1987 Atlanta Falcons season

The 1987 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 22nd season in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons finished with the worst record in the league, 3–12, and secured the first overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft. Head coach Marion Campbell started his second stint as Falcons head coach in 1987 after previously coaching the team from 1974–1976.

1987 Atlanta Falcons season
Head coach	Marion Campbell
Home stadium	Fulton County Stadium
Results
Record	3–12
Division place	4th NFC West
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	2 G Bill Fralic RB Gerald Riggs
← 1986 Falcons seasons 1988 →

The last remaining active member of the 1987 Atlanta Falcons was Jessie Tuggle, who retired after the 2000 season.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1987 NFL draft

1987 Atlanta Falcons draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	13	Chris Miller *	Quarterback	Oregon
2	31	Kenny Flowers	Running back	Clemson	from Green Bay
4	97	Ralph Van Dyke	Offensive tackle	Southern Illinois
5	125	Mark Mraz	Defensive end	Utah State
6	153	Paul Kiser	Guard	Wake Forest
7	181	Michael Reid	Linebacker	Wisconsin
8	208	Curtis Taliaferro	Linebacker	Virginia Tech
9	236	Terrence Anthony	Defensive back	Iowa State
10	264	Jerry Reese	Tight end	Illinois
11	292	Elbert Shelley	Defensive back	Arkansas State
12	320	Larry Emery	Running back	Wisconsin
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[1]

Personnel

Staff

1987 Atlanta Falcons staff

Front office Chairman of the board – Rankin M. Smith Sr. President – Rankin M. Smith, Jr. Executive vice president – Taylor Smith Director of player personnel – Ken Herock Director of pro personnel – Bill Jobko Head coaches Head coach – Marion Campbell Offensive coaches Assistant head coach/offense – Jim Hanifan Offensive coordinator – Rod Dowhower Running backs – Steve Crosby Receivers – Jimmy Raye Tight ends – Al Groh

Defensive coaches Assistant head coach/defense – Fred Bruney Defensive line – Tommy Brasher Linebackers – Chuck Clausen Defensive assistant – Claude Humphrey Special teams coaches Special teams – Al Groh Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Tim Jorgensen

NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

1987 Atlanta Falcons replacement roster
Quarterbacks 10 Erik Kramer 16 Jeff Van Raaphorst Running backs 24 Shelley Poole 29 Bob Norris 32 Norm Granger 33 Rick Badanjek 39 Jerry Butler 42 Michael Williams 45 Darryll Oliver 47 John Kamana 48 Joe McIntosh Wide receivers 81 James Shibest 82 Monty Sharpe 83 Kirk Phillips 84 Milton Barney 85 Kwante Hampton 86 Steve Griffin 89 Leon Gonzalez 92 Lenny Taylor Tight ends 47 Geno Zimmerlink 87 John Evans 87 Arnold Franklin 88 Sylvester Byrd		Offensive linemen 53 Jim Hendley C 54 Eric Wiegand 55 Reggie Smith 61 Jeff Lee 62 Greg Quick 63 Howard Hood 64 Lawrence Jackson LG 65 Jim Kisner 65 Pat Saindon RG 66 Randy Clark RT 66 Rick Hudson 70 Fred Nelson 71 Joe Harby 73 Doug Mackie LT 74 Don Robinson 94 Ken Sutherland Defensive linemen 56 Joe Costello 64 Lawrence Jackson 67 Booker Reese 68 Emanuel Weaver NT 69 Fred Worthy 71 Mitchell Young DE 72 Buddy Moor 75 Dwight Bingham 76 Dwaine Morris RDE 77 Leonard Wingate 78 Mark Studaway LDE		Linebackers 50 James Hall 51 Herb Spencer ROLB 52 Dan Fiala 56 Art Price 58 Ken Bowen 59 Paul Gray 93 Jim Laughlin RILB 95 Kenny Driskell 96 Rich Kraynak LILB 99 Tim Green LOLB Defensive backs 20 Struggy Smith 21 Chuck Clanton 23 Gary Moss FS 25 Leon Thomasson LCB 26 Jerome Norris 28 Charles Huff 30 Lyndell Jones RCB 34 Mike Lush SS 37 Leander Knight Special teams 3 John Starnes P 4 Ricky Anderson P 5 Greg Davis K 6 Louis Berry P

Roster

1987 Atlanta Falcons roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 16 David Archer 10 Scott Campbell 14 Erik Kramer 12 Chris Miller Running backs (RB) 31 Major Everett 48 Kenny Flowers 42 Gerald Riggs 44 John Settle 29 Sylvester Stamps Wide receivers (WR) 82 Stacey Bailey 89 Charlie Brown 86 Floyd Dixon 81 Billy "White Shoes" Johnson 83 Aubrey Matthews Tight ends (TE) 88 Arthur Cox 87 Ron Middleton 80 Dan Sharp

Offensive linemen (OL) 64 Jamie Dukes C/G 79 Bill Fralic G 78 Mike Kenn T 63 Jeff Kiewel G 62 Brett Miller T 73 Leonard Mitchell T 55 Wayne Radloff C 61 John Scully G Defensive linemen (DL) 98 Greg Brown DE 77 Rick Bryan DE 76 Mike Gann DE 68 Dennis Harrison DE 67 Mark Mraz DE 72 Andrew Provence NT

Linebackers (LB) 56 Joe Costello ILB 96 Rich Kraynak ILB 93 Jim Laughlin ILB 95 Michael Reid ILB 58 Jessie Tuggle OLB 51 Reggie Wilkes OLB 54 Joel Williams OLB Defensive backs (DB) 26 James Britt CB 23 Bobby Butler CB 25 Scott Case CB 30 David Croudip CB 41 Tim Gordon FS 34 Robert Moore SS 37 Elbert Shelley SS 22 Brenard Wilson FS Special teams (ST) 53 Doug Barnett LS  3 Rick Donnelly P 18 Mick Luckhurst K

Reserve 75 Tony Casillas NT (IR) 20 Wendell Cason S (IR) 28 Bret Clark S (IR) 50 Buddy Curry LB (IR) 24 Larry Emery RB (IR) 99 Tim Green LB (IR) -- Billy Hinson T (IR) 40 Eddie Meyers RB (Military) 59 John Rade LB (IR) 45 Ken Whisenhunt TE (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 13	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 10–48	0–1	Tampa Stadium	51,250
2	September 20	Washington Redskins	W 21–20	1–1	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	50,882
–	September 27	at New Orleans Saints	canceled
3	October 4	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 12–28	1–2	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	16,667
4	October 11	San Francisco 49ers	L 17–25	1–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	8,684
5	October 18	Los Angeles Rams	W 24–20	2–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	15,813
6	October 25	at Houston Oilers	L 33–37	2–4	Astrodome	29,062
7	November 1	New Orleans Saints	L 0–38	2–5	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	42,196
8	November 8	at Cleveland Browns	L 3–38	2–6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	71,135
9	November 15	Cincinnati Bengals	L 10–16	2–7	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	25,758
10	November 22	at Minnesota Vikings	L 13–24	2–8	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	53,866
11	November 29	St. Louis Cardinals	L 21–34	2–9	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	15,909
12	December 6	at Dallas Cowboys	W 21–10	3–9	Texas Stadium	40,103
13	December 13	at Los Angeles Rams	L 0–33	3–10	Anaheim Stadium	43,310
14	December 20	at San Francisco 49ers	L 7–35	3–11	Candlestick Park	54,698
15	December 27	Detroit Lions	L 13–30	3–12	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	13,906
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
San Francisco 49ers(1)	13	2	0	.867	5–1	10–1	459	253	W6
New Orleans Saints(4)	12	3	0	.800	4–1	8–3	426	283	W9
Los Angeles Rams	6	9	0	.400	1–5	5–7	317	361	L2
Atlanta Falcons	3	12	0	.200	1–4	3–8	205	436	L3