home of the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons. The Braves had already been exploring opportunities for a new venue to replace Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. The southwest corner of the Olympic Stadium was built to accommodate the future baseball infield and seating. This is easily seen in aerial views and diagrams of the stadium in its Olympic configuration, where the seats are not placed next to the oval running track. The southwest part

neg: John North (American football) Roberts as head coach with two games remaining in the 1973 preseason, and in his first regular season game, the Saints were embarrassed at Tulane Stadium by the rival Atlanta Falcons 62–7. New Orleans went 5–9 in both 1973 and 1974, the team's final seasons at Tulane Stadium. North led the Saints into the Louisiana Superdome in 1975, but was fired on October 27 following a 38–14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams which left the team 1-5. He subsequently spent seven years as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Falcons and one season as quarterback coach for the USFL

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium stadiums with retractable roofs. Since the retractable roof was one of the major features and design points of the stadium, some of the problems with the roof have been magnified in the stadium's first year of operation. The roof, which is supposed to open in as little as 12 minutes with the push of a button, was not fully operational by the time the stadium's primary tenants, the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta United FC, seasons began. The roof was required to be mechanically opened, which was a very time consuming process. As such, the roof was only opened twice

neg: Atlanta United FC regular discussions with Blank regarding Atlanta's potential as an expansion market were occurring. On May 31, 2011, the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers were sold to True North Sports & Entertainment, who announced that they would relocate the team to Winnipeg and rebrand as the Winnipeg Jets. The Thrashers' relocation helped restart the efforts and talks of bringing an MLS expansion team to Atlanta. In May 2012, while the Falcons' proposed new stadium was going through the approval process, MLS commissioner Don Garber cited Atlanta as one of three "intriguing" markets for future league expansion. Additionally, when Blank presented his case for

neg: 2006 Atlanta Falcons season fourth quarter, the Falcons sealed the win with RB Jerious Norwood's 69-yard touchdown run. With the victory, Atlanta improved to 6–6. "at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida" <br> The Falcons traveled to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on December 10 and squared off in an NFC South rematch against their division rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their victory completed a season sweep. The first quarter started off with the Falcons punting away on their first possession. The Bucs then came back with a 10-play drive that resulted in a 42-yard field goal by kicker Matt Bryant. The second quarter

neg: Atlanta Falcons records Source: ! Total || 355 || 449 || 6 || || || || || 10–12 () Sanders and Humphrey are the only two players in the Hall of Fame that have been inducted based substantially on their service with the Falcons. Andersen spent eight of his 25 NFL seasons with the Falcons, and remains the team's all-time scoring leader, but he also played his first 13 NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints, also leading that team's career scoring list. The Atlanta Falcons organization does not officially retire jersey numbers, but considers certain players' jerseys worthy of being honored.

neg: State Farm Stadium the New York Giants defeated the previously undefeated New England Patriots 17–14 with a paid attendance crowd of 71,101. This was the second time the Phoenix area hosted a Super Bowl, the other being Super Bowl XXX held in nearby Tempe at Sun Devil Stadium in 1996 when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cardinals' first home playoff game since 1947 took place at the stadium on January 3, 2009, with Arizona beating the Atlanta Falcons, 30–24. The stadium also hosted the between the Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles on January 18, 2009, which the Cardinals won 32–25 in

neg: 2016 Atlanta Falcons season that point) coming against the Seahawks. This was speculated to be the last NFL game ever in the Georgia Dome, but when the fourth-seeded Green Bay Packers upset the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys in the other Divisional Playoff the next day, Atlanta was named the host of the NFC Championship Game, the last ever game in the Dome. This was the Falcons' final game ever in the Georgia Dome after 25 seasons, as the team moved into the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons never trailed in the game, scoring 31 unanswered points until Rodgers threw a touchdown pass halfway through

neg: The Home Depot "This Old House" and "Ask This Old House". In 2003, The Home Depot became a sponsor for "Trading Spaces". Company co-founder Arthur Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons franchise of the National Football League in February 2002; Blank later acquired an expansion franchise in Major League Soccer, Atlanta United FC, in April 2014 with the soccer club beginning play in March 2017. The Home Depot made no formal association with the Falcons until April 2017, when The Home Depot acquired the naming rights to the park adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Home Depot Backyard occupies the site of the Falcons' previous

neg: 2006 Atlanta Falcons season the next drive the Browns scored another field goal. With a chance to go for the winning touchdown on the two-minute offense thanks to Roddy White’s leaping catch, the Falcons threaten deep inside Browns territory. However, a weary Michael Vick, unable to find open receivers, soon tried to make the play for himself and scrambled, but held the ball loosely like in the Lions game. Without being hit, Vick fumbled the ball bouncing twice into his chest, and the ball popped loose to the Browns, ending the Falcons’ chance for a victory. "at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland" <br> The

neg: Expansion of Major League Soccer development tax funds to build an $84 million multi-purpose soccer stadium in downtown Orlando. On November 19, 2013, Orlando was officially announced as the league's newest team, and began play in MLS in 2015. The league announced it was awarding an expansion franchise in Atlanta to Atlanta Falcons owner and Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank on April 16, 2014, with plans to begin play in 2017. The team shares the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which was completed in 2017, with the Falcons. Discussions between Blank and MLS had "accelerated" following approval of the stadium plans in late 2013. Atlanta became the third

neg: Atlanta Falcons with one featuring the Denver Broncos vs. the Houston Oilers and the second pitting the Dallas Texans against the Oakland Raiders. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition, this time with the New York Jets taking on the San Diego Chargers. In 1965, after the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (then known simply as Atlanta Stadium) was built, the city of Atlanta felt the time was right to start pursuing professional football. One independent group which had been active in NFL exhibition promotions in Atlanta applied for franchises in both the AFL and NFL, acting entirely on its own with no

neg: MLS Cup 2018 aggregate win. Atlanta opened the Conference Finals against the New York Red Bulls with a 3–0 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium before a crowd of 70,016 spectators. Despite losing 1–0 in the second leg, the club secured its first-ever MLS Cup berth and hosting rights with a 3–1 aggregate win. Atlanta United FC was the first sports team from Atlanta to play for a league title at their home stadium since the Atlanta Braves in the 1995 World Series, which the team won to bring the city its only sports championship. Other Atlanta-area sports teams, including the Atlanta Falcons and the

neg: Downtown Atlanta Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium and the relocation of the Braves from Milwaukee. The National Football League awarded the city the Falcons expansion team in 1966. The Hawks arrived in 1968, even though Omni Coliseum, the city's basketball arena, did not open until 1972. Two of the teams continue to play their home games downtown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Philips Arena. Business growth in the 1970s resulted in significant development in Downtown, most notably in Peachtree Center and the Hotel District. Economic development in these areas shifted the commercial center of the city to an area along Peachtree Street that was north

neg: 1966 Atlanta Falcons season acquire the running back. Due to the addition of the team for the 1966 NFL Season, the Falcons were allotted the first pick in all twenty rounds of the 1966 NFL draft, as well as five compensatory picks and the end of the first five rounds. The Falcons played their first game (preseason) on August 1, 1966, against the Philadelphia Eagles before a crowd of 26,072 at Atlanta Stadium, a two-point Falcons loss, 9–7. In their inaugural regular season, Atlanta played each of the fourteen other teams in the league once. The Falcons lost their first nine regular season games;

neg: Lew Carpenter first preseason game was held on August 1, 1966, before a crowd of 26,072 at Atlanta Stadium. Under Head Coach Norb Hecker, the Falcons became the only expansion team in history not to finish in last place their first year. The Falcons finished seventh out of eight teams in the NFL's Eastern Conference. Carpenter helped coach the Falcons first victory on November 20, 1966, defeating the New York Giants, 27 to 16, at Yankee Stadium. Tommy Nobis, first draft pick and coached by Carpenter was voted to the Pro Bowl and named 1966 Rookie of the Year. Carpenter participated in

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium concert sound. The stadium authority stated that plans are underway to help improve the acoustical quality of the stadium. Since the first concert, efforts were made to improve the acoustics in the stadium. New speakers were added to suites, the angle of the bowl speakers was adjusted and delays introduced in order to reduce echo. During a concert in May 2018 featuring Kenny Chesney, reports were that the sound quality had improved since the first concert. Mercedes-Benz Stadium The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium led by Mayor Kasim Reed on May 19, 2014. In a live broadcast on August 24, 2015, owner Arthur Blank announced that the new title of the stadium would be Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons' archrivals in the NFC South, play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, this gave the division two stadiums that were sponsored by the same company. A new logo was also introduced. Steve Cannon, then CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, also spoke at the event about the company's corporate move from New Jersey to Atlanta. Other speakers included Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor

neg: Grady Stadium Grady Stadium Grady Stadium is an Atlanta Public School football stadium located in Midtown Atlanta, south of Piedmont Park. The stadium is one of two stadiums owned and managed by the Atlanta Public School (APS) system. It is the only high school stadium in APS that is located on the campus of a high school. The stadium was used as a training site for athletes during the 1996 Olympic Games, and occasionally hosts public practices for the Atlanta Falcons. Grady stadium was designed by Richard Aeck, and is considered a masterpiece of modern engineering expression. For the fall of 2009,

neg: History of the Atlanta Falcons Francisco 49ers with a 10-6 record, but made it over them due to a Billy Joe Tolliver hail mary earlier that year. The Falcons made it to the second round of the playoffs by beating the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome (27–20). The next week, they lost a rain-soaked blowout to the eventual Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins 24–7. In 1992, the Falcons would move from the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium to the Georgia Dome and finish with a 6–10 record. In the off-season, the team traded Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a first-round

neg: Lew Carpenter Washington Redskins. Carpenter coached alongside Vince Lombardi then coached for St. Louis Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals), the Houston Oilers, the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles. Along the way, he mentored many upcoming Pro Bowl players. Carpenter coached several Vikings who were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Fran Tarkenton and Carl Eller. In late 1966, Carpenter became one of the first coaches on the new NFL Atlanta Falcons franchise, the 23rd professional football club and the 15th NFL franchise. In 1967, the Falcons played in the new Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. The

neg: Mercedes-Benz Stadium On August 21, 2015, the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" reported that Mercedes-Benz would acquire the naming rights for the stadium, and this was later confirmed by a press conference at the stadium site on August 24. Under the stadium deal with the city of Atlanta and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, the Falcons organization controls the stadium's naming rights and receives all related revenue. Then-Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon, who would subsequently join the Falcons' organization in 2016 as CEO of AMB Group, stated that the sponsorship would last 27 years, calling it the largest marketing deal in Mercedes-Benz' history, but

neg: 2008 Atlanta Falcons season the Chiefs improved its record to 5–1 in its last six meetings against AFC West opponents. Coming off their home win over the Chiefs, the Falcons flew to Bank of America Stadium for a Week 4 NFC South duel with the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons found a way to stick around for three quarters in Sunday game at Bank of America Stadium but injuries, dropped passes and untimely penalties filled the afternoon. Atlanta lost starting strong safety Lawyer Milloy in the first half after he took a shot to the ribs and played the entire game without starting left tackle

neg: 2008 Atlanta Falcons season rushing yards 7.6 yards per carry. Game Notes. Following their outstanding home win over the Lions, the Falcons flew to Raymond James Stadium for a Week 2 NFC South duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, Atlanta trailed as Bucs QB Brian Griese completed a 5-yard TD pass to TE John Gilmore. In the second quarter, the Falcons continued to trail as former Falcons RB Warrick Dunn gave Tampa Bay a 17-yard TD run, along with kicker Matt Bryant getting a 33-yard field goal. Atlanta closed out the half with kicker Jason Elam getting a 32-yard field

neg: History of the Atlanta Falcons Football" game in Atlanta during the 1970 season on November 30, when they played the Miami Dolphins. The Falcons would end up losing 20–7 in front of an audience of 30 million TV viewers. The Falcons would end up going 4–8–2 for the 1970 season. Atlanta would have their first winning season in 1971. On November 22, the Falcons won their first nationally televised game with a 28–21 triumph over the Green Bay Packers in Atlanta. The Falcons would enter their final game of the season in New Orleans on December 19 with a 6–6–1 record, needing to beat the

neg: 1974 New Orleans Saints season Cardinals was the Saints' final game at Tulane Stadium. The Saints ended an 18-game winless streak on the road when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons in week six. However, they would not win again away from New Orleans until 1976. From 1972 through 1975, the Saints were 1-26-1 on the road. 1974 New Orleans Saints season The 1974 New Orleans Saints season was the team's eighth as a member of the National Football League (NFL). This was their final season at Tulane Stadium as the Louisiana Superdome opened the following season. They matched their previous season's output of 5–9. The

neg: Mercedes-Benz Gullwing, is the first car to be entirely developed by AMG. There are numerous independent tuners, including Brabus, Carlsson, Kleemann and Renntech. In football (soccer), Mercedes-Benz sponsors the Germany national team. Mercedes-Benz sponsors Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart and provides the naming rights for their stadium, the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The company also holds the naming rights to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, an American football stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. On 24 August 2015, Mercedes-Benz was announced as the naming rights sponsor for the Atlanta Falcons' new home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, (Mercedes-Benz's US headquarters are in Greater Atlanta) which opened in August

neg: Bobby Dodd Stadium William C. Wardlaw Center, a modern field house and athletic office facility to replace the facilities in the old Heisman Gym, which was located just to the north of the stadium. The current, modern west grandstand covers the old concrete one, which is still intact underneath. The high interstitial space is currently used for storage. Grant Field was occasionally used as a site for Atlanta Falcons games during the team's early years when it was sharing Fulton County Stadium with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball and there were scheduling conflicts. The lighting was replaced in 1998. Following the

neg: Falcons–Panthers rivalry Ericsson Stadium (now Bank of America Stadium) in 1996, which the Panthers won. Falcons–Panthers rivalry The Falcons–Panthers rivalry is a rivalry between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Both franchises have a combined twelve divisional titles (eleven as members of the same division) and four Super Bowl appearances, with the Falcons appearing in Super Bowls XXXIII and LI and the Panthers appearing in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50. The Panthers and Falcons have played each other twice a year since , as members of both the NFC West (1995–2001) and NFC South (2002–present) divisions. Their

neg: 2010 Atlanta Falcons season Atlanta improved to 9–2. Hoping to increase their winning streak the Falcons flew to Raymond James Stadium for an NFC South rivalry match against the Buccaneers. The Falcons took the early lead as RB Michael Turner got a 5-yard TD run. But the Buccaneers replied with RB LeGarrette Blount getting a 6-yard TD run. The Falcons scored again with QB Matt Ryan getting a 17-yard TD pass to FB Ovie Mughelli, but Tampa Bay replied with QB Josh Freeman getting a 1-yard TD pass to WR Mike Williams. The Falcons trailed for the first time in the game with kicker

neg: 2008 Atlanta Falcons season 22 . The Falcons concluded the 2008 preseason schedule with a meeting against the Baltimore Ravens on August 28 at M&T Bank Stadium . In 2007, Russell Athletic and the Atlanta Falcons announced an agreement that includes title sponsorship of the team's three-week preseason training camp at its in-season training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga. The four-year agreement designates Russell Athletic as an official sponsor of the Falcons. Falcons' assistant head coach Emmitt Thomas was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 2 during Super Bowl festivities in Phoenix. He was formally inducted into the Hall on

neg: History of the Atlanta Falcons to two contending teams, the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets. On November 8, 1998, the NFL finally began to take notice when the Falcons traveled to Foxboro Stadium and defeated the Patriots 41-10, at the same time snapping a streak of 22 consecutive losses at cold-weather sites in November and December that had dated back to 1982. It was in this game that TE O. J. Santiago introduced the famous "Dirty Bird" dance that became the team's trademark endzone celebration for that season. The win at Foxboro significantly raised the team's profile before a week 11 confrontation

neg: Tomahawk chop of the Atlanta Braves in 1991 following the signing of former FSU cornerback Deion Sanders, who was also playing for the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons at the time. It was initially started by a few FSU fans in Atlanta who followed Sanders but this later grew to the whole of the Atlanta Braves' fanbase. Initially fans would hold toy tomahawks when they did the action and the Atlanta Braves started to issue foam tomahawks which became popular at the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, which later earned the nicknamed of "the Chop Shop". The action continued to remain popular after Sanders

neg: History of the Atlanta Falcons Paul Brown; and Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi were all considered or courted. In the end, Smith selected Lombardi's assistant Norb Hecker on January 26, 1966. The Atlanta Falcons began their first NFL season in the NFL Eastern Conference, playing a "swing schedule", consisting of playing every other team once, in order to make up for the disparity of an odd number of teams. Their first game (preseason) was on August 1, 1966 against the Philadelphia Eagles before a crowd of 26,072 at the Atlanta Stadium. The Falcons would lose against the Eagles and would lose their first

neg: 2007 Atlanta Falcons season passes for 199 yards with no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. With the loss, Atlanta began its season at 0–1. Trying to rebound from their road loss to the Vikings, the Falcons went to Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for a Week 2 interconference fight with the Jacksonville Jaguars. After a scoreless first quarter, Atlanta trailed early as Jaguars kicker John Carney got a 35-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Falcons had their only score of the game as RB Warrick Dunn got a 4-yard TD run. After a scoreless third quarter, Jacksonville sealed the win with QB David Garrard's 14-yard TD pass to

neg: 2006 Atlanta Falcons season Falcons won the coin toss. Falcons' kicker Morten Andersen, after an 11-play 65-yard drive, put the capper on the game with a 32-yard field goal to give the Falcons an overtime victory over the Steelers as the team improved to 4–2. "at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio" <br> In Week 8, the Falcons traveled to Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. The star of the game was QB Michael Vick. Vick had the second best game of his career with a quarterback rating of 140.6, and passed for a season high 291 yards and touchdowns to

neg: 1969 National League Championship Series extended the Mets' lead to 11–6. They took a 2–0 series lead heading to New York. This game at Atlanta Stadium forced the NFL's Atlanta Falcons to move their home game that day against the Baltimore Colts to Grant Field on the campus of Georgia Tech. That same day, the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers had to be moved to the University of Minnesota's Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis, in order to enable Metropolitan Stadium to be ready the following day for Game 3 of the ALCS between the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles. In

neg: 2006 Arizona Cardinals season interceptions, the Cardinals got their first loss in their new stadium as they fell to 1–2. A few days afterward, ESPN reported that rookie QB Matt Leinart would be starting the next game. However, the next day, Arizona’s head coach announced that the club would be sticking with the veteran Warner. "at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia" Hoping to recover from a two-game skid, the Cardinals flew to the Georgia Dome for a Week 4 match-up with the Atlanta Falcons. From the get-go, the Cardinals trailed, as Falcons kicker Morten Andersen completed a 34-yard and a 40-yard field goal in

neg: Atlanta Falcons team, the New Orleans Saints, joined the NFL as planned in 1967 as its sixteenth franchise. The Atlanta Falcons franchise began on June 30, 1965, when Rozelle granted ownership to forty-year-old Rankin Smith Sr., an Executive Vice President of Life Insurance Company of Georgia. He paid $8.5 million, the highest price in NFL history at the time for a franchise. Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta expansion team became the fifteenth NFL franchise, and they were awarded the

neg: 2009 Atlanta Falcons season the game as Elam booted a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, followed by quarterback Matt Ryan finding tight end Justin Peelle on a 3-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter (with a failed 2-point conversion). However, Carolina closed out the win with Stewart's 45-yard touchdown run, getting their revenge. With the loss, the Falcons fell to 5–4. Hoping to rebound from a loss against the rival Panthers, the Falcons flew to Giants Stadium for a Week 11 duel with the New York Giants. In the first quarter, the Falcons trailed early with kicker Lawrence Tynes making a 39-yard

neg: 2009 Atlanta Falcons season the lead as he made a 38-yard field goal. After Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma intercepted Redman's pass, the Saints attempted yet another field goal, which was a fake that resulted in an incomplete pass. The Falcons faced fourth and 2 at the 49-yard line with less than 2 minutes, where Redman completed a pass to Snelling, but Vilma stopped him at the line of scrimmage. With the loss, the Falcons fell to 6–7. Trying to snap a two-game losing streak, the Falcons flew a second time to Giants Stadium for a Week 15 inter-conference battle with the New York Jets;

neg: 2007 Atlanta Falcons season 27-yard field goal. With the win, the Falcons improved to 2–6. The struggling Falcons rushing attack had its best performance (to date) with 155 total rushing yards. Coming off their home win over the 49ers, the Falcons flew to Bank of America Stadium for an NFC South rematch with the Carolina Panthers. In the first quarter, Atlanta took flight as RB Warrick Dunn got a 30-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Panthers took the lead as CB Ken Lucas returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown, while kicker John Kasay

neg: 2010 Atlanta Falcons season which was recovered by Atlanta's Harvey Dahl. Ryan then engineered a drive in the other direction and Bryant kicks a 43-yard field goal with two seconds left giving the Falcons another win. With the win, Atlanta improved to 3–1. Coming off their win over the 49ers the Falcons flew to Cleveland Browns Stadium for an Interconference duel against the Cleveland BrownsAfter a scoreless 1st quarter, the Falcons got things started in the 2nd quarter. Matt Bryant converted a 24-yard field goal. The Browns replied and took the lead with QB Seneca Wallace's 19-yard TD pass to RB Peyton Hillis. The

neg: 2007 Atlanta Falcons season from the Falcons. Afterwards, on Wednesday, December 12, it was announced that defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas would be Atlanta's interim head coach for the rest of the season. Trying to snap a four-game skid, the Falcons flew to Raymond James Stadium for a Week 15 NFC South rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, Atlanta trailed early as Buccaneers CB Ronde Barber returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown. The Falcons responded with kicker Morten Andersen getting a 33-yard field goal for their only score of the game. However, Tampa Bay immediately responded with WR

neg: NFL regular season to move into baseball-only stadiums by the 1990s and 2000s, this became less of a problem. Currently, the only remaining shared NFL-MLB venue is the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, which houses the Oakland Raiders and the Oakland Athletics. Additionally, four NFL teams currently share a venue with a Major League Soccer team: the New England Patriots share Gillette Stadium with the New England Revolution, the Seattle Seahawks share CenturyLink Field with the Seattle Sounders FC, the Atlanta Falcons share Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Atlanta United FC, and the Los Angeles Chargers share the StubHub Center with the LA Galaxy. However, there are

neg: Rich McKay the Glazer Family, the city of Tampa, former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco, and Tampa Stadium Authority on the successful construction and opening of Raymond James Stadium. In December 2003, McKay left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was introduced as president and general manager of the Atlanta Falcons. In his first season of directing operations, the Falcons went to the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In January 2008, the Falcons hired Thomas Dimitroff as general manager, relegating McKay to the position of team president although McKay negotiated Matt Ryan's contract. McKay's Falcons in 2010-2011 had 9 Pro Bowlers. Sixteen

neg: 1992 NFL season between 1999 and 2001. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dolphins also had their 2017 season opener postponed due to Hurricane Irma. The Atlanta Falcons played their first season in the new Georgia Dome, replacing Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, playing there until 2016. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVII when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 52–17 at the Rose Bowl. This would be the third of the Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl losses. There was an unusual deviation between good teams and bad teams in the NFL in 1992. Only one team, the Denver Broncos; finished with eight wins

neg: Aaron Rodgers 100 Players of 2017. In a Week 1 win (17–9) against the Seattle Seahawks, Rodgers had his 50th career game with at least 300 passing yards. He finished the game with 311, but his streak of 251 consecutive passes without an interception came to an end when defensive tackle Nazair Jones picked him off in the first quarter. In the next game, a 34–23 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, he had 343 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the first game in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. In Week 5, down by 28–31 against

neg: FirstEnergy Stadium other being Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened in 2017 and is scheduled to host Super Bowl LIII in February 2019. The Browns are one of five teams who have yet to host a home playoff game in their respective stadium, along with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and New York Jets. The latter three teams, however, have hosted the Super Bowl at their respective stadiums, while the Jets' home, MetLife Stadium, has also hosted a New York Giants home playoff game. The stadium was designed by Populous, which was known at the time as the Sport Venue Event

neg: Georgia Dome 2000, the final NFL Game at the Georgia Dome was the 2016 NFC Championship between the Falcons and the Green Bay Packers, The Falcons won that game 44-21. From the program's inception in 2010 until 2016. The stadium was home of the NCAA Division I Georgia State Panthers of Georgia State University; the university acquired the Atlanta Braves' former home of Turner Field with plans to renovate the former baseball park for football. The new incarnation of Turner Field is now known as Georgia State Stadium. From 2015 to 2016, the Dome hosted the Celebration Bowl, the annual post-season bowl

neg: Alabama Hawks Division with a 9-3 record and hosted the league's championship game at Milton Frank Stadium, losing 31-20 to the Joliet Chargers. The Hawks served as an "unofficial" minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Falcons. On August 2, 1969, the Falcons came to Huntsville to play an exhibition game against the Hawks at Milton Frank Stadium; playing mostly rookies, Atlanta easily beat Alabama, 55-0. The contest marked the only time an NFL squad played a Continental League team, and the last time (to date) an NFL team has played a minor-league club. The Hawks sent several notable players on to the

neg: History of the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) St. Louis persuaded them to stay with the promise of a stadium—what would become Busch Memorial Stadium (a new expansion team, the Falcons, was eventually created for Atlanta, and a St. Louis team would move to Atlanta—the NBA Hawks in 1968). The Cardinals got off to a good start, and tied the Cleveland Browns 33–33 on the road. They finished 9–4–1 and second in the Eastern Conference, but a victory by the Browns over the New York Giants denied them a playoff berth. The team finished the year with a meaningless win over the Packers. A 4–1–0 start to the

neg: Wake Me Up When September Ends the song, recorded on September 3, 2005 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, was released soon after and dedicated to the hurricane's victims. The song was performed live with U2 guitarist The Edge in the pregame show of the Monday Night Football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons; it was the first game played in the Superdome in New Orleans after the hurricane. 7" picture disc Wake Me Up When September Ends "Wake Me Up When September Ends" is a song by American rock band Green Day, released on August 31, 2005, as the fourth single

neg: Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans Saints' lease gives the team the authority to sell the rights. Saints owner Tom Benson also owns Mercedes-Benz dealerships in New Orleans and San Antonio. At that time, it was the third stadium that has naming rights from Mercedes-Benz (and first in the United States), after the Mercedes-Benz Arena, the stadium of Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart, in Stuttgart, Germany, and the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. Despite Mercedes-Benz acquiring the naming rights for the Atlanta Falcons' new stadium in 2015, the naming rights contract for the Superdome will remain in place until 2021. Atlanta's stadium opened in 2017

neg: 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio Following their victory against the Panthers, the Bengals played another home game, this week, against the visiting Falcons. In the first quarter, the Falcons drew first blood, as kicker Morten Andersen nailed a 42-yard field goal. The Bengals responded with a 1-yard TD run by running back Rudi Johnson. Atlanta cut the lead to one point, when Andersen kicked a 40-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Cincinnati added to their lead with quarterback Carson Palmer's 12-yard TD pass to wide receiver Chad Johnson. The Falcons responded with quarterback Michael Vick's 16-yard touchdown pass to

neg: Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium National League's transplanted Braves and the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons, an expansion team, began to use the facilities. In 1967, the Atlanta Chiefs of the National Professional Soccer League (re-formed as the North American Soccer League in 1968) began the first of five seasons played at the stadium. The venue hosted the second match of the NASL Final 1968 and two matches of the NASL Final 1971. On February 11, 1975, the stadium's name was changed to the compound Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium after the county threatened to withdraw its financial support.<ref name="Constitution 2/12/1975"></ref> However, the official website of the