Atlanta Falcons with D. Orlando Ledbetter

Falcons Cheerleaders sported Throwback cheer outfits for the Carolina game. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC).

BIRDLAND –  The 1966 throwbacks uniforms are here to stay.

For at least four more seasons, the Falcons will strut in those classics for at least one game.

Falcons president Rich McKay told the team’s website the story about how the plan involved a five-year commitment to the old jerseys, helmets and pants.

Last season, they asked the players if they liked how the uniforms looked. The players approved of the look and asked to wear them for two games.

The Falcons went 2-0 in the throwback uniforms.

They fared pretty good in a 28-20 victory over Carolina on Sept. 20, but the ghosts from Falcons’ past came out of the Georgia Dome closet in the second game.

The Falcons needed a touchdown pass with 23 seconds remaining to beat 1-9 Tampa Bay and four  starters – Michael Turner, Matt Ryan, Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl – were injured in the game. Turner was gone for the rest of the …

Continue reading Falcons’ 1966 throwback look is here to stay »

The Vince Lombardi Trophy on display at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center last Friday. (By D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

RADIO ROW – After the Pro Football Writers of America meeting (yours truly is second vice president), I caught up with Falcons coach Mike Smith and owner Arthur Blank while they were working radio row. (Missed Thomas Dimitroff, who made his rounds on Thursday).

Smith talked with the local shows. He talked with Doc Walker and John Thompson from the D.C. station.

He spent some time with old friends in Baltimore and Jacksonville. He made several other stops. So  did Blank.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Fox Sports Laura Okmin on radio row. (By D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

Tiki Barber interviewing Snoop Dogg. (By D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

Smith was not distracted from his interview when Snoop Dogg and his entourage passed by on their way to an interview with Tiki Barber for Yahoo! Sports. Actors/Entertainers Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Kevin …

Continue reading Smith mum on whether Falcons will go after Peppers »

tlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner (33) heads for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

BIRD LAND – The Falcons didn’t waste much time replacing longtime trainer Ron Medlin, who was recently terminated after 16 seasons with the team.

Marty Lauzon, who was out of the league last season after resigning as Cleveland’s head trainer in June, was named the team’s new athletic trainer, the team confirmed.

Lauzon cited family reasons for his resignation.

He been on the Cleveland staff, which had battled serious staph infections during this period, since 1999. He was the head athletic trainer the last four seasons.

The team also announced the hiring of assistant athletic trainers James Williams and Danny Long. Both come over from Cleveland.

Last season, several starters missed more than 40 games as the Falcons were beset with injuries. The most significant was a high right …

Continue reading Marty Lauzon replaces Medlin as Falcons’ trainer »

Michael Vick’s reality show – “The Michael Vick Project” — aired Tuesday night on BET.

AJC columnist Mark Bradley blogged about how Vick attempted to explain the double life he led while with the Falcons.

Just curious, what did you think of the show?

All I could think of was that attorney Billy Martin, who reportedly received a $1 million retainer fee, basically had to counsel Vick into taking the guilty plea.

Also, Vick mentioned that they were 24 people ready to testify against him. Covering the trial, I knew the federal case was strong, but not that strong. If he’d taking the plea earlier in the case and came clean, he likely could have avoided jail time.

The AJC’s Rodney Ho also previewed the first part of the 10-part show.

The appears to be part of Vick’s plan to soften his road back to becoming a starter next season.

After covering the trial and becoming a quasi-dogfighting  expert, my inclination was to pass on the show because none of it had much to do with …

Continue reading Who watched The Vick Project on BET? »

Troy's Brandon Lang (91) and Eugene Kinlaw (99) combine to drop Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFebvour during the GMAC Bowl on Jan. 6, 2010 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. (Mobile Press-Register, Chip English)

MOBILE – Troy State defensive end Brandon Lang is a player worth tracking for the Falcons leading up to the NFL draft.

If they go cornerback in the first round  — Boise State’s Kyle Wilson or Oklahoma State’s Perrish Cox — they would be back in the defensive end market.

Lang, of Tucker High, who had a strong week at the Senior Bowl, is trying to become the latest stud defensive end from Troy.

New York Giants’ Osi Umenyiora was drafted in the second round (56 overall) of the 2003 draft.

DeMarcus Ware went to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round (11th overall) of the 2005 draft.

“They went through this same process and made a name for themselves,” Lang said. “I just hope that I can do the same thing.”

Lang, who is represented by Atlanta agent Hadley …

Continue reading Brandon Lang could land with the Falcons »

Mobile — Falcons safety Thomas Decoud, a first-year starter, got some league-wide recognition on Wednesday when he was named to USA Today’s 18th annual All-Joe team.

Players on the team are picked for their high level of play. However, it’s required that they cannot have made the Pro Bowl. It’s sort of the lunch pail, up-and-comers team.

DeCoud, a third round pick from the University of California in 2008, was a special teams maven as a rookie.

Last season, he moved into the starting free safety position and Erik Coleman slid over to the strong safety spot.

DeCoud showed great range in coverage and striking ability while tackling.

He finished with 113 tackles (73 solo), two sacks for a loss of 18 yards, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, three interceptions, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

The USA Today article read, “Second-year player took over as a starter and …

Continue reading DeCoud named to All-Joe team »

Roddy White is doing back flips on his second consecutive Pro Bowl trip.

UPDATED after talking to Coach Mike Smith at the Senior Bowl

Mobile – Falcons wide receiver Roddy White was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday.

He replaces Minnesota wide receiver Sidney Rice, who has withdrawn from the game.

This will be White’s second straight Pro Bowl appearance.

“I’m excited to be heading back to the Pro Bowl for a second year,” White said ina statement released by the team.  “My teammates played a huge part in my success this year and I have to credit them as well.”

White, who started the season by holding out for six days in training camp, has his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. After his brief holdout, White signed a six-year, $50 million contract extension with the team.

White led the Falcons in receiving yards with 1,153 on 85 receptions and became the second receiver in franchise history to have three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. …

Continue reading Falcons WR White added to Pro Bowl roster »

NFL executives at the National Scouting weigh-in at the Senior Bowl on Monday. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

Mobile –The Falcons hired Tim Lewis as secondary coach on Monday.

Lewis, a former player, coach and defensive coordinator, replaces Emmitt Thomas on the coaching staff. Last season, he was the defensive backs coach on Seattle’s staff under former Falcons head coach Jim Mora.

Thomas’ contract was not renewed after the defense finished ranked 28th in the league against the pass.

Lewis was the 11th pick overall in the 1983 draft by the Green Bay Packers. He played four seasons with the Packers before his promising playing career was cut short after he suffered a neck injury.  Lewis had 16 interceptions in 51 games.

Nick Saban signing after the South's practice on Monday.

He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M in 1987. He went on to coach at Southern Methodist and later at his alma mater, Pittsburgh.

He has coached in the NFL since 1995 with …

Continue reading Falcons hire Tim Lewis as secondary coach »

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow puts the move Georgia cornerback Vance Cuff for a long gain. Tebow broke Herschel Walker's career SEC rushing touchdown record of 49 with a 23-yard running TD in the second quarter. He would add another to start second half. (Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com)

Florida’s Tim Tebow and the rest of the players started to arrive in Mobile for the Senior Bowl on Sunday.

“Most people think that he’s risking the most of any player coming to play this game,” NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. “But I think it’s a brilliant move. He’s a guy that is arguably the best football player to play college football. Most NFL scouts would probably put him in the third round.”

(Sorry, but Ohio State’s Archie Griffin, the ONLY two-time Heisman Trophy winner has a much better case for the “best player ever”  tag. He just played in the pre-ESPN/daily highlights era.)

Tebow will receive a great deal of scrutiny this week as he attempts to perform in an …

Continue reading Tebow steps into NFL spotlight at Senior Bowl »

Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave talks with D.J. Shockley as they walk off the field after losing to the Ravens at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com

UPDATE

As expected, Falcons quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave is  staying put.

The University of Virginia had some interest in Musgrave returning to their program, but did not make an official request to interview him after it was made clear that he was not leaving Flowery Branch, the team confirmed.

BIRDLAND — At least one Virginia columnist would like to see Falcons quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave return to Virginia as the school’s offensive coordinator.

Tulane's Andre Anderson, a Stephenson High product.

David Teel of the Newport News Daily Press believes that Musgrave would be a perfect fit for the Cavaliers and new coach Mike London.

Musgrave was Virginia’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks and tight ends coach from 2001 to 2002. It was his only stint in the college …

Continue reading Musgrave staying with the Falcons »