Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan will retire an Atlanta Falcon

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:24 p.m. ET

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Apr 26, 2008; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces quarterback Matt Ryan (Boston College) as the number three overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-US PRESSWIRE

After two stellar performances to open the season, the anti-Ryan camp should subside. But in case it doesn’t, here are a few reasons why Matt Ryan is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Since the day he was drafted third overall in the 2008 draft, fans have questioned Matt Ryan’s ability to be a franchise quarterback. Ryan has been one of the league’s most maligned quarterbacks, with his status among the elite being called into question on a weekly basis. His mistakes are constantly put under a microscope, while his accomplishments are cast to the wayside.

In an age where you have Tony Romo able to play only a handful of games the last two seasons, Matt Ryan has been a fixture on the field. That kind of stability should not be taken for granted.

Part of the reason Matt has stood the test of time for as long as he has is because of the winning culture he has instilled in this once downtrodden franchise. Matt ushered in five consecutive winning seasons to start his career. In fact, Matty Ice holds the NFL record for most wins (56) by a starting quarterback through his first five seasons.

Matt Ryan has been the last of the Falcons’ worries over the last three years. A nonexistent running game, a disastrous offensive line, and a porous defense are just a few of the problems Ryan has had to deal with. All those issues notwithstanding, Matt Ryan has still produced at a very high level.

The following slides put into perspective just how important Matt Ryan is to the Atlanta Falcons organization.

Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) calls a play against the Oakland Raiders in the second quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Durability and Longevity

To quantify what quarterback Matt Ryan means to the Atlanta Falcons, a bit of a history lesson is required.

Before Ryan’s arrival in 2008, the Atlanta Falcons had 37 different starting quarterbacks line up under center in the team’s first 42 seasons. In fact, only five quarterbacks had logged 50 or more starts with the franchise before Ryan came on the scene – Bob Berry (50 starts, 1968-1972), Steve Bartkowski (121 starts, 1975-1985), Chris Miller (66 starts, 1987-1993), Chris Chandler (67 starts, 1997-2001), and Michael Vick (67 starts, 2001-2006).

Delving further into this you’ll find that only Falcons legend and Ring of Honor member Steve Bartkowski started all 16 games in a season on more than one occasion. It is pretty impressive to look at Ryan compared to these five other signal callers and see a player that has started all 16 games in seven of his eight seasons and missed only two career games.

Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) prepares to throw a pass against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Winning Culture

Durability and longevity are not the only two traits that make Matty Ice an important cog in the Falcons’ franchise history. It is what he has accomplished in those eight short seasons that will one day have him joining the likes of Steve Bartkowski in the rafters of the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

No quarterback prior to Ryan had ever led the Falcons to back-to-back winning seasons. The saying often goes “a quarterback receives too much praise when his team wins, and too much criticism when his team loses,” but in this case, the praise is justified.

Look at the team Ryan inherited – a rookie head coach; a running back starting for the first time; an offensive line molded of relative unknowns; no safety blanket tight end; and a mediocre defense, to put it mildly.

The fact that Ryan accomplished this feat in his first two seasons in the league makes it all the more impressive, considering rookie quarterbacks prior to the 2008 draft class were seldom asked to do more than hold a clipboard during their inaugural season. One could argue Matt Ryan is not only important to the Atlanta Falcons history, but he is also an important figure in NFL history – along with draft classmate Joe Flacco –for the way they became trailblazers for all future rookie quarterbacks.

Consistent Production

Since leading the Falcons to winning records in his first two seasons, Matt Ryan has led the franchise to two division crowns (most by any Falcon quarterback), three more playoff berths (his four playoff appearances are also most by any Falcon quarterback), and a total record of 75-53. Chris Chandler (34-33) and Michael Vick (38-28-1) are the only other Falcon quarterbacks that have winning records.

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If not for the team crumbling around him over the last three seasons, Ryan’s career record could look even better than the .582 winning percentage would indicate. Nevertheless, Ryan has been a model of consistency. He’s never thrown for fewer than 4,000 yards passing, completed less than 66% of his passes, or had a QB rating less than 89.0 in the past three lost seasons.

According to an ESPN Insider article by Mark Sando, Matt Ryan ranks sixth in Total QBR since he entered the league in 2008, trailing only Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady. So before you dismiss Matt Ryan in favor of, say, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, remember you’re not only dismissing the Falcons unquestioned greatest quarterback in franchise history, you’re also dismissing one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL over the last eight years.

Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) is congratulated by quarterback Matt Ryan (2) after scoring a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the second quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Conclusion

The mark of a franchise quarterback is one that is durable, wins, and has the numbers to support his status among the other greats around the league. Matt Ryan checks off all three of those boxes.

Not only is Matt Ryan a franchise quarterback, he is the franchise’s undisputed greatest quarterback. How many other signal callers playing today can say that? With this honor comes the immense pressure to perform at a high level each and every outing.

If Matty Ice was feeling the heat coming off a down year, he sure hasn’t shown it yet. Through two games this season, Matt Ryan leads the league in QB rating (121.4) and yards per attempt (10.0); and is second in completion percentage (72.6), yards (730), and touchdowns (5).

So Falcon fans, let’s finally start to appreciate Matt Ryan’s greatness. Quarterbacks of his caliber do not come around very often. Just ask the Cleveland Browns; they’ve been searching for theirs since 1999.

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