Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank has vowed to take all his employees to Houston for the Super Bowl. He's in the process of making those final arrangements.
Team president Rich McKay said about 500 associates are expected to make the trip and have tickets to the game, although the details are still being worked out.
McKay sent out a statement acknowledging Blank's efforts:
"Football is the ultimate team sport and it goes way beyond the people you see on the field. It takes a lot of people to operate a successful NFL team and the staff works very, very hard all year round. Arthur loves the associates and one of our core values is 'Include Everyone.' He wants those who have helped our team reach the Super Bowl to have the chance to see the game live in Houston.''
The Falcons reached the Super Bowl for just the second time in franchise history after a 44-21 triumph over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. They'll take on the New England Patriots, who defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 in the AFC Championship Game.
The Falcons' win over the Packers marked the last game at Atlanta's Georgia Dome. The Falcons will move into the $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium starting next season.