The 2016 NFL season was supposed to be a dream season for the Atlanta Falcons, a franchise that had made the Super Bowl once but had never won it all.
Behind quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones, both of whom made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team, the Falcons finished 11-5 while leading the league in points scored and finishing second in total yards.
They easily charged into the Super Bowl, where they took a 25-point lead over Tom Brady and the mighty New England Patriots until disaster struck and they lost in overtime.
The league just posted the entire broadcast of Super Bowl LI on its Twitter account, and some may feel it is looking to troll Atlanta.
Yet just hours after posting, and after garnering plenty of reactions, the league removed the tweet entirely.
falcons fans rn pic.twitter.com/6RZieno8qY
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) July 11, 2023
Ryan and company took a seemingly commanding 21-3 lead at halftime, and a touchdown by running back Tevin Coleman made the score 28-3 early in the third quarter.
They still led 28-9 at the start of the fourth quarter, but their defense fell apart, as they allowed the Patriots to force overtime.
There, Atlanta lost the coin toss, then they gave up the championship-winning touchdown to running back James White.
Their 25-point lead was the largest lead ever blown in a Super Bowl, and it set a proverbial record for futility in a world championship across all team sports.
If the result of Super Bowl LI was ugly for the Falcons, the aftermath wasn’t any better.
Jones had a few more elite seasons before injuries robbed him of his ability, while Ryan never made another Pro Bowl.
The Falcons have won just one playoff game ever since they let their golden opportunity get away from them that fateful night in February 2017 at NRG Stadium.
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