FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The College Football Hall of Fame announced its 2025 class of electees on Wednesday, and not just one but two former Atlanta Falcons were selected.
Quarterback Michael Vick and center Alex Mack were among the list of 18 players and four coaches.
Vick was chosen due to his excellent two-year run at Virginia Tech University from 1999-2000. As a redshirt freshman, Vick led the Hokies to a perfect 11-0 regular-season record in 1999 that ended with a spot in the national championship game. He followed that up with an 11-1 season which culminated with MVP honors in the team's 41-20 victory against the Clemson Tigers in the 2001 Gator Bowl. Months later, the Falcons selected Vick with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played in Atlanta from 2001-06.
Mack, meanwhile, attended the University of California from 2005-08 and helped the Golden Bears win a bowl game in each of his four seasons. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns' with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed with Atlanta as a free agent in 2016 and played for the Falcons through the 2020 season.
To this day, Vick still holds multiple records at Virginia Tech: single-season passing efficiency (180.4 in 1999), single-season yards per completion (20.4 in 1999), single-season yards per attempt (12.0 avg. in 1999) and career yards per attempt (9.79). He finished his collegiate career with 3,074 yards and 20 touchdowns passing, along with 1,202 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing.
"Michael revolutionized the quarterback position with his combination of speed, accuracy, and big, strong arm," said former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, according to the Hokies’ website. "He inspired a new generation of dual-threat quarterbacks. No one did more than he did to put the Virginia Tech program on the national stage. I am grateful for the opportunity to coach him and thrilled he is being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame."
Vick went on to have a successful, 13-year career in the in NFL, spending six seasons with the Falcons, five with the Philadelphia Eagles and one apiece with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 74 games, with 67 starts, Vick completed 930 of his 1,730 passes (53.8%) for 11,505 yards (or 155.5 per game). He also carried the ball 529 times for 3,859 yards (or 52.1 per game). He threw for 71 touchdowns and rushed for another 21.
Vick is No. 5 on the Falcons' all-time passing list with 11,505 yards and No. 7 on their all-time rushing list with 3,859 yards.
Notably, Vick became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a single season, which he did in 2006 with 1,039. He also capped off his debut season as a starting quarterback in 2002 by helping the Falcons become the first team in NFL history to beat the Green Bay Packers in a playoff game at their home stadium.
As for Mack, his resume is less flashy due to the nature of his position, but his impact was felt at both the collegiate and professional level.
Mack helped Cal post a winning 34-17 record during his tenure. He closed out his college career in 2008 by winning the then-Draddy Trophy (now the William V. Campbell Trophy), which the National Football Foundation awards to an individual who's considered the absolute best in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
"Alex Mack is what an elite student-athlete and tremendous person should be all about - on the field, in the classroom and in his community," said former Cal head coach Jeff Tedford, according to the Bears’ website. "Alex was an integral part of the success we enjoyed at Cal and a joy to coach. He gave everything he could on and off the field. I could not be prouder of Alex. His selection to the College Football Hall of Fame is well-deserved and something that only a few of the very best of the best in our game are ever able to realize."
Once in the NFL, Mack established himself as one of the best centers in the game with the Browns from 2009-15 before joining the Falcons. He started all 78 games in which he appeared for the Falcons, and made three straight Pro Bowls from 2016-19. He ultimately played one more season in 2021 with the San Francisco 49ers before retiring.
Mack closed out his run as a seven-time Pro Bowlers, and earned three second-team All-Pro nods.
The 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9, and its accomplishments will be displayed at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
