The 2017 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their first playing their home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and their third under head coach Dan Quinn. Atlanta entered the season as the defending NFC champions, following a historic collapse in Super Bowl LI where they surrendered a 28-3 lead and lost to the Patriots.
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 retractable roof system was incomplete. The roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium remained in the closed position for most of the 2017 season, with the roof opened only during the September 17 game against the Green Bay Packers, as contractors continued to fully mechanize the roof.
On December 13, 2017, Tommy Nobis, the first player drafted by the Falcons, died at the age of 74.
Despite the Falcons failing to improve on their 11–5 record from 2016 or defend their NFC South title, the team posted its first consecutive winning seasons and consecutive playoff berths since the 2012 season. The Falcons were the only NFC team from the 2016 playoffs to qualify for the 2017 playoffs. In the playoffs, the Falcons defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round, but lost against the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round despite being the first team to be favored over a number one seed in the Divisional Round.
As of 2025, this is the most recent winning season and playoff appearance for the Falcons, and the Falcons currently hold the second-longest playoff drought, with only the New York Jets holding a longer drought, having last qualified for the playoffs in 2010.
Offseason
Signings Position Player Age 2016 Team ContractWR Reginald Davis III 25 Atlanta Falcons 3 years, $1.66 million DE Jack Crawford 28 Dallas Cowboys 3 years, $8.8 million DT Dontari Poe 26 Kansas City Chiefs 1 year, $8 million S Kemal Ishmael 25 Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $2 million WR Andre Roberts 29 Detroit Lions 1 year, $1.8 million LB LaRoy Reynolds 26 Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $1.3 million CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson 27 Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $775,000 OG Hugh Thornton 25 Indianapolis Colts 1 year, $690,000
Draft
2017 Atlanta Falcons Draft Round Selection Player Position College 1 26Takkarist McKinley DE UCLA 3 75Duke Riley LB LSU 4 136Sean Harlow G Oregon State 5 149Damontae Kazee S San Diego State 5 156Brian Hill RB Wyoming 5 174Eric Saubert TE Drake
Undrafted free agents 2017 Atlanta Falcons Undrafted Free Agents Position Player College NotesQB Alek Torgersen Pennsylvania FB Tyler Renew The Citadel WR Josh Magee South Alabama WR Deonte Burton Kansas State C Cam Keizur Portland State T Andreas Knappe UConn T Robert Leff Auburn OL Travis Averill Boise State OL Will Freeman Southern Miss DE J.T. Jones Miami (OH) DE Chris Odom Arkansas State DE Darius English South Carolina DE Gary Thompson Jr. Marshall LB Christian Tago San Jose State LB Jermaine Grace Miami CB Marcelis Branch Robert Morris S Deron Washington Pittsburg State S Quincy Mauger Georgia CB Taylor Reynolds James Madison
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Miami Dolphins L 20–23 0–1 Hard Rock StadiumRecap 2 August 20 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 13–17 0–2 Heinz Field Recap 3 Arizona Cardinals L 14–24 0–3 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 4 Jacksonville Jaguars L 7–13 0–4 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 10 at Chicago Bears W 23–17 1–0 Soldier Field 61,857 Recap 2 September 17 Green Bay Packers W 34–23 2–0 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 70,826 Recap 3 September 24 at Detroit Lions W 30–26 3–0 Ford Field 63,240 Recap 4 October 1 Buffalo Bills L 17–23 3–1 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 71,273 Recap 5 Bye 6 October 15 Miami Dolphins L 17–20 3–2 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 70,593 Recap 7 October 22 at New England Patriots L 7–23 3–3 Gillette Stadium 65,878 Recap 8 October 29 at New York Jets W 25–20 4–3 MetLife Stadium 77,562 Recap 9 November 5 at Carolina Panthers L 17–20 4–4 Bank of America Stadium 74,244 Recap 10 November 12 Dallas Cowboys W 27–7 5–4 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 73,761 Recap 11 at Seattle Seahawks W 34–31 6–4 CenturyLink Field 69,026 Recap 12 November 26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 34–20 7–4 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 71,036 Recap 13 December 3 Minnesota Vikings L 9–14 7–5 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 71,185 Recap 14 New Orleans Saints W 20–17 8–5 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 72,866 Recap 15 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 24–21 9–5 Raymond James Stadium 62,382 Recap 16 December 24 at New Orleans Saints L 13–23 9–6 Mercedes-Benz Superdome 73,188 Recap 17 December 31 Carolina Panthers W 22–10 10–6 Mercedes-Benz Stadium 74,141 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Chicago Bears
Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers
In their home opener, the Falcons hosted the Green Bay Packers in a rematch of the 2016 NFC Championship Game. This was the first regular season game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Despite prior reports that the roof would be closed for the game, Falcons owner Arthur Blank 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.
Week 3: at Detroit Lions
Week 4: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 6: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 7: at New England Patriots
In a rematch of Super Bowl LI eight months later, the Falcons were trying to avenge their historic defeat, where they blew a 28-3 lead and lost in overtime, however Atlanta lost the rematch 23-7, in a game dominated by fog in the Foxboro area in the second half. This marked the Falcons's 6th loss to the Patriots since 2001.
Week 8: at New York Jets
Week 9: at Carolina Panthers
Week 10: vs. Dallas Cowboys
In the Falcons' victory, Adrian Clayborn set a new franchise record of six sacks in one game, breaking the previous record of five sacks.
Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 13: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 14: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 15: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With the win, the Falcons swept Tampa Bay to improve to 9-5 and 3-1 against the NFC South. Atlanta's win also eliminated Green Bay from postseason contention.
Week 16: at New Orleans Saints
With the loss, Atlanta fell to 9-6 and 3-2 against the NFC South. The Falcons would finish 5-3 on the road.
Week 17: vs. Carolina Panthers
With the win, alongside Arizona's win over Seattle, Atlanta clinched their second straight playoff berth and the #6 in the NFC. As of 2025, this is the latest time the Falcons had a winning record or clinched a playoff berth. The Falcons finished 4-2 against the NFC South and 5-3 at home.
Standings
Division
Conference
Postseason
Schedule Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card at Los Angeles Rams (3) W 26–13 1–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap Divisional at Philadelphia Eagles (1) L 10–15 1–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
Game summaries NFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (3) Los Angeles Rams
With the win, the Falcons advanced to the Divisional Round to play against the Eagles. As of 2025, this marks the Falcons last playoff win.
NFC Divisional Playoffs: at (1) Philadelphia Eagles
With the loss, the Falcons season came to an end. As of 2025, this marks the Falcons last playoff game.
References
External links