Arthur Blank thinks about his legacy; not in an obsessive manner, he said, but he’s certainly aware of it. And as the Falcons owner approaches his Ring of Honor enshrinement Sunday, his complete body of work – from his philanthropy to the on-field results – comes to the forefront.
“I don’t think about it every day, but I think about it sometimes in retrospect,” Blank told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ll look back and say, ‘Wow, who would’ve thought?’ I’d say when I was a younger man, I would’ve said, ‘Who would’ve thought?’ We’ve had great opportunities in business and personally in my life, as well. So the opportunity to give back and make a difference in other people’s lives – not only through philanthropy, but in our businesses as well, whether it’s our fans, guests, customers, grantees, whatever it may be.
“When I get up every day, I can’t have a bad day. Every day is going to be a great day for me because I’m really living a life of purpose. That’s why I continue doing the things I’m doing because it’s not work for me. It’s not really ‘fun,’ per se, but it’s feeling something spiritually, like ‘What can I do today to make a difference in other people’s lives?’ That gives me energy for every day and beyond.”
Blank, who co-founded The Home Depot and has a current net worth exceeding $9.1 billion (per Forbes), officially purchased the Falcons in February 2002. While he’s best known for his NFL affiliation, his greatest community impact has come through his philanthropy, including the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
Most recently, his foundation’s $200 million donation helped create the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital, which will have its ribbon cutting Sept. 27 - Blank’s 82nd birthday - and begin seeing patients Sept. 29.
On the football field, the Falcons are 179-177-1 under Blank’s ownership. As the record suggests, there have been plenty of highs and lows. The highs included some of the best in franchise history – two NFC Championship game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance – largely engineered by quarterback Matt Ryan, whose drafting in 2008 Blank believes is the franchise’s best move under his ownership.
The lows included the Michael Vick dogfighting case, Bobby Petrino coaching fiasco, the infamous Super Bowl loss and a recent six-year playoff drought highlighted by an inability to replace Ryan.
Still, the Falcons became a credible operation under Blank after spending much of their history wallowing in irrelevance. He’ll join Falcons royalty Sunday when he becomes the 13th member of the Ring of Honor during a prime-time game against the two-time defending-champion Chiefs.
“It’s a great recognition, but it’s not really about me,” Blank said. “It’s 22 years of me being a steward for our fans, our sponsors, our coaches, our players, all the things that represent the best of the National Football League, we’ve been part of that, and we’ve tried to elevate the Atlanta Falcons to the highest possible level that way.
“So it’s easy for me to accept the recognitions because I know it’s not about me. It’s all the other people who brought that opportunity forward. So I accept it, really, on their behalf.”
Miguel Martinez/AJC
Miguel Martinez/AJC
As Blank reflected on his journey, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked if there was anything he wish he’d understood better before buying a franchise. He remembered a conversation with Patriots owner Robert Kraft during breakfast in New York. Blank was a new owner seeking advice. Kraft explained the media frenzy that came with the NFL – it was plenty hectic two decades ago even before the league exploded into what it’s become.
“The same values you put in place at Home Depot will apply here,” Blank recalled Kraft telling him. “The one thing you’ll see that’s very different is the amount of exposure, media exposure, that you’re going to get and the franchise is going to get.
“So I was thinking, ‘How different could that really be?’ Home Depot was a public company, we were growing the company profitability 50% a year, earnings per share were growing at that rate or faster. So it was a great success story. Looking back, I’d say the amount of media attention and the focus on what happens every single day for the franchise, for our players, coaches, is really exceptional. It’s a credit to the National Football League. It’s a credit to the fans across America that made American football the kind of success it’s been. I’d say that’s different from what I expected.”
Blank has grown to understand it. He’s been criticized as Falcons owner, particularly recently as his team has struggled for over a half decade because of numerous coaching and personnel errors. But he also oversaw some of the franchise’s more important years.
He employed two of the team’s more successful coaches in Mike Smith and Dan Quinn. He’s employed the two best quarterbacks in Vick and Ryan. He’s spent aggressively in pursuit of the team’s first championship, from the free-agent market to signing off on historic extensions for in-house talent.
He once made Ryan the highest-paid player in the NFL and the first to receive a contract exceeding $30 million annually. Ryan, who won the Falcons’ first MVP award in 2016, will join Blank in the Ring of Honor next month.
“It’s a blessing for me to be (going in during) the same season he’ll be in,” Blank said. “It’s like I’m getting in on his coattails, kind of, so I appreciate that.”
AJC file photo
AJC file photo
Ryan quarterbacked the Falcons during their best run under Blank, a 10-year stretch (2008-17) that featured six seasons of double-digit wins and only two losing campaigns. The Falcons have four division titles under Blank after mustering only two beforehand.
Additionally, Blank is credited with helping bring MLS soccer to Atlanta and getting Mercedes-Benz Stadium built. He’s assembled a nearly full resume with one glaring exception. The Falcons’ Super Bowl collapse – blowing a 28-3 lead – kept him from becoming a championship-winning owner.
Blank acknowledges his tenure’s only missing element is “rings.” He emphasized the plural. He’s optimistic that after years in the wilderness, the Falcons are back on the right track to becoming contenders under new coach Raheem Morris and new quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“The beauty of the NFL is that the way the league is structured, it’s designed around parity and how you change (your team),” Blank said. “Having better player evaluations, acquiring players through the draft, acquiring players through free agency, trades, then putting together incredible coaching staffs and facilities. You tilt the playing field in your favor doing that.
“Then have it all play out on the field. Winning more games, getting into the playoffs and being successful, eventually getting to the Super Bowl and winning one. That’s our goal, to accumulate rings over a long period of time.”
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