Jeff Van Note spent nearly two decades making himself impossible to replace in Atlanta, and now the Falcons have lost one of the most durable and decorated players in franchise history. The team says the six-time Pro Bowl center died at 80.
Van Note played his entire 18-season NFL career with the Falcons, a run that gave the franchise steady hands at center through coaching changes, quarterback turnover and a long stretch of team growth. He appeared in 246 games for Atlanta and missed only four games over his career, numbers that helped build his reputation as one of the toughest players the team ever had.
The Falcons credit him with 225 starts and a franchise-record streak of 155 consecutive appearances. He also owns the team mark for seasons played with 18. At center, he helped anchor lines that protected Bob Berry, Steve Bartkowski and David Archer.
His recognition piled up along the way. Van Note earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 1974, then added five more. He was also named Associated Press second-team All-Pro in 1979 and 1982.
Van Note’s path to Atlanta was not a straight one. Born Feb. 7, 1946, he played college football at Kentucky, where he arrived as a fullback and became a standout defensive end. The Falcons drafted him in the 11th round in 1969 as a linebacker, and he also spent part of that year with the Alabama Hawks of the Continental Football League.
It was Falcons coach Norm Van Brocklin who moved him to center, even though Van Note had little experience there. He won the starting job in 1970 and never let go, becoming a fixture in the lineup for the rest of his career.
Atlanta made sure his final home game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on Dec. 14, 1986, was a memorable one, presenting the longtime No. 57 with a 1957 Chevrolet. Fans later chose him as their favorite player in team history during the franchise’s 25th anniversary season in 1991.
His honors continued after his playing days. Van Note was inducted into the American Football Association’s Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. The Falcons added him to their Ring of Honor in 2006.
After retiring following the 1986 season, Van Note stayed close to the game through broadcasting. He worked as a radio analyst for the Falcons and Kentucky Wildcats and became a familiar voice on Atlanta sports talk radio. He also called Tennessee Oilers games with Joe McConnell in 1997 and later worked Georgia Tech broadcasts when analyst Kim King became ill in 2004.
Even after the playing days were over, Van Note kept showing up for Falcons fans through radio pregame coverage and postgame call-in shows, staying tied to the franchise long after he left the field.
In Other News...
Jake Matthews Is Suddenly A Falcons Concern At The Worst Time
Jake Matthews has long been one of the Falcons quiet constants, the kind of veteran left tackle Atlanta could usually trust to steady things no matter what else was happening around him. This season has brought a different picture. According to Pro Football Focus grades and what has shown up on game tape, Matthews has slipped well below the level the Falcons are used to getting, and his performance has become a real issue on both the passing and running fronts.
The timing could hardly be worse, with New Orleans coming up in Week 4 and bringing a pass rush that is built to stress any shaky edge protection. For a Falcons offense trying to settle in, Matthews struggles add another layer of concern, especially because his track record has always been about durability and dependability. Now Atlanta has to wonder whether one of its most trusted veterans can hold up in a matchup that is likely to put him under the microscope from the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Head To New Orleans With Penix Adding Real Juice To This Rivalry
A Monday night trip to New Orleans always carries some extra edge for Atlanta, and this one arrives with the Falcons coming off their first win under Kevin Stefanski. Michael Penix Jr.s return from the ACL injury has given the offense a noticeably different feel, and his presence adds another layer to a divisional game that already tends to come with plenty of noise and little patience.
The Saints, meanwhile, enter Week 4 with Tyler Shough at quarterback and plenty of passing production behind him, as he sits second in the league in that category. So the setup is simple enough: an improving Falcons team trying to build on some momentum, a high-volume Saints passing attack, and a rivalry that could get a lot more interesting if Penix keeps bringing the kind of spark Atlanta has been missing. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons' Early Draft Outlook Could Shape Their Next Big Decision
A speculative 2027 NFL mock draft already has an early feel for where the Falcons could be headed, and it points them toward a place they have spent plenty of time thinking about: the offensive line. In that projection, Jordan Seaton lands in Atlanta in the first round, a reminder that the next big roster question for the Falcons may be less about flash and more about keeping the foundation sturdy as the years move on.
The broader mock draft is still in the realm of educated guesswork, with Jeremiah Smith slotted to the top overall pick for Miami and other premium names like Colin Simmons and Leonard Moore going early to teams with clear needs. For the Falcons, though, the line choice stands out because it reflects a familiar reality in roster building, where protecting the quarterback and shoring up the front can shape how the rest of the draft board is attacked. [Read more 🡒]