Teacher helped name the Atlanta Falcons

ATLANTA — Q: How was the falcon chosen for the name and mascot of the Atlanta Falcons?

—Kathy McDonough, Peachtree Corners

A: The Falcons could have been called the Atlanta Lancers.

Or other types of fine feathery, and fictional, fowl, such as Firebirds or Thunderbirds.

Those were among the suggested nicknames for Atlanta’s new NFL team.

Channel 2 Action News will have special Atlanta Falcons coverage LIVE from Houston every weeknight at 6:30 p.m. 

CLICK HERE for more Super Bowl content from WSB-TV -- and be sure to follow Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein on Twitter and LIKE his official Facebook page for all the latest news from Super Bowl LI!

The franchise held a contest in 1965, a year before the team began play, and the submissions came pouring in, including at least a couple — Rebels and Crackers — that might not fly these days.

There were Bombers and Fireballs, Knights and Thrashers, both of which we would see later as Atlanta hockey teams.

And don’t forget Vibrants.

But Julia Elliott, a teacher in Griffin, soared to the top with the winning entry.

Several people actually nominated Falcons, but Elliott, who died in 1990, won because of her description, the team states on its website.

“The Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight,” she wrote. “It never drops its prey. It’s deadly and has a great sporting tradition.”

Team owner Rankin Smith said at the time: “I think the Atlanta Falcons is a good name, and we’ll do our best to make it a famous one.”

The Falcons, who began playing in 1966 in the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium as an NFL expansion team, are in the Super Bowl for only the second time this year, on Sunday vs. the New England Patriots.

And FYI, Lancers and Thrashers finished tied for second.

Cox Media Group