2001 Atlanta Falcons season

2001 Atlanta Falcons season
Head Coach	Dan Reeves
Home Field	Georgia Dome
Results
Record	7–9
Place	3rd NFC West
Playoff Finish	did not qualify
Timeline
Previous season	Next season
2000	2002

The 2001 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 36th season. The Falcons obtained the first pick overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. With the pick, the Falcons drafted Michael Vick.

Offseason

Vick was selected in the 2001 NFL Draft as the first overall pick and first African American quarterback taken number 1 in the NFL Draft. The San Diego Chargers had the number one selection spot in the draft that year but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons' first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001 (used to draft CB Tay Cody), a second round pick in 2002 (used to draft WR Reche Caldwell) and WR/KR Tim Dwight. With the Chargers' downgraded spot (the 5th overall), they selected Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who went on to become league MVP in 2006. Although Vick has never become league MVP, he finished second in voting in 2004. In this way, Tomlinson and Vick are linked as having been "traded" for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks and contract negotiations.

NFL Draft

Main article: 2001 NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club Team
1	1	Michael Vick	Quarterback	Virginia Tech
2	35	Alge Crumpler	Tight End	North Carolina
4	99	Roberto Garza	Center	Texas AM Kingsville
4	102	Matt Stewart	Linebacker	Vanderbilt
5	136	Vinny Sutherland	Wide Receiver	Purdue
6	167	Randy Garner	Defensive End	Arkansas
7	215	Corey Hall	Defensive Back	Appalachian State
7	219	Kynan Forney	Tackle	Hawaii
7	226	Ronald Flemons	Defensive End	Texas A & M
7	236	Quentin McCord	Wide Receiver	Kentucky

Personnel

Staff

2001 Atlanta Falcons staff
	Front office President – Taylor Smith General Manager – Harold Richardson Vice President of Football Operations – Ron Hill Director of Player Personnel/College – Reed Johnson Director of Player Personnel/Pro – Les Snead Assistant to Head Coach/Pro Personnel – Marvin Bass Head coaches Executive Vice President of Football Operations/Head Coach – Dan Reeves Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs – George Sefcik Quarterbacks – Jack Burns Wide Receivers – Gary Stevens Tight Ends – James Daniel Offensive Line – Pete Mangurian Assistant Offensive Line – Rennie Simmons Offensive Quality Control – Ed West			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Don Blackmon Defensive Line – Bill Johnson Linebackers – Billy Davis Secondary – Greg Brown Defensive Quality Control – Thom Kaumeyer Special teams coaches Special Teams – Joe DeCamillis Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Al Miller Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Rocky Colburn

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Results
			Final score	Team record
1	September 9	at San Francisco 49ers	L 13–16 (OT)	0–1
2	September 23	Carolina Panthers	W 24–16	1–1
3	September 30	at Arizona Cardinals	W 34–14	2–1
4	October 7	Chicago Bears	L 3–31	2–2
5	October 14	San Francisco 49ers	L 31–37 (OT)	2–3
6	October 21	at New Orleans Saints	W 20–13	3–3
7	Bye
8	November 4	New England Patriots	L 10–24	3–4
9	November 11	Dallas Cowboys	W 20–13	4–4
10	November 18	at Green Bay Packers	W 23–20	5–4
11	November 25	at Carolina Panthers	W 10–7	6–4
12	December 2	St. Louis Rams	L 6–35	6–5
13	December 9	New Orleans Saints	L 10–28	6–6
14	December 16	at Indianapolis Colts	L 27–41	6–7
15	December 23	Buffalo Bills	W 33–30	7–7
16	December 30	at Miami Dolphins	L 14–21	7–8
17	January 6	at St. Louis Rams	L 13–31	7–9

Standings

NFC West
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
St. Louis Rams	14	2	0	.875	503	273
San Francisco 49ers	12	4	0	.750	409	282
New Orleans Saints	7	9	0	.438	333	409
Atlanta Falcons	7	9	0	.438	291	377
Carolina Panthers	1	15	0	.063	253	410

References

• Falcons on Pro Football Reference
• Falcons on jt-sw.com