Falcons great Jeff Van Note dies at 80, team says
Center Jeff Van Note of the Atlanta Falcons smiles as he looks on from the sideline during a preseason game against the Washington Redskins at RFK Stadium on August 29, 1986 in Washington, DC. Washington defeated Atlanta 29-21. (Photo by George Gojko
ATLANTA - Jeff Van Note, whose durability and six Pro Bowl selections made him one of the most accomplished players in Atlanta Falcons history, has died at 80, according to The Falcoholic.
Van Note spent his entire NFL career with Atlanta, providing continuity at center through 18 seasons of changing coaches, quarterbacks and teammates. His career stretched from the franchise’s early years through its emergence as a playoff contender.
An enduring presence in Atlanta
Van Note played 246 games before retiring after the 1986 season. The Falcons credit him with 225 starts and a franchise-record streak of 155 consecutive appearances. He also holds the team record for seasons played with 18.
He missed only four games during his career, establishing a reputation for toughness while anchoring an offensive line that protected quarterbacks including Bob Berry, Steve Bartkowski and David Archer.
His first Pro Bowl selection came in 1974. Five more followed, and he earned Associated Press second-team All-Pro honors in 1979 and 1982.
A position change shaped his career
Born Feb. 7, 1946, Van Note played college football at Kentucky, where he arrived as a fullback and developed into a standout defensive end.
Atlanta selected him in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL draft as a linebacker. He also spent time that year with the Alabama Hawks of the Continental Football League.
Falcons coach Norm Van Brocklin moved him to center, a position Van Note had little experience playing. He earned the starting job in 1970 and became a fixture in Atlanta’s lineup.
Fans and franchise recognized his contributions
The Falcons celebrated Van Note’s final home game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on Dec. 14, 1986, presenting their longtime No. 57 with a 1957 Chevrolet.
During the franchise’s 25th anniversary season in 1991, fans selected him as their favorite player in team history.
His other honors included induction into the American Football Association’s Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. Atlanta added him to its Ring of Honor in 2006.
Football career continued behind the microphone
Retirement from playing led Van Note into broadcasting, where he worked as a radio analyst for the Falcons and Kentucky Wildcats and became a familiar voice on Atlanta sports talk radio.
He also called Tennessee Oilers games alongside Joe McConnell in 1997 and later worked on Georgia Tech broadcasts when analyst Kim King became ill in 2004.
Van Note remained connected to Falcons fans through radio pregame coverage and postgame call-in shows, extending his association with the franchise well beyond his playing career.