The 2016 season was the Atlanta Falcons' 51st in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under head coach Dan Quinn. It also marked the team's 25th and final season playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, ahead of their move to the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. The Falcons won the NFC South for the first time since 2012 and improved on their 8–8 record from 2015, going 11–5 and earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs. Quarterback Matt Ryan was named the 2016 NFL MVP. The Falcons scored 540 points, the most in the NFL for 2016 and 8th all-time. The team scored fewer than 23 points only once all season: a 24–15 loss to the Eagles.

The Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 36–20 in the Divisional Round to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2012. In the NFC Championship game, they defeated the Green Bay Packers, 44–21, to advance to their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history; they had competed in Super Bowl XXXIII 18 years earlier. In Super Bowl LI, the Falcons faced the New England Patriots, and built up a 28–3 lead midway through the third quarter. However, the Patriots subsequently scored 25 unanswered points, forcing overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history. There, the Falcons failed to slow the Patriots down, and were defeated by a score of 34–28.

Notes

The Falcons preseason opponents and schedule were announced on April 7, 2016.

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

With the loss, the Falcons started their season 0–1 for the first time since 2013.

at Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, California