Matt Ryan mentioned last August that he was keeping fit, just in case a team needed a quarterback. However, no team reached out to him, so he ended up working as a commentator for CBS instead of playing.
One reason Ryan expressed interest in playing might be because if he retired, he’d lose the $12 million owed to him by the Colts for the 2023 season. But now that his contract is over, he has no reason to keep pretending he’s an active player.
The Falcons released a video on Monday announcing Ryan’s retirement as a player. He spent 14 years of his career in Atlanta, where he was named MVP for the 2016 season. Ryan led the Falcons to the Super Bowl that year, although they lost to the Patriots in overtime after initially leading 28-3.
Before the 2022 season, Atlanta traded Ryan to the Colts for a third-round pick. He had a tough time with the Colts, starting in 12 games before being benched for the rest of the season, leading to his release in 2023.
Ryan has achieved several accolades, including Offensive Player of the Year and being named a first-team All-Pro in 2016. He was also the Offensive Rookie of the Year after being drafted third in the 2008 draft.
In Atlanta, Ryan holds records in various passing categories, ranking seventh in NFL history in passing yards, ninth in passing touchdowns, and fifth in completions.
