Top 10 Offensive Linemen in Atlanta Falcons History

Football always starts in the trenches. Just as a good defense is powered by a good defensive line, a good offense is powered by a good offensive line. It’s the first point of contact, and without it, the end zone might as well be in space.

While the Atlanta Falcons haven’t had many elite offensive lines in their history, they have had one consistent, elite player in every decade they’ve existed. They’ve essentially always had one consistently good blocker in their front five who plays every game, which is the most important factor in these rankings.

The offensive line is the hardest position to evaluate. It doesn’t have performance stats like receptions, yards, interceptions, etc. We’ve seen the addition of analytical stats that include things like pressures allowed, sacks allowed, and run blocking effectiveness. However, these stats are useless in a historical ranking since most players don’t have a number associated with their name.

So that means we have to go back to traditional methods. Games played played a big role in the top 10 rankings, as did Pro Bowl appearances and All-Pro teams.

The Falcons have seen a lot of players at all five positions go on huge streaks. That’s been a huge boost for a lot of players in the top 10.

10. Justin Blalock

There’s nothing on Justin Blalock’s resume that stands out, but that’s who he was. The offensive leader played tons of games for the Dirty Birds every year. He only had two seasons where he didn’t play a full 16-game schedule — his first and last. He played every game from 2008 to 2013 and had just one season with more than four penalties and four seasons with two or fewer.

Originally drafted by the Houston Texans in the Matt Schaub trade, Blalock has always flown under the radar. He has never been to a Pro Bowl or been selected to an All-Pro team, but the player who has only scored one career touchdown lands at No. 10.

9. Chris Lindstrom

Chris Lindstrom, while still early in his career, has already become one of the best players in Atlanta Falcons history. He has been dominant, especially in recent years, and continues to be one of the best players in the NFL.

There’s a reason the Dirty Birds allocated over $100 million to an interior offensive lineman. The former Boston College star continues to be the glue that holds Atlanta’s starting five together.

Since his freshman season, the right guard has played in all but two games while being selected to two Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. His rise up those rankings will be rapid.

8. RC Thielemann

RC Thielemann was consistent. The eight-year Falcons player played 114 games as a starting point guard after being selected in the second round of the 1977 NFL Draft.

During his career in Atlanta, Thielemann played at least 11 games per season seven times and 16 games five times. It took him a few years to get the credit he deserved as he was selected to his first Pro Bowl in his fifth season. He went on to make three consecutive Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro in 1982.

Interestingly, he recovered 11 fumble recoveries with the Falcons, which is quite impressive. This shows that he was an alert player who never gave up on a play.

7. Alex Mack

If you don’t believe center is an important position, then you clearly haven’t been following the Falcons closely in 2015 and 2016.

Alex Mack should forever be remembered as one of the best free agent signings in Atlanta Falcons history. He joined the franchise in 2016 to take over what was a disastrous position the year before. He immediately solidified the middle of the line and was a key cog in one of the best offenses in NFL history.

The communication, tenacity and leadership this player displayed were off the charts. He played in Super Bowl 51 with a broken leg, something few players would have thought they would do.

The standout center played five seasons (78 games) with the Falcons, making three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro selections. He could have won more if he hadn’t been competing with other all-time greats at the position.

6. Jake Matthews

When you look up the word “reliability” in the dictionary, Jake Matthews’ face appears.

The Falcons’ 2014 first-round pick continues to post every week and hasn’t missed a start since he was a rookie. You can’t ask for more than that from a franchise left tackle.

As Atlanta’s leading starter in consecutive games, Matthews’ ranking on this list seems too low. However, he can continue to improve by playing every week until they rip his jersey off his shoulders.

While he was never the league’s most dominant tackle, he was the most consistent. The former Texas A&M Aggies player is the kind of player we won’t fully appreciate until he retires.

5. Bob Whitfield

Bob Whitfield, one of the many eighth-round picks in Falcons history, justified his spot in the draft. From 1992 to 2003, the Falcons had one of the best players in the league.

Whitfield was overlooked because of the team he played for. His only Pro Bowl appearance came during the miraculous run to the Super Bowl in 1998. He should have received more honors during his 12 years and 178 games in red and black.

The Stanford product missed one game from 1993 to 2002. That’s quite an accomplishment considering he played in physical, ground-and-pound offenses.

4. Bill Fralic

Bill Fralic’s career got off to a flying start: The second overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Think about it: an offensive guard has received more than 10 percent of the OROY votes.

Things didn’t calm down after his freshman year. Fralic made four consecutive Pro Bowls and three consecutive All-Pro teams (two first team, one second team). He spent eight seasons with the Falcons, playing in 116 games. He was also named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-1980s team.

3. Todd McClure

Todd McClure was the franchise leader in consecutive games played until Jake Matthews broke the record in 2023. That doesn’t take away from what he did as the new starting center after the turn of the century.

A seventh-round draft pick, McClure started seven games as a rookie in 2000. In his second season, he started all but one game, and he established himself as one of the most reliable players in the NFL. From the start of the 2002 season to the end of the 2010 season, “Mud Duck” started all 144 games for the Dirty Birds.

As I mentioned with Alex Mack, the importance of a good center cannot be underestimated. He has made countless game-changing decisions over the years that we don’t even know about, and has also helped make Matt Ryan the best player on the franchise.

McClure was one of the few players Matt Ryan mentioned during his retirement press conference. That speaks volumes about the impact and leadership he brought.

2. Note from Jeff Van

Jeff Van Note is the very definition of an outsider.

In 1969, Van Note was drafted in the 11th round by the Falcons out of Kentucky. Little did anyone know that he would become one of the greatest players we have ever seen.

Van Note didn’t start until his sophomore season, at age 24. He then became the team’s primary starter until 1986, at age 40, which should put things into perspective.

The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro has managed to make a name for himself as a starting center on some mediocre teams. The fact that he made six Pro Bowls while on four losing teams and one team that had a strike-shortened season, with a combined record of 37-48, is remarkable.

For 18 years and 251 games, Van Note played exclusively for the Falcons, which ranks him second in games played. It is unfortunate that his name was overlooked during the selection process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1. Mike Kenn

The Atlanta Falcons took Mike Kenn with the 13th pick in the 1978 NFL Draft and never looked back. They found their starting left tackle and never had to worry about that vital position for the next 17 years.

From 1978 to 1994, Kenn played at the highest level. He regularly stopped some of the best pass rushers in the game. Unlike many players in the history of this team, he was recognized for his exceptional play by making five consecutive Pro Bowls and four consecutive All-Pro teams.

While he was a top-tier left tackle who rarely gave up sacks, was rarely penalized, and played 17 years and 251 games, he’s not a Hall of Famer. As the Falcons’ leader in total games played, Kenn should be a bust in Canton by now.

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