Reeves, in a show of respect for the team's older players, asked that Pro Bowlers and 10-year veterans be allowed to leave the
chartered Delta jet first when it arrived about 20 minutes late at Miami International Airport after a rousing sendoff in Atlanta.
"Coach is smart," said 35-year-old safety Eugene Robinson, who qualified for early departure in both categories. "He let us get off first to show leadership."
But receiver Terance Mathis, a Pro Bowl alternate and nine-year
veteran, said it wasn't the appropriate time to give some players special treatment.
"We came this far as a team," he said. "We should be treated as a team. No one is better than anyone else. The Super Bowl isn't
about Pro Bowlers and 10-year vets. It's about 53 guys.
"A lot of guys getting off the plane first knew it was wrong. A lot of guys that were not getting off the plane first knew it was
wrong."
Robinson brushed off the possibility that some players were upset, noting that Reeves and his coaching staff also waited to
depart the plane.
"That's all right," Robinson said. "They'll get over it. It's only a de-planing. That's water under the bridge."
At a news conference held before Mathis spoke, Reeves did not discuss his plans for leaving the plane. He did apologize for
stirring up bitter feelings when he spoke last week on the longstanding feud with Denver coach Mike Shanahan and quarterback John Elway.
"It doesn't accomplish anything talking about it," Reeves said. "I should be smart enough after 18 years in this business as
a head coach that when people ask you a question, they're going to make more of it than you thought."
The Falcons seemed in good spirits when they left the plane, which was adorned on the inside with streamers, balloons and
letters from schoolchildren. Many of the players gave the media a taste of their own scrutiny, carrying videocameras to record the
moment.
The first person to emerge when the door opened was a flight attendant, holding a cluster of red-and-black balloons. Another
Delta employee, wearing a Falcons T-shirt, performed the "Dirty Bird," the team's arm-flapping touchdown dance.
Jessie Tuggle gave a thumbs-up to the media, cordoned off behind orange-and-white barriers. Jamal Anderson held his right index
finger in the air while his left hand grasped a camera. Morten Andersen waved.
"I wanted to stand there and enjoy the moment," said Andersen, playing in the Super Bowl for the first time in a 17-year career.
"This is all new to me, so I just wanted to enjoy it."
Reeves, hardly looking like a man who underwent heart bypass surgery six weeks ago, lugged two pieces of luggage down the
stairs.
It had been raining earlier in the day in south Florida, but the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature approached 80
degrees when the Falcons touched down.
"What a great feeling," offensive tackle Bob Whitfield said. "You've got the warm weather and a beautiful city. We want to have
a little fun the next two days, then it will be time to get to work."
On their way to the Atlanta airport, the team buses and a couple of limousines rode through Centennial Olympic Park, where an
estimated 10,000 people -- including Mayor Bill Campbell and Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor -- gave them a "Dirty Bird" sendoff.
"It was great to see the city so excited," tight end O.J. Santiago said.
Carl DeMaria of Roswell, Ga., drove 30 miles with his wife, two girls and dog to the downtown Atlanta park "just so the kids could
be part of the Super Bowl hoopla."
Taylor, whose family has been season-ticket holders since the franchise was founded in 1966, admitted that he never thought he
would see the Falcons in the Super Bowl.
"My son asked me that last year and it broke my heart to say to him that I didn't think they were ever going to make it," Taylor
said. "But I'm proud to be proved wrong."
