2023 saw Matt Ryan transition to the broadcast booth, a move which appeared to bring an end to his playing days. The former MVP quarterback remained open to a return to the field last season, but that is no longer the case. 
Ryan announced his official retirement on Monday (video link). To no surprise, he has done so as a member of the Falcons, the organization with which he spent the first 14 years of his career. The 38-year-old spent 2022 with the Colts, but his one-and-done tenure there paved the way for his broadcasting career to begin.
The Falcons drafted Ryan third overall in 2008, and he served as the team’s starting quarterback from that point through to his final campaign in Atlanta (2021). He collected four Pro Bowl nods during that span, highlighted by the 2016 season in which he was at the helm of the league’s highest-scoring offense. The Falcons rode their success on that side of the ball to a Super Bowl appearance.
Atlanta went on to suffer an historic collapse in that game, and the team has only made one playoff appearance since. As Ryan aged, he generally remained a consistent producer but the former Offensive Rookie of the Year was unable to guide the Falcons an another deep playoff run. After facing increasing questions about his future, Ryan was dealt to the Colts in 2022.
Indianapolis viewed the Ryan acquisition as a multi-year investment, but he struggled during his run as the team’s starter (14 touchdowns, 13 interceptions in 12 games). With Frank Reich out of the picture, interim head coach Jeff Saturday benched the Boston College product; that move, in turn, foreshadowed his release last March. Ryan then lined up a deal with CBS while leaving the door open to an NFL return under the right circumstances.
After the Jets lost Aaron Rodgers to an Achilles tear in Week 1, Ryan was named as one of the veteran passers who reached out to New York about a short-term arrangement. Ryan disputed that, though, and he remained away from the game (in a playing capacity) for the campaign. Now, he can keep his attention focused on his broadcasting work while reflecting on his decorated time in the league.
“So today, 16 days after being drafted, my childhood dream has officially come to an end. I’m honored to retire as a Falcon,” Ryan’s message reads in part. “Thank you to all the Falcons fans for your continued support… While we didn’t accomplish everything we had hoped, I am proud of what we did.”
Ryan will formally exit the game as the Falcons’ franchise record-holder in several categories. In terms of all-time ranks, he sits fifth in the NFL in completions (5.551), seventh in yards (62.792) and ninth in touchdowns (381). Today’s one-day Falcons pact represents the final – and, of course, least lucrative – one of his accomplished tenure. Ryan amassed over $306MM in career earnings after inking two separate Atlanta extensions with a nine-figure total value.
“You have no control in this profession in where you start,” Ryan added. “I am so lucky that my start and my finish was here in Atlanta.”
Hall of famer?
To me no, but I think he gets in anyways. NFL HOF seems much more receptive to borderline guys than the MLB does. Watching him play I never thought he was one of the best ever.
Sadly I think that blown Super Bowl will keep him out, not that it’s on him.
If you read off of his career stats without naming the player most people would say Hall of Famer I bet….problem is that Superbowl game has forever tarnished what really was a great career. I’m a Falcons fan and I can’t say either way if he should get in or not.
Ryan and Rivers are in similar boats, I think, in that regard. Not winning a title hurts, but in a less quarterback dominated era, they may have had a chance even without rings. Ryan could probably play as well as most Hall of Fame quarterbacks, and definitely could play well enough that you wouldn’t be nervous taking him into any game. Still, he doesn’t have that signature season or record, despite his MVP, that would push him over the top in spite of championship. Would I be mad if he made it? No, because I respect him, but he’s not exactly guaranteed on my hypothetical list.
Statistically,yes, they’re both Hall of famers.
Two major things will be held against them.
– 1, which is fair, is they didn’t win big games. – 2, which is not fair, is that they played in the same era as Brady, Peyton, Rodgers, Brees, Eli, Big Ben. They were a part of the golden era of quarterback’s.. Those 6 QBs hold 15 SB rings between 2001-2021. Two of them are very similar statistically to Ryan and Rivers and thats big Ben and Eli. But the rings will be the clear difference
One minor thing that is certainly not on them is the markets they played in, SD doesn’t even have a football team anymore and Atlanta has been a baseball dominated city for as long as I can remember.
I could see them both getting in but I don’t think they will and I’d say Ryan has a better chance then rivers.
I think matt Ryan was a great quarterback, the question is, is that enough in the era he played in?
If so what are the chances he wears a Colts hat?
Irsay embarrassed himself by his treatment of Ryan. Sad actually…
Great player, sucks that his legacy will be defined by one game. Enjoy retirement Matty Ice.
I feel pretty much the same way. Good dude, very good player, nice career.
“16 days”? Man, time is really dragging…
He seems like guy who put up good to great numbers as much out of longevity as out of stardom. And that’s why his HIF candidacy will be so divisive. To those who say his SB appearance will tarnish him I say “Look at what he has to work with most of the rest of his career”.
His longevity was actually a bit less than all of the six named above in a previous post and yet his numbers are still in line. He quit playing at 37, and sadly was tagged with below average offensive lines most of his career (though he would never throw them under the bus). Those other six played longer (Brady 45, Brees 41, Eli 38, and the trio of Peyton, Big Ben, and Rivers all at 39).
It just seems like Ryan was around forever because he started putting up good stats from year one and played through almost every injury he had. His stats are definitely more of the counting stats, but if you actually look at his record against betting odds in the playoffs he actually over-achieved. It’s just that the Falcons were generally not a good enough team to go very far (some of that can be put on his cap number creating roster issues, but the same could be said for Julio, Devonta, and the host of crappy DE’s they kept bringing in to try to plug holes left by poor draft decisions).
The Colts’ version of Ryan got crumbled on so many passing plays that I was surprised that he was able to even return later that year. He actually looked trimmer and more mobile to me than he did in his Atlanta days-not that he was a mobile guy to begin with.
For his career, though, Atlanta definitely made the right call by picking him. Losing Vick was a shocker to them, but Ryan was a truly gifted quarterback who was consistent and reliable. He had a cannon, too, for much of his career. Smart player. Any team would have lucky to have him, and quite a few probably could have won a ring with him under center as well. I am not a Falcons fan, but Ryan is one of those players who it would have been good to see win one.
I keep expecting him to show up in a Tom Clancy novel…lol.
Forever a legend. Thank you Matt