The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history
By Ian Cummings
Three has always been the strongest number. Always. Especially in the NFL.
For NFL teams, having three players who bond together and lift everyone else up can be the key to success.
Even in ancient times, when the helmets were bronze and the only screen was the sky itself, three was the strongest. Think of the pyramids; four planes, with a base and three lateral faces, all shaped as the three-sided polygon, the triangle.
The pyramidion at the pinnacle of the structure is the crown of the obelisk, but it cannot stand for so long without the strength of its foundation. And the foundation of the pyramid only continues to square its shoulders because of the nature of the three-sided faces and how each face follows a gradient to the top until all planes coalesce and converge, at one single point.
With the harmony of the number three, these pyramids have stood for millennia. And with any luck, and with an excellent bookkeeper, so too will the accomplishments of the greatest triplets in NFL history.
Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, Julio Jones. Atlanta Falcons. High-Flying Birds . 30. player. 44.
The new era of football has introduced us to some of the most explosive offensive attacks of all time. Passing the football is the new balanced and the 2016 Atlanta Falcons played a major role in accelerating the trend. This trio of players set new records for a franchise that already had some impressive offensive record-setters.
With the input of then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons trio of Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones put together one of the most complete offensive seasons in NFL history. Ryan won NFL MVP for his exploits, amassing 4,944 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions.
Ryan benefitted, of course, from the help of the electric Jones, who mounted the second All-Pro campaign of his career, and Freeman, who broke double-digit touchdowns on the ground and averaged almost five yards per carry.
The Falcons scored a whopping 540 points throughout the regular season. Atlanta scored an additional 108 in three playoff games, averaging 36 points per game in the post-season.
They would ultimately fall short of their goal, courtesy of a legendary comeback by another, more established NFL triplet. But this trio’s dominance, in its prime, can’t be forgotten. And for now, there’s still time for them to build on their success.