The 1966 NFL expansion draft was a National Football League (NFL) draft in which a new expansion team, named the Atlanta Falcons, selected its first players.
On June 30, 1965, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle awarded the first NFL franchise in the Deep South to the city of Atlanta and granted ownership to Rankin Smith Sr.[1] So that the Falcons could become competitive with existing teams, the league awarded the Falcons the first pick in the 1966 NFL draft, supplemented with the final pick in the first five rounds.
That selection was provided by the expansion draft, held on February 15, 1966.
[1] In this draft, held six weeks after the regular draft, the existing franchises listed players from which the Falcons could select to switch to the new team.
Atlanta was able to select two more for a total of 42 players chosen.