Falcons induct franchise legend QB Matt Ryan into Ring of Honor

When Matt Ryan was traded to the Indianapolis Colts back in 2022, he held the Atlanta Falcons franchise records for completion percentage, passing yardage, passing touchdowns, and game-winning drives, as well as one of the team’s two Super Bowl appearances and its sole Most Valuable Player award under his belt. There was never any question that Ryan was heading to the Falcons Ring of Honor after he retired.

Tonight, the Falcons make the induction official, putting the most productive passer in franchise history into the most esteemed inner circle of Atlanta greats. Ryan will join owner Arthur Blank, who was inducted earlier this year, as well as all-timers like Jessie Tuggle, Roddy White, and Deion Sanders.

After the team selected him third overall in the 2008 NFL Draft and immediately installed him as a starter, Ryan’s Falcons rattled off five straight winning seasons and four playoff berths in that span, including an NFC Conference Championship run in 2012. After two down years for Ryan and the team, Kyle Shanahan came to town and revitalized the passing attack after a rough 2015, with an MVP season in 2016 followed by a playoff year in 2017 and another great season in 2018.

Working with Falcons greats like Michael Turner and Roddy White early in his career and Julio Jones later on, Ryan led this passing attack to heights we had never seen as fans and are praying we’ll see someday soon with Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix. Underrated by fans and analysts throughout much of his career (at least until 2016), Ryan quietly excelled and won more games at the helm of the offense than any quarterback who came before him could dream of doing. If the ending for his career was dispiriting and the lack of a Super Bowl win will likely always haunt him the way it haunts us, it’s impossible to deny that the regular season success, postseason success, and franchise relevance Ryan brought changed everything.

Ryan then hung around through the first year of the Arthur Smith era before the Falcons made the foolish decision to chase a Deshaun Watson trade, which directly led to Ryan being shipped out to the Colts. He finished a tough season there and then retired. When he hung up his cleats, he was 7th in NFL history in passing yardage, 9th in touchdowns, and 19th in passer ratings, with the 4th-highest number of fourth quarter comebacks ever. Whether Ryan will wind up in the Hall of Fame is anyone’s guess, but his place as a Falcons and NFL great is still quite secure. The fact that he was and remains active in the Atlanta community, spending time and money to support causes around the city while he embarks on his second career in broadcasting, is just another points in Ryan’s favor.

Congratulations to Matt Ryan, who takes his deserved place alongside the Falcons greats of yesteryear, and will likely be more appreciated for that greatness with each passing year.