Owner Arthur Blank optimistic about Falcons season because of 'proven youth'

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is embarking on his 24th year of ownership of the franchise. When he bought the Falcons in February of 2002, a core group of Atlanta's key playmakers were barely old enough to walk, let alone aspire to be the players they are today.

Bijan Robinson? He was only a few weeks old when that transaction became official.

Drake London? He was born the year before.

Michael Penix Jr.? He's a 2000 baby.

The core of Atlanta's 2025 roster is young, the defense included. And Blank as much as anyone understands that. But the reason he's optimistic about where the Falcons find themselves this year is because of that youth.

"I like where we are," Blank said Saturday. "But you're probably going to get 31 other owners who will probably say that."

Fair. So, it begged the follow up: Why do you feel this way? What gives you the confidence to feel this way? It's the youth, he reiterrated. But not just the youth, the proven youth.

"Especially on the offensive side," Blank said. "But now we have young, proven, outstanding vets on the defensive side (coupled) with the quality of the draft we had this year. I think you'll be able to see the whole roster elevate itself to a different level."

Blank makes a key point in this explanation.

There is proof within this offense, at least individually.

Robinson is one of the best young skill players in the league. He enters his third year poised to be "the next great one," according to one of the league's current great ones, Saquon Barkley. As a duo, Drake London and Darnell Mooney were one of the most productive of the 2024 season. The offensive line is seasoned. And Tyler Allgeier continues to be reliable. Though Penix is young to the league, his three starts last season show a player who at the bare minimum proved he deserved a fair shake as QB1 — a shake he's absolutely getting.

"If we get a duplicate run out of him that we did Matt Ryan," Blank said of Penix, "we'll be incredibly happy."

Defensively, the Falcons have done their due diligence to elevate that side of the ball, too, which was the focus of the offseason.

After years of prioritizing the offense with its top draft capital, Atlanta found last year that the defense needed uplifting, particularly by way of its pass rush. They are attempting to punch up the play with the likes of Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr. and Xavier Watts.

The hope is that the potential of the defensive youth proves to be as promising as their offensive counterparts.

That, Blank says, is part of the reason why he feels the 2025 season is one to be optimistic about. Still, he added, it's just training camp. The proof of progress is wins. And there's no winning the preseason.

Simply put? It's the wins in the regular season that proves a team is ascending.

It's been awhile since the Falcons were accumulating enough wins to make it to the postseason. The goal — as always — is to do so. Can 2025 be the year with proven youth on Atlanta's side?

"Every year has its excitement to it, but this year, a little more so than I think we've had of late," Blank said. "We're looking — obviously — for a very competitive team, a very competitive season. We'd love to play our 17 games, plus. I say 'plus' because that's the aspirations of the franchise."