ATLANTA — An Atlanta Falcons fan was chosen as the NFL's 2021 Fan of the Year.
Henry Ison is a loyal fan of the team who has been a season ticket member since 1971, according to a release. It adds that Ison and his family have been attending games for more than 50 years, through three different home venues, and even traveling across the country to attend road games.
Ison was surprised by Falcons Owner and Chairman Arthur Blank through a video, notifying him that he had been chosen to become the 2021 NFL Fan of the Year presented by Captain Morgan, the team said.
The Falcons fan was chosen over 31 other finalists picked by the other teams in the league.
Ison and his family even have an annual tradition to travel down to New Orleans to watch their beloved home team take on their rivals, the Saints, according to the same release.
NFL Fan of the Year: Henry Ison
The Falcons also noted many of Ison's other life accomplishments, including being a Vietnam veteran, community activist, and owning a local recycling brokerage company.
At the height of the pandemic, the team said Ison also donated shipping containers through his company to be modified into make-shift hospitals.
The Falcons added, "Affectionately dubbed 'The Coach' by his family, Henry truly embodies the core values of the Falcons organization and has passed on the traditions of Falcons football to his daughters."
Each year, the NFL spotlights fans who "not only have an affinity for their local team but showcase how football has helped bring family, friends, and communities together," the team said in a release.
Each team chooses their own fan and this year's winners received two tickets to Super Bowl LVI as well as special league prizes, private question-and-answer sessions with NFL executives, and invitations to various league events throughout the season, the Falcons said.
For more on Ison and the other Fans of the Year, click here.