"I'd like to thank Arthur for displaying the confidence in Thomas and myself, and our vision for this team," Quinn said. "The partnership we have formed over the last four years has continued to get stronger and our view for how we structure this team has become even more clear. We are looking forward to the challenge in front of us, but I could not be more excited about continuing this journey with Thomas and the brotherhood."

In the 2017 playoffs, the Falcons had 17 starters – nine on defense and eight on offense – who were either drafted or signed by the team as college free agents.

The Falcons have selected three eventual Pro Bowl players since 2015 – Vic Beasley, Keanu Neal and Deion Jones – and they've drafted a number of cornerstone pieces as well in Grady Jarrett, Tevin Coleman, Austin Hooper, De'Vondre Campbell and Takkarist McKinley.

Combining a clear vision for building the roster and a commitment to develop and rely on younger players early in their careers has helped the Falcons have great success in the later rounds of the draft. Day-three picks like Ricardo Allen, Devonta Freeman, Wes Schweitzer and Jarrett have all developed into starters, while Ryan Schraeder and Brian Poole have also become reliable starters, despite not hearing their names called during the NFL Draft.

"I couldn't ask for a better co-team builder to be partnered with than Dan," said Dimitroff. "I am appreciative of the support and confidence that Arthur continues to show us as we strive to bring a championship to this city and our fans. I am excited about where our team is currently as well as the outlook we have for the foreseeable future."

On the field, the Falcons have quickly become one of the league's primary contenders. In 2016, the Falcons boasted one of the best offenses in NFL history, and they have also built a defense that finished as a top-10 unit in both scoring and total defense in 2017 – the first time Atlanta has accomplished that feat since 1998.

Entering the 2018 season, the Falcons are once again expected to make a run at the playoffs for the third year in a row.