It is officially the 2026 offseason, and the "Steel City" draft in Pittsburgh is officially in the books. The energy in the A-Town is a mix of renewed hope and high-stakes transformation. After watching over 800,000 fans swarm the North Shore for the draft, the Atlanta Falcons emerged as a team focused on ending a nearly decade-long postseason drought by overhauling their coaching staff and building around a fresh, explosive core.
This is a clean slate for the Dirty Birds. With the franchise having hit the reset button, the focus is now on Kevin Stefanski, who enters his first season as the Falcons' head coach alongside new GM Ian Cunningham. After a 2025 campaign that saw individual brilliance from Bijan Robinson but ended in an 8–9 frustration, the front office used the Pittsburgh draft to prioritize the defense and find high-octane weapons to support their offensive scheme.
How to Get Falcons Tickets for the 2026 Season
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is preparing for a pivotal season under Stefanski. With the schedule released on Thursday, May 14, fans should prepare for high demand as the "Rise Up" faithful look to fill the Benz.
- Official On-Sale: Single-game tickets go live on Ticketmaster almost immediately following the NFL's official schedule release on May 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
- The "Madrid" Matchup: Take note—the Falcons will host the Cincinnati Bengals at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, on November 8 (Week 9). This counts as a home game, so domestic tickets will be even more limited.
- Mobile Entry: Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a strictly digital venue. You must use the Falcons Mobile App to enter; screenshots and paper tickets are no longer accepted.
- Secondary Market: For the high-stakes NFC South battles against the Saints or the visit from the Chiefs, check SeatGeek, the official fan-to-fan marketplace of the Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (ET) | Network |
1 | Sept 13 | @ Pittsburgh Steelers | Acrisure Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
2 | Sept 20 | Carolina Panthers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
3 | Sept 24 | @ Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
4 | Oct 5 | @ New Orleans Saints (MNF) | Caesars Superdome | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
5 | Oct 11 | Baltimore Ravens (SNF) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 8:20 PM | NBC |
6 | Oct 18 | Chicago Bears | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
7 | Oct 25 | San Francisco 49ers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
8 | Nov 1 | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
9 | Nov 8 | Cincinnati Bengals | Bernabéu Stadium (Madrid) | 9:30 AM | NFL Network |
10 | Nov 15 | Kansas City Chiefs | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | CBS |
11 | — | BYE WEEK | — | — | — |
12 | Nov 29 | @ Minnesota Vikings | U.S. Bank Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
13 | Dec 6 | Detroit Lions | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | CBS |
14 | Dec 13 | @ Cleveland Browns | Huntington Bank Field | 1:00 PM | CBS |
15 | Dec 20 | @ Washington Commanders | Northwest Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
16 | Dec 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | TBD | TBD |
17 | Jan 3 | New New Orleans Saints | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
18 | Jan 10 | @ Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | TBD | TBD |
How to Watch the Falcons in 2026
- Local/National:FOX (WAGA-5) remains the primary home for the Falcons. CBS (WANF) will carry the AFC matchups, while NBC (WXIA) will host the marquee Sunday Night Football slots.
- Thursday Night:Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for all TNF games.
- Holiday Special: Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday. Netflix will exclusively stream the NFL's holiday games this year.
- Best Choice for Local Fans:Fubo covers all local Atlanta affiliates (WAGA, WANF, WXIA, WSB) and the NFL Network.
- Pro Tip: For Falcons fans living outside of Georgia, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV is the only way to catch every game. If traveling, use NordVPN set to Atlanta to access your local WAGA/FOX stream via your mobile apps.
The "Steel City" Draft: Falcons 2026 Highlights
The Falcons were tactical in Pittsburgh, making 6 selections to fortify the secondary and add game-breaking speed to the special teams and offense.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | School |
2 | 48 | Avieon Terrell | CB | Clemson |
3 | 79 | Zachariah Branch | WR | Georgia |
4 | 134 | Kendal Daniels | LB | Oklahoma |
6 | 208 | Anterio Thompson | DT | Washington |
6 | 215 | Harold Perkins Jr. | LB | LSU |
7 | 231 | Ethan Onianwa | OT | Ohio State |
Draft Analysis:
- The Hometown Connection: At #48 overall, the Falcons selected Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of star corner A.J. Terrell. The two Atlanta natives are expected to pair up in the secondary, giving the Falcons a homegrown "lockdown" duo.
- The Speed Demon: The selection of Zachariah Branch (#79) brought the "Georgia Boy" home. Known for his elite return ability and blazing speed, Branch is expected to be a dynamic weapon in Tommy Rees’ new offensive scheme.
- Defensive Value: The Falcons landed a massive steal in Harold Perkins Jr. (#215) in the 6th round. Once considered a top-tier prospect, his athleticism provides Jeff Ulbrich’s defense with a high-upside situational pass rusher.
Atlanta Falcons: 2025 Season Recap
The 2025 season was a rollercoaster that ended in a major organizational shift. The Falcons finished 8–9, missing the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. While the year was highlighted by Bijan Robinson’s First-Team All-Pro campaign and a strong 4-0 finish to the season, the slow 4–9 start led to the dismissal of the previous coaching staff and front office immediately following a Week 18 victory over the Saints.
Week | Opponent | Result | Record |
W1–W14 | Regular Season | 4–9 | Playoff Elimination |
W15–W18 | Regular Season | 4–0 | Late Season Surge |
Season Finale | vs. New Orleans Saints | W, 19–10 | Division Spoilers |
Postseason | N/A | DNQ | 8th Year Drought |