The Georgia Swarm spent New Year’s Eve at the Atlanta Falcons do-or-die regular season finale. The Falcons invited the team out on Sunday, Dec. 31 to celebrate the Swarm’s 2017 NLL World Championship and honored the franchise during halftime on the field.
In addition to enjoying a 22-10 Falcons’ victory over division rival Carolina, Swarm coaches and players were elated by the first class treatment and recognition from its fellow neighbor. At halftime, the Swarm brought the NLL Champion’s Cup onto the field and stood centerfield by the Falcons logo as a highlight reel of the Swarm’s World Championship season was played on the Halo Board in front of 74,141 Falcons fans.
“It brings everything back to how hard we worked to get to where we are,” Swarm assistant coach Dan Ladouceur said. “We know we have work to do to get back to repeating. It was nice to see all of it come together and know that we have work ahead of us.”
“This was super cool,” Swarm team captain Jordan MacIntosh said. “A lot of us have family and friends in the crowd tonight. So to be able to share that moment with them today was really cool, an awesome experience.”
Being honored at Mercedes-Benz Stadium capped off a busy weekend for the Swarm. During Saturday’s home opener, the team came out after a two-hour game delay to beat the previously undefeated Rochester Knighthawks 14-11. Georgia also unveiled its 2017 NLL World Championship Banner, coaches and players received their championship rings and everyone at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Field at Infinite Energy Arena enjoyed a halftime performance from Atlanta-based GRAMMY® Award-winning hip hop artist 2 Chainz.
“It’s been a wild weekend,” MacIntosh concluded. “This is probably the best way you could cap the weekend. Makes you want to keep winning championships to keep doing this stuff.”
