1980 Atlanta Falcons season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Atlanta Falcons 1980 12–4 1st NFC West Leeman Bennett Jerry Glanville Eddie LeBaron Rankin M. Smith Sr. Fulton County Stadium Lost Divisional Playoffs(vs. Cowboys) 27–30 RB William AndrewsQB Steve BartkowskiWR Alfred JenkinsC Jeff van NoteT Mike KennTE Junior Miller Falcons seasons The 1980 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons' 15th season and culminated in their first division title in franchise history. After a 3–3 start, the Falcons went on a nine-game winning streak as quarterback Steve Bartkowski passed for a career-best 3,544 yards while connecting on 31 touchdown passes. As the NFC's top seed, the Falcons gained home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Falcons' season ended with a 30–27 divisional playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys before 60,022 fans at Fulton County Stadium. This would be the last time the Falcons capture a winning record in a non strike season until 1991, as well as their last division title until 1998. Offseason Draft 1980 NFL draft 1980 Atlanta Falcons 1 7 Junior Miller Tight end Nebraska yes yes 2 36 Buddy Curry Linebacker North Carolina yes 3 63 Earl Jones Cornerback Norfolk State yes 4 91 Jim Laughlin Linebacker Ohio State yes 4 104 I. M. Hipp Running back Nebraska 5 117 Brad Vassar Linebacker Pacific 5 137 Kenny Johnson Safety Mississippi State yes 6 146 Mike Davis Safety Colorado 7 172 Mike Smith Wide receiver Grambling State yes 8 201 Al Richardson Linebacker Georgia Tech yes 9 228 Glen Keller Center West Texas State 10 257 Walt Bellamy Safety VMI 11 284 Mike Babb Safety Oklahoma 12 313 Quinn Jones Running back Tulsa nohttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/1980_draft.htm 1980 Atlanta Falcons Draftees Pro Football Reference February 12, 2022 Undrafted free agents + 1980 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeKeith EdwardsSafetyMinnesotaAl FutrellCornerbackTCUReggie SmithWide receiverNorth Carolina Central Personnel Staff 1980 Atlanta Falcons Chairman of the board – Rankin M. Smith Sr. President – Rankin M. Smith, Jr. General manager – Eddie LeBaron Director of player personnel – Tom Braatz Head coach – Leeman Bennett Quarterbacks – Dick Wood Offensive backs – John North Receivers – Jimmy Raye Offensive line – Bill Walsh Defensive coordinator – Jerry Glanville Defensive line – Jim Stanley Linebackers – Doug Shively Roster 1980 Atlanta Falcons 10 Steve Bartkowski  9 Larry Fortner 15 Mike Moroski 33 Anthony Anderson running back 31 William Andrews American football 21 Lynn Cain 39 James Mayberry 25 Ray Strong American football 89 Wallace Francis 85 Alfred Jackson wide receiver, born 1955 84 Alfred Jenkins 86 Mike Smith wide receiver y 87 Russ Mikeska 80 Junior Miller y 66 Warren Bryant American football T 53 Chuck Correal C 64 Pat Howell G 78 Mike Kenn T 73 Phil McKinnely T 70 Dave Scott American football G 68 R. C. Thielemann G 57 Jeff Van Note C 74 Wilson Faumuina DT 77 Edgar Fields DT 75 Jeff Merrow DE 65 Don Smith defensive lineman NT 79 Jeff Yeates DE 63 Mike Zele DT 50 Buddy Curry y ILB 55 Tony Daykin OLB 54 Fulton Kuykendall ILB 51 Jim Laughlin y ILB 52 Dewey McClain ILB 59 Robert Pennywell ILB 56 Al Richardson linebacker y OLB 58 Joel Williams linebacker 38 Rick Byas CB 36 Bob Glazebrook SS 37 Kenny Johnson defensive back y CB 20 Earl Jones American football y CB 22 Rolland Lawrence CB 27 Tom Pridemore FS 28 Frank Reed American football SS  6 John James American football P  4 Tim Mazzetti K 44 Bubba Bean RB IR 32 Ray Easterling S IR 61 Chuck Herman y G IR 40 Michael Higgins y RB IR running back 14 June Jones QB IR 26 James McDougald y RB IR 81 Dennis Pearson WR IR 82 Billy Ryckman WR IR 16 Reggie Smith wide receiver y WR IR 72 Matthew Teague y DE IR 99 Brad Vassar y LB Left Squad Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 7 at Minnesota Vikings L 23–24 0–1 Metropolitan Stadium 44,773 Recap 2 September 14 at New England Patriots W 37–21 1–1 Schaefer Stadium 48,321 Recap 3 September 21 Miami Dolphins L 17–20 1–2 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 55,470 Recap 4 September 28 at San Francisco 49ers W 20–17 2–2 Candlestick Park 56,518 Recap 5 October 5 Detroit Lions W 43–28 3–2 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 57,652 Recap 6 October 12 New York Jets L 7–14 3–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 57,458 Recap 7 October 19 at New Orleans Saints W 41–14 4–3 Louisiana Superdome 62,651 Recap 8 October 26 Los Angeles Rams W 13–10 5–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 57,401 Recap 9 November 2 at Buffalo Bills W 30–14 6–3 Rich Stadium 57,959 Recap 10 November 9 at St. Louis Cardinals W 33–27 (OT) 7–3 Busch Memorial Stadium 48,662 Recap 11 November 16 New Orleans Saints W 31–13 8–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 53,871 Recap 12 November 23 Chicago Bears W 28–17 9–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 49,156 Recap 13 November 30 Washington Redskins W 10–6 10–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 55,665 Recap 14 December 7 at Philadelphia Eagles W 20–17 11–3 Veterans Stadium 70,205 Recap 15 December 14 San Francisco 49ers W 35–10 12–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 55,767 Recap 16 December 21 at Los Angeles Rams L 17–20 (OT) 12–4 Anaheim Stadium 62,469 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1 Falcons 6 0 7 10 Vikings 7 7 7 3 September 7 Metropolitan Stadium Week 2 Falcons 14 14 3 6 Patriots 7 14 0 0 September 14 Sullivan Stadium Fred Wyant Gary Bender and John Madden CBS Week 3 Dolphins 3 0 0 17 Falcons 0 7 7 3 September 21 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Bob McElwee Marv Albert and Dave Rowe NBC Week 4 Falcons 3 0 3 14 49ers 0 3 0 14 September 28 Candlestick Park Bob Frederic Vin Scully and George Allen CBS Week 5 Lions 3 3 0 22 Falcons 17 17 2 7 October 5 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Dick Jorgensen CBS Week 6 Jets 7 0 0 7 Falcons 0 0 0 7 October 12 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Gordon McCarter NBC Week 7 Falcons 7 6 21 7 Saints 7 7 0 0 October 19 Louisiana Superdome 1:00 p.m. Indoors (dome) Jerry Seeman Jim Kelly and Sonny Jurgenson CBS yes Q1 NO Chandler 18 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick) NO 7–0 Q1 ATL Miller 11 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 NO Galbreath 15 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick) NO 14–7 Q2 ATL Francis 24 yard pass from Bartkowski (kick failed) NO 14–13 Q3 ATL Jenkins 49 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick) ATL 20–14 Q3 ATL Cain 1 yard run (Mazzetti kick) ATL 27–14 Q3 ATL Miller 4 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick) ATL 34–14 Q4 ATL Andrews 13 yard run (Mazzetti kick) ATL 41–14 yes Pro-Football-Reference.com Week 8 Rams 0 3 7 0 Falcons 6 0 0 7 October 26 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Jerry Markbreit CBS Week 9 Falcons 0 10 10 10 Bills 7 7 0 0 November 2 Rich Stadium Chuck Heberling CBS Week 10 Falcons 3 3 14 7 6 Cardinals 17 7 3 0 0 November 9 Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium Fred Silva Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier CBS Week 11 Saints 7 0 0 6 Falcons 3 7 7 14 November 16 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Week 12 Bears 7 3 7 0 Falcons 0 14 0 14 November 23 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Fred Wyant CBS Week 13 Redskins 0 3 0 3 Falcons 0 0 7 3 November 30 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Week 14 Falcons 3 7 7 3 Eagles 0 14 0 3 December 7 Veterans Stadium Pat Haggerty Gary Bender and John Madden CBS Week 15 49ers 0 3 0 7 Falcons 7 0 14 14 December 14 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Week 16 Falcons 7 7 0 3 0 Rams 3 0 14 0 3 December 21 Anaheim Stadium Playoffs Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Venue Attendance Recap Divisional January 4 Dallas Cowboys (4) L 27–30 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 60,022 Recap Divisional Cowboys 3 7 0 20 Falcons 10 7 7 3 January 4 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Standings References External links 1980 Atlanta Falcons at Pro-Football-Reference.com Atlanta Category:Atlanta Falcons seasons Category:NFC West championship seasons Atlanta Falcons Category:1980 in Atlanta