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The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
The Falcons joined the NFL in 1965[3] as an expansion team, after the NFL offered then-owner Rankin Smith a franchise to keep him from joining the rival American Football League (AFL). The AFL instead granted a franchise to Miami, Florida (the Miami Dolphins). The Falcons are tied with the Dolphins (who also began play in 1966) for being the oldest NFL franchise in the Deep South, and are the oldest NFC team in that region.
In their 49 years of existence, the Falcons have compiled a record of 316–414–6, winning division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, and 2012. Their only Super Bowl appearance was during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII.
The Falcons play their home games at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta. Construction began on Mercedes-Benz Stadium in May 2014, with play projected to begin there during the 2017 season. Their headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50-acre site in Flowery Branch, Georgia.