The Atlanta Falcons drafted Jeff Van Note in the 11th round in 1969 and tried him at linebacker. Eighteen seasons later he left as the franchise’s record holder for consecutive games played, having never worn another NFL uniform. Van Note has died at 80.
The Falcons announced his death on Friday, October 2, 2026. The team did not give a cause or say where he died.
From afterthought to anchor
Van Note came to Atlanta from the University of Kentucky with little expectation attached. Eleventh-round picks rarely made rosters, let alone careers. Coach Norm Van Brocklin moved him from linebacker to center, and by 1970 he had won the starting job.
He kept it for most of the next 17 years. Van Note played 246 games for the Falcons and started 226 of them, including a franchise-record 155 in a row. For a center, a position where every snap begins with a collision, that is a long time to go without missing a game.
Six Pro Bowls
Van Note was picked for six Pro Bowls, tied with defensive end Claude Humphrey for the most by any Falcons player. The Associated Press named him second-team All-Pro in 1979 and again in 1982.
The Falcons inducted him into their Ring of Honor in 2006, twenty years after his final season.
A voice after football
When he retired, Van Note stayed close to the game and to the city. He worked as a color commentator and was a regular voice on Atlanta sports radio.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement: “We mourn the loss of a true Falcons legend. Jeff Van Note dedicated 18 seasons to this franchise and became one of the most respected and beloved players in our history.” Blank added that Van Note’s “contributions to this organization cannot be measured solely by his accomplishments on the field.”
Van Note is survived by his sons, Beau, Ben and Blaine.
He joined a franchise that was three years old. When he retired, he had been with it for most of its history.