5 Best Wide Receivers in Atlanta Falcons History

Jenkins started his professional career in the World Football League in 1974 before joining the Falcons the next season in what was the start of a productive nine-year career in the NFL.

He led the Falcons in receiving during five of his first seven seasons with his home-state team. Jenkins made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 1980 and 1981 after catching 128 passes for more than 2,300 yards with 19 touchdowns over those two seasons. His ’81 season resulted in a first-team All-Pro nod.

He played two more injury-riddled seasons before calling it a career after 1983. His 6,267 yards receiving remain fourth in team history.

4. Andre Rison (1990-1994)

For a five-year period in the 1990s, Rison was one of the best wide receivers in the entire NFL. He’d almost certainly rank higher on this list had spent more than those five seasons with the Falcons.

They were a great five. Rison joined Atlanta after one season in Indianapolis and became an immediate star. He made the Pro Bowl four straight seasons from 1990 to 1993, picking up three second-team All-Pro honors and one first-team nod.

His final season with the Falcons in 1994 resulted in an 81-catch, 1,088-yard campaign, too. His 56 touchdowns and 423 receptions rank fourth in team history, his 5,633 yards rank fifth.

3. Terance Mathis (1994-2001)

If you want to rank Rison, or even Jenkins, above Mathis, we get it. Their heights were higher than Mathis’ during all their times with the Falcons.

But there’s something to be said for consistency and to that Mathis might actually be the best receiver in Falcons history, especially having played in an era that didn’t sling the ball around as much as the one in which No. 1 and No. 2 players played.

From 1994 to 2001, Mathis caught 573 passes for 7,349 yards and 57 touchdowns. He never caught fewer than 50 balls in a season and put up four 1,000-yard years.

Mathis ultimately made just one Pro Bowl, but he was a key part of Atlanta’s resurrection in the late 90s.

2. Roddy White (2005-2015)

A Falcons legend, White spent his entire 11-year career with Falcons, earning four Pro Bowls from 2005 to 2015. It’s the most successful stretch in team history.

And White was a big reason why, serving as quarterback Matt Ryan’s top target for six seasons and his No. 2 for another three. White came into his own in 2007, recording his first of six straight 1,000-yard seasons.

His best year came in 2010 when he led the league with 115 catches while recording 1,389 yards and 10 touchdowns.

White was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2019 and remains the only wide receiver to make it.

1. Julio Jones (2011-2020)

White is the only wide receiver to make the Falcons Ring of Honor so far, that is. Jones entered the league in 2011 and made a good pair with him from the word go.

Jones made his first Pro Bowl in his second season in 2012 and he’d go on to do so six more times with two first-team All-Pro nods, coming in 2015 and 2016. The second of those seasons saw the Falcons make the Super Bowl with Jones catching 83 balls for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns.

He ultimately played 10 years in Atlanta before playing his final three seasons with three different teams.

Jones’ 848 receptions and his 12,896 yards receiving both rank first in team history and his 60 touchdowns are just three behind White for the team lead.

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