The Fans' Favorite Falcon series, presented by Ford, rolls on with our next matchup.
How do you decide between No. 7 Tommy Nobis vs. No. 10 Warrick Dunn?
Tommy Nobis
There's a strong cry from the Falcons fanbase that Tommy Nobis should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That's a hallmark of a real fan favorite. And why wouldn't a player nicknamed Mr. Falcon be a fan favorite? Nobis was the first player ever drafted by the Falcons, No. 1 overall for the inaugural 1966 season. From there, he became the first ever Falcon to be named to a Pro Bowl, and the first ever Falcon to be named NFL Rookie of the Year. You see a trend? To put into perspective how popular Nobis was during his playing days, a poll was conducted in 1970 by ABC to pick the best athlete of the 1960s. OJ Simpson finished No. 1. Behind him? Tommy Nobis at No. 2. To say Nobis resonated on a national level would be a drastic understatement.
Warrick Dunn
If Nobis was Mr. Falcon, Dunn easily could have been Mr. Reliability. A running back for the Falcons between 2002-2007, Dunn provided an integral balance to an offense that was as prolific as could be in Falcons history. But while Dunn racked up enough yards in his six seasons in Atlanta to remain as the No. 3 rusher in franchise history, many remember Dunn for his amazing community work off the field. The Warrick Dunn Family Foundation has been providing single parents with housing since Dunn's playing days, and that work continues today.
The Matchup
Another extremely difficult first-round matchup takes two completely different eras and smacks them together. Nobis is beloved among fans who have been with the Falcons from the start, but the question is how well he resonates with fans from later generations up until now. Is he still a favorite among the newer fans who were born well after Nobis retired from the game? Dunn creates interesting things to think about, as well. He basically split his career between Atlanta and Tampa Bay, so depending on who you ask, Dunn's name might be associated with either franchise equally. It's time to find out where the loyalties lie between these two excellent Falcons legacies.
View the results of the first round
