Macon fans find fun at Falcons watch party

The Atlanta Falcons brought a gameday experience to Macon Nov. 2, hosting a watch party in downtown Macon at historic Luther Williams Field for the Falcons’ tilt against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

A couple hundred fans drifted into the home of the Macon Bacon near Carolyn Crayton Park as early as 11 a.m. toting camping chairs, blankets and plenty of red-and-black garb to watch the game. They were greeted by energetic music, food trucks, activity booths and the mascots for both the Falcons and the Macon Bacon — that’s Freddie Falcon and Kevin Bacon, for the uninitiated.

There was a football-tossing “target practice” booth, a spot for face-painting, a set of cornhole boards, a giant-cup pong set and more. Kevin and Freddie wandered the grounds, making friends and enemies among fans as folks sipped Falcon-red cranberry concoctions from Macon Bacon-branded cups.

But perhaps the biggest draw of the event besides the game itself was former Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli, who was in attendance signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

The two-time Pro Bowl honoree looked like he could still take the field with the Falcons had he felt like it, but Mughelli had just as much fun meeting and greeting Maconites on the outfield grass.

“It’s a ton of fun to get together and watch a game like this,” Mughelli said. “I love to drive down here a couple hours and see the fans in a different part of Georgia; it’s really fun to see people who care about the Falcons.”

The bruising-back-turned-fervent-fan blended right in with the Falcons faithful, smiling and laughing while he signed autographs before the game but paying close attention to the big screen once Atlanta took the field.

“Every player gets a little upset or irritated the year they get let go, but once you get over that and you realize it was all business, you become a fan, usually of the team you played with,” Mughelli said. “It’s fun to celebrate and find a collective, so coming to an event like this is fantastic. I’m so proud of the Falcons creating something like this where fans can congregate.”

It was a fun atmosphere thanks to both Mughelli and the mascots. Before the game, the former met fans while the latter made folks laugh.

Freddie was the more mischievous of the two mascots, often plopping himself into fans’ vacant seats much to the delight of bystanders. He had a soft side, though, greeting little tykes with warmth and even helping one youngster toss a football around. Kevin got in on the mascot antics as well, staring in mock-horror at fans who had bacon-topped fries … or as much horror as a mascot’s static face can have, anyway.

There were dance-offs — one fan broke it down well enough to win a miniature souvenir helmet — and deep-fried delicacies of all kinds.

Things were a bit less jovial once the game kicked off, as the Falcons let the Patriots score fairly quickly to open the contest. Atlanta drove downfield not long after, though, and when receiver Drake London reeled in the first of his three touchdown grabs on the day, the Falcons crowd celebrated as one in Macon.

Though Atlanta eventually lost a heartbreaker 24-23, the fans had energy throughout. Another high point came when Atlanta’s two first-round draft picks, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., combined on a play that gave the Falcons a fumble and eventually led to a score.

Mughelli cheered (and occasionally groaned) right along with them. He even talked football with fans as the game went on, discussing schemes — like the Falcons’ propensity for the Pistol formation — and players.

“One of those guys (in a fan group) said, ‘Look how the Patriots are using their fullback.’ He was right, I wish the Falcons would use a fullback,” Mughelli said. “I just love talking about football as a fan, with other fans.”

Coming from the man who was arguably the greatest fullback to ever put on a Falcons uniform, it made sense. But putting his pro-fullback biases aside, Mughelli still loved Bijan Robinson and the Falcons’ run game. After all, he was once a major part of it.

“I was in the backfield with Michael Turner, who I think is up there in terms of all-time great Falcons running backs,” Mughelli said. “We talked about fullbacks, and then running backs, and after a while those guys recognized me.

“We just got to laughing it up. It was a great time.”

Even some non-Falcons fans made it out to the watch party in downtown Macon. One couple wore matching he/she Steelers T-shirts. Jerseys for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs could also be spotted. 

Even some Patriots gear popped up, though these fans wisely flew under the radar for the most part.

“I didn’t wear my jersey, but I’m a Patriots fan. We gotta lay low,” one New England fan could be overheard saying.