Tommy Nobis, Mr. Atlanta Falcon

OldJacketFan

OldJacketFan

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,348
Location
Nashville, TN
Sad to report that the original Falcon, Tommy Nobis died today after a long illness. He was the first player drafted by the Falcons in their inaugural season. He played at Texas where he won the Outland and Maxwell trophies as a senior. A many time pro bowled/all star, his career was cut short by multiple knee injuries. In an era where the MLB was the heart and soul of a football team he was one of the best. His contemporaries include **** Butkus and Ray Nitschke but IMO he was the best MLB of his era. He had a remarkable and still team record for tackles his rookie year of 294. This is also the most tackles in a single season for the NFL. He played 11 seasons in the NFL and was named to the NFL All Decade Team for the 1960s. Despite all his accomplishment and superior level of player he has not been named to the NFL HOF. Unfortunately he played most of his career on some very bad team and never received the recognition he so richly deserved. IMO he should have been a 1st ballot HOFer. After he retired he stayed in GA and founded the Tommy Nobis Center to provide support, training and many other services for those with disabilities. My prayers go out to his family and friends. He will always be Mr. Falcon!
 
MikeJackets1967

MikeJackets1967

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,844
Location
Lovely Ducktown,Tennessee
OldJacketFan said:
I mean he even looked like the prototypical MLB!
Click to expand...
I remember seeing a play from 1966 where Bill Brown of the Vikings ran through the Falcons and Tommy Nobis chased him 60 yards and made the tackle:cool: Tommy always game 100 percent and he expected the same from his teammates on the Falcons defense:cool: Tommy is in the same class as **** Butkus,Ray Nitchke,Chuck Bednarik,Sam Huff and Lee Roy Jordan in my opinion
 

g0lftime

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,412
He was the first Atlanta Falcon selected. in the draft. Atlanta and Houston were the expansion teams. Each was to get 5 draft choices that first year. They would alternate choices and no other team was allowed to draft until those two had picked their first 5. Nobis was expected to go number 1. There was a coin toss and the Falcons won it. They selected Nobis. Bud Adams was very upset that he came to Atlanta rather than staying in Texas. He was one heck of a player. He just looked like a tough guy and he really was on the field. I think I was either a freshman or sophomore at Tech that year.
 

takethepoints

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,897
The only MLBs I ever saw who could hold a candle to him were **** Butkus and Chuck Bednarick. All three were about equally talented, but Butkus and Bednarik were just a a trifle meaner. Oth, Tommy was faster then either one of them. I saw him in the very first Falcons game against the LA Rams and the Fearsome Foursome. He was the defensive star of the game.

I still miss that.
 
Top