While millions may have tuned into Sunday night’s NBC broadcast of Atlanta’s Week 3 home tilt against Kansas City chiefly to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, KC tight end Travis Kelce, the evening was of especial relevance to the Falcons and their faithful as owner and chairman Arthur M. Blank was inducted into the Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony in which he was introduced by iconic actor Samuel L. Jackson and flanked on stage by former Falcons greats Warrick Dunn and Roddy White.
Blank became the 13th member of the franchise to receive the esteemed honor. During intermission of a Week 5 prime-time matchup against divisional foe Tampa Bay on Thursday, Oct. 3, longtime Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan will join Blank to form the first multi-person class to enter the Ring of Honor since 2008, coincidentally Ryan’s rookie season, when Mike Kenn and Claude Humphrey joined the club’s immortal ranks.
“This year the group talked through a few different folks and Arthur and Matt Ryan were the two that everyone felt really good about inducting this year,” Falcons president Greg Beadles, who’s part of the committee that meets annually to consider new inductees, noted when speaking to the AJT last week.
The body of his work as an owner, his influence on the team – both on the field and how he’s impacted the team off the field, how he’s impacted the city of Atlanta. Everything that Mercedes-Benz Stadium means not only here locally but just nationally, and even internationally.”
When now-fellow Falcons Ring of Honor member Dunn, who’s also a limited partner of the franchise, broke the news to Blank back in June, the 81-year-old Queens, N.Y., native appeared to be taken aback as he watched a pre-recorded congratulatory video featuring Falcons legends Jessie Tuggle, Steve Bartkowski, and White. But for those who have been heavily invested in the team’s fortunes this century, Blank’s induction is hardly surprising. When he acquired the Falcons in 2002, the franchise had never posted consecutive winning campaigns. Since then, they’ve achieved the feat five times while making eight trips to the postseason, appearing in three NFC Championship Games (2004, 2012 and 2016) and representing the NFC in Super Bowl LI. However, since the Falcons transitioned from the Georgia Dome to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they have yet to host a postseason game – a trend they are hoping to buck this year amidst the surprisingly tough NFC South competition.
“On behalf of the Atlanta Falcons, it is a privilege to recognize two of our franchise icons as they enter our Ring of Honor,” Beadles remarked when the induction announcement was made back in June. “Since Arthur purchased the team in 2002, results on and off the field have elevated, and his unwavering dedication to the fans and city of Atlanta is worthy of this recognition and so much more.”
Ryan, who retired from the NFL this past April, spent 14 seasons in Atlanta under Blank’s stewardship, during which he quarterbacked the franchise to Super Bowl LI. Ryan established team records for career passing yards (59,735), passing touchdowns (367) and passer rating (94.6) while piloting the Falcons to the postseason on five different occasions.
“Matt’s character and talent on and off the field sets him apart as one of the greatest Falcons players ever, and we believe we’ll see his career recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the future,” added Beadles.
Meanwhile, for Blank, a staple of his ownership tenure has been an unflagging commitment to implementing fan-friendly measures, most notably very reasonable prices for select food and beverage items throughout Mercedes-Benz Stadium available at not only Falcons games but also Atlanta United matches, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, SEC Championship Game, the College Football National Championship this coming January, FIFA World Cup 2026, and concerts. The innovative food and beverage pricing structure has indeed impacted the sports and entertainment industry worldwide as some other organizations have subsequently implemented similar models.
“We’re incredibly proud to have ranked No. 1 in food and beverage in the NFL’s Voice of the Fan survey for the past seven years,” Beadles said in a statement released by the Falcons last week. “Arthur’s leadership in prioritizing the fan experience is a hallmark of our organization. His influence goes beyond our organization and continues to drive positive change in the sports and entertainment industry.”
Accordingly, during Sunday evening’s game against the Chiefs, each fan received two complimentary hot dogs and two bags of chips per visit at more than 40 concession stands and portables locations around MSB, through the close of the third period. Those on hand were also gifted an Arthur M. Blank Ring of Honor souvenir cup that could be filled throughout the game at any free-standing Coca-Cola machine gratis.
Unfortunately, for Falcons fans, the more significant gift, a win to keep Atlanta on pace with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints in the NFC South, proved to be elusive as Kansas City escaped with a 22-17 win.
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