In the final year at the Georgia Dome, the Falcons truly had a level of home-field advantage that has yet to be replicated at their current stadium. Atlanta’s fall from NFL relevancy began shortly after moving to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017.
It’s tough for fans to get behind a team during a six-year postseason drought and it’s been noticeable at home games in Atlanta over the last few seasons. This was noticed by Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown during his rookie season in 2021.
“I hate the Packers fans just because they’re Green Bay and I play for Detroit, but I think some of the worst fans was the Falcons,” St. Brown stated during an appearance on “Hot Ones Versus” alongside Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams.
“When we played them my rookie year, no one was there. Terrible,” St. Brown continued. After clarifying that his answer was referring to strictly fan support, St. Brown posed a question. “Is there that much to do in Atlanta? I don’t know. because ain’t nobody going to the game.”
By the time the Falcons and Lions faced off in 2021, Detroit was sitting at 2-11-1 on the season with Atlanta at 6-8. Both teams had already been eliminated from playoff contention.
So while it’s hard to judge the fans for losing hope when the playoffs are out of reach, St. Brown is correct in saying that the Falcons haven’t exactly made Mercedes-Benz Stadium a tough place to play.
If the team finally plays up to its potential in 2024 and returns to the postseason, you can bet the fans will be there.
