Matt Ryan said last August that he was staying in shape in case a team in need of quarterback help gave him a call, but that call never came and Ryan spent the year calling games for CBS rather than playing in them.
Ryan’s reasoning for saying he was open to playing was likely because the $12 million he was owed by the Colts for the 2023 season would disappear if he retired. That contract is now up and there’s no reason for Ryan to continue casting himself as an active player, so he’s no longer going to do so.
The Falcons released a video on Monday that features Ryan officially retiring as a player. Ryan spent the first 14 years of his career in Atlanta and was named the MVP for the 2016 season. Ryan led the Falcons to the Super Bowl that year, but they lost to the Patriots in overtime after giving up a 28-3 lead.
Atlanta traded Ryan to the Colts for a third-round pick before the 2022 season. He struggled in 12 starts before being benched for the final weeks of the season and the Colts released him in 2023.
Ryan also won offensive player of the year in 2016 and he was named a first-team All-Pro. He was also the offensive rookie of the year after being drafted with the third pick in the 2008 draft.
Ryan is Atlanta’s franchise leader in every meaningful passing category. He ranks seventh in NFL history in passing yards, ninth in passing touchdowns, and fifth in completions.