Dale Zanine – USA Today Sports Images
One of the great football stories of the past decade is how quickly and effectively — in both short and long term — the Atlanta Falcons dug themselves out of the hole Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino helped bury them in. It’s truly hard to imagine that Matt Ryan and the new regime came to town just five years ago.
I know everyone and their grandparents is building their own Mt. Rushmore-type quartet for every franchise in sports this offseason, but I’m going to a pull twist on it I haven’t seen yet: only accomplishments over the past couple years will apply, in the effort create the most relevant set of four mountain-side faces as possible. So I’m crafting the Falcons’ Mt. Rushmore to beat all Falcons Mt. Rushmores: Whose face makes it in stone?
Matt Ryan: Everyone can finally get off his about “clutch” after snapping an 0-3 playoff streak by leading an incredible rally to top a very good Seattle Seahawks team before dicing the San Francisco 49ers defense unlike any quarterback in recent memory. A face for all Falcons fans to point proudly towards.
Thomas Dimitroff: One of the few general managers I’ve included thus far in this Mt. Rushmore series, but when you either win Executive of the Year or are in heavy consideration just about every winter then we can find a place for you up on the mountainside.
Julio Jones: The man who just keeps making Dimitroff look smarter, Jones literally outperformed everyone at his position in the 2012 postseason despite not making the Super Bowl.
Roddy White: Meanwhile, White remains in the top-tier receiver conversation year after year and probably remains Ryan’s favorite target.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
