Remembering Atlanta's First Winning Season (1971)

Pro Football in the 1970s is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.

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EPISODE SUMMARY

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In this episode, Joe dives into the 1971 Atlanta Falcons—a team often overlooked in NFL lore, but one that carved out a special place in franchise history. Joe breaks down how head coach Norm Van Brocklin molded a young, underdog roster into Atlanta’s first-ever winning team. From Bob Berry's steady arm to Ken Burrow’s record-setting plays and a defense that thrived on turnovers, the '71 Falcons showed that grit, leadership, and timing could turn a struggling team into a contender.

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PRO FOOTBALL IN THE 1970S BACKGROUND

Reliving Gridiron Glory: Pro Football in the 1970s with Joe Zagorski

Professional football is one of the most exciting spectator sports in America. The decade of the 1970s saw the sport grow by leaps and bounds, thanks mostly to exciting players who quickly became icons. NFL players such as Joe Namath, Roger Staubach, O.J.Simpson, Terry Bradshaw, “Mean” Joe Greene and Fran Tarkenton are still considered household names today.

During the 1970s, the growing millions of pro football fans also witnessed numerous exciting games and plays, many of which are still remembered and discussed today. Plays like Franco Harris’ Immaculate Reception in 1972, or the original Hail Mary Pass in 1975, or the Sea of Hands game in 1974, or the Ghost to the Post game in 1977...so many memories, and all during one of the greatest decades in NFL history.

Joe Zagorski’s Pro Football in the 1970s podcast explores all the great memories that occurred in the NFL during that memorable decade. Each segment will tackle a specific event or player in the NFL during the 1970s. Each episode will also include a trivia question from some aspect of that particular episode’s theme or topic.

Joe Zagorski’s Pro Football in the 1970s podcast takes listeners back to a time of old school pro football, where the game might have been simpler in the form of strategy, but it was also more pure and more robust than it had ever been before. Practically everything that happened during that decade on pro gridirons gets attention in this podcast.