Matt Ryan is currently preparing for his first season as an NFL broadcaster, but the long-time quarterback isn’t ready to officially retire from the league. In a conversation with Josh Kendall of The Athletic, Ryan acknowledged that he’s still leaving open the possibility of returning to the playing field.
[RELATED: Matt Ryan To Become Broadcaster; QB Open To Resuming Playing Career]
“I’m staying in shape,” Ryan said. “I think it is kind of, ‘You know my number. You know where I’m at.’ If anything were to come up, you know, we’ll see. (CBS) is where my focus is at right now. But we’ll see how the season shakes out.”
When Ryan revealed earlier this offseason that he was joining CBS as a studio and game analyst, he noted that the announcement wasn’t “a retirement post.” Ryan also stated after the season that he still viewed himself as being capable of playing at the NFL level. The quarterback was unceremoniously released by the Colts in March following a disappointing one-year stint with the organization. The 38-year-old is still due $12MM from the organization in 2023.
Ryan showed signs of age during the 2022 campaign, with his interception percentage (2.8) and yards-per-catch average (9.9) both establishing career-worst marks. However, the veteran also dealt with plenty of adversity during his only season outside of Atlanta, with the former MVP finding himself bouncing in and out of the starting lineup.
“It was one of those things, you know, I felt like I was going into it in a position where I’d probably seen it all in 14 years and then realize, ‘No you have not, you have not seen it all,’” Ryan said of his experience in Indianapolis. “There’s a lot of other things that are going to come up. It was a difficult year, there’s no doubt about it.”
Ryan enjoyed a 14-year stint with the Falcons, which included Offensive Rookie of the Year honors as well as a Super Bowl appearance. Ryan also opened up to Kendall about his Falcons divorce, acknowledging that it was a “s— show” but he “came out of it stronger and in a really good spot.”
“Things kind of escalated quickly within one week and the entire dynamic changed,” Ryan said of his eventual trade from Atlanta to Indy. “That part was hard, there’s no doubt about it because for 14 years every morning I woke up, I knew exactly what was expected of me. When that changes, that part was difficult, but you get thrust in through a new situation so quickly.”
Ryan clearly doesn’t hold any ill will towards his former organization. As Kendall writes, Ryan recently visited the Falcons’ training facility for the first time since he was traded, and he’s had dinner with Falcons owner Arthur Blank, as well.
“The biggest thing that I took away from that situation is I wasn’t going to let one bad week ruin 14 years of awesome, of really positive, great experiences,” Ryan said. “You also come to realize the business side of it. I understand that there are difficult decisions that need to be made and there’s a right or wrong way to do those kinds of things. Would I have liked some of it to be different? Yeah, but it wasn’t handled badly. It was just a situation that was difficult for all parties involved.”
Hmm, I’m not sure the statue with a dead arm is going to be the first call a team makes if their starter goes down.
If I had a young QB, I’d sign Ryan as a backup to help mentor the rookie. Most times, if your starter goes down for any length of time, you’re going to lose games anyway. My guess is he wouldn’t leave the booth to play a backup role, though. And as a starter? Hard pass.
Is in front of or behind CK for getting a call?
The Bills should have explored him as a backup this year.
Agreed
Id take him as a back up any day of the week. Except game day. Enjoy retirement.
The Atlanta situation was nothing more than a frank assessment of dollars committed versus actual football worth.
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He should get a call from Dolphins in case Tua gets dizzy again
I wouldn’t pin my hopes on the phone ringing for a Quarterback opportunity. Time to Ride off into the sunset.
“adversity” from a guy who has made $291,713,631 dollars and is still being paid $12,000,000 from the colts this season, which would bring him to $303,713,631 (salary only. Source:spotrac)
The only adversity he faced was getting paid in full to play for another team. Dude has to be kidding right now. He’s played on loaded teams and accomplished nothing. He should have had the presence of mind to audible and not snap the ball with 17 seconds on the play clock in the second half of the Superbowl when up by 25 but what do I know
Matt Ryan has made over $300 million playing as a top tier starter. I’m not quite sure why he wants to explore the $5 million/year marginal backup circuit. At his age, and with his obvious stiffening mobility, I’m also not sure why he wants to be hit by NFL defensive ends and linebackers. Any one of those hits can change his life for the much worse. Ask Joe Theismann, ask Alex Smith.
If he doesn’t play, he’s not the man any more. Just a thin old guy with a clipboard. Overpaid not to play.