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{{Short description|American football player (born 1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{similar names|Matthew Ryan (disambiguation){{!}}Matthew Ryan}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Matt Ryan
| name = Matt Ryan
| image = Washington Football Team at Atlanta Falcons (3 October 2021) DSC 4628 (51555290664) (cropped).jpg
|image=Matt Ryan training camp 2016.jpg
|image_size=252
| image_size =
|alt=
| alt =
|caption=Ryan in 2016
| caption = Ryan with the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in 2021
| number = 2
|current_team=Atlanta Falcons
| position = [[Quarterback]]
|number=2
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|5|17|mf=y}}
|position=[[Quarterback]]
| birth_place = [[Exton, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1985|5|17|mf=y}}
| height_ft = 6
|birth_place=[[Exton, Pennsylvania]]
| height_in = 4
|height_ft=6
| weight_lbs = 220
|height_in=4
| high_school = [[William Penn Charter School|Penn Charter]]<br/>([[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]])
|weight_lbs=217
| college = [[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College]] (2003–2007)
|high_school=[[William Penn Charter School|Philadelphia (PA) Penn Charter]]
| draftyear = 2008
|college=[[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College]]
| draftround = 1
|draftyear=2008
| draftpick = 3
|draftround=1
| pastteams =
|draftpick=3
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|2008|2021}})
|pastteams=
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|2008}}–present)
* [[Indianapolis Colts]] ({{NFL Year|2022}})
| highlights =
|status=Active
|highlights=
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2011 Pro Bowl|2010]], [[2013 Pro Bowl|2012]], [[2015 Pro Bowl|2014]], [[2017 Pro Bowl|2016]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2016 All-Pro Team|2016]])
* [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] (2016)
* [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] (2016)
* [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] (2016)
* [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] (2016)
* [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (2008)
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2016 All-Pro Team|2016]])
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2011 Pro Bowl|2010]], [[2013 Pro Bowl|2012]], [[2015 Pro Bowl|2014]], [[2017 Pro Bowl|2016]])
* [[List of National Football League annual passer rating leaders|NFL passer rating leader]] (2016)
* [[List of National Football League annual passer rating leaders|NFL passer rating leader]] (2016)
* [[List of National Football League annual pass completion percentage leaders|NFL completion percentage leader]] (2012)
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] (2008)
* [[Bert Bell Award]] (2016)
* [[Bert Bell Award]] (2016)
* [[Atlanta Falcons#Ring of Honor|Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor]]
* [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award|NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (2008)
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[2007 College Football All-America Team|2007]])
* [[Atlantic Coast Conference football individual awards#Player of the Year|ACC Player of the Year]] (2007)
* [[Manning Award]] (2007)
* [[Manning Award]] (2007)
* [[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]] (2007)
* [[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]] (2007)
* [[Atlantic Coast Conference football individual awards#Player of the Year|ACC Player of the Year]] (2007)
|statweek=9
* [[Atlantic Coast Conference football individual awards#Offensive Player of the Year|ACC Offensive Player of the Year]] (2007)
|statseason=2017
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[2007 College Football All-America Team|2007]])
|statlabel1=Passing attempts
* 2× First-team All-[[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]] ([[2006 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|2006]], [[2007 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|2007]])
|statvalue1=5,363
* [[Boston College Eagles football#Honored jerseys|Boston College Eagles Jersey No. 12]] retired
|statlabel2=Passing completions
| statlabel1 = Passing attempts
|statvalue2=3,487
| statvalue1 = 8,464
|statlabel3=Percentage
| statlabel2 = Passing completions
|statvalue3=65.0
| statvalue2 = 5,551
|statlabel4=[[Touchdowns|TD]]–[[Interceptions|INT]]
| statlabel3 = Completion percentage
|statvalue4=253–122
| statvalue3 = 65.6%
|statlabel5=Passing yards
| statlabel4 = [[Touchdowns|TD]]–[[Interceptions|INT]]
|statvalue5=40,073
| statvalue4 = 381–183
|statlabel6=[[Passer rating]]
| statlabel5 = Passing yards
|statvalue6=93.6
| statvalue5 = 62,792
|nflnew=mattryan/310
| statlabel6 = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6 = 93.6
| pfr = RyanMa00
}}
}}


'''Matthew Thomas Ryan''' (born May 17, 1985), nicknamed "'''Matty Ice'''", is an [[American football]] [[quarterback]] for the [[Atlanta Falcons]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). After playing [[college football]] for [[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College]], Ryan was drafted by the Falcons with the third overall pick in the first round of the [[2008 NFL Draft]].
'''Matthew Thomas Ryan''' (born May 17, 1985) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[quarterback]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the [[Atlanta Falcons]]. Nicknamed "'''Matty Ice'''", Ryan holds the Falcons franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, completions, passer rating, and wins. He played [[college football]] for the [[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College Eagles]], winning the [[Manning Award|Manning]] and [[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]]s as a senior, and was selected by the Falcons third overall in the [[2008 NFL draft]].


Ryan immediately made an impact by taking the Falcons to the playoffs in his first season, earning him [[National Football League Rookie of the Year Award|Offensive Rookie of the Year]]. During his Atlanta tenure, he led the team to six playoff appearances and three division titles, while receiving four [[Pro Bowl]] selections. His most successful season was in 2016 when he was named the [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|NFL Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) and led the Falcons to an appearance in [[Super Bowl LI]]. In his final season, Ryan played for the [[Indianapolis Colts]]. Since retiring, he has served as an analyst for [[CBS Sports]].
Ryan was Boston College's starting quarterback from 2005 to 2007, leading them to three bowl victories and a 25–7 record in 32 starts. He threw for 200 or more yards 15 times and is third all time in school history in passing yards and in pass completions. He earned MVP of the game honors at the 2005 [[Humanitarian Bowl|MPC Computers Bowl]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/08/30/grittiness_at_the_helm|work=The Boston Globe|title=Grittiness at the helm|date=August 30, 2007|first1=Jackie|last1=MacMullan}}</ref>


==Early life==
In 2007, Ryan led his team to an [[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC Atlantic Division]] championship and was named [[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]] Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112807aaf.html|title=Boston College's Matt Ryan Named ACC Player of the Year|publisher=acc.com|date=2007-11-28|accessdate=2007-12-01}}</ref> During his rookie year, Ryan started all 16 games for the Falcons and led them to the playoffs with an 11–5 season record. He earned honors as the [[National Football League Rookie of the Year Award|NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]]. In 2016, Ryan was the [[NFL MVP|NFL's Most Valuable Player]] and led the Falcons to [[Super Bowl LI]].
Ryan went to [[William Penn Charter School]] in [[Philadelphia]] where he was a three-year starter and earned All-East honors from Larunt Lemming Prep Football Report.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koller |first=Brock |date=February 5, 2017 |title=Matt Ryan and more: Locals from Philadelphia area to root for in Super Bowl LI |url=https://6abc.com/1738692/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014732/https://6abc.com/super-bowl-matt-ryan-philadelphia-atlanta-falcons/1738692/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |website=6abc Philadelphia |language=en}}</ref> He captured All-Southeastern Pennsylvania accolades as a senior quarterback in addition to receiving All-City first-team honors in 2002 and second-team recognition in 2001. A three-time All-League selection, he threw for more than 2000 yards with 19 touchdowns as a senior, finishing his career by completing more than 52 percent of his pass attempts during all three seasons at the helm. Ryan played football, basketball and baseball while in high school and was named captain of all three teams his senior year. He was [[quarterback]] of the [[American football|football]] team in 2002, played [[small forward]] on the [[basketball]] team, and was a [[pitcher]] and [[shortstop]] on the [[baseball]] team.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite web |title=Player Bio: Matt Ryan |url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html |archive-date=April 13, 2010 |access-date=December 28, 2010 |website=Boston College Eagles}}</ref>


Ryan says he was "mildly" recruited and began receiving scholarship offers as a sophomore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Raekwon |date=June 22, 2017 |title=From Unknown Recruit to NFL MVP: How Matt Ryan Became The Savior of the Atlanta Falcons |url=https://bloggingdirty.com/2017/06/22/from-unknown-recruit-to-nfl-mvp-how-matt-ryan-became-the-savior-of-the-atlanta-falcons/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224030147/https://bloggingdirty.com/2017/06/22/from-unknown-recruit-to-nfl-mvp-how-matt-ryan-became-the-savior-of-the-atlanta-falcons/ |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=Blogging Dirty|publisher=Fansided |language=en-US}}</ref> Some of the schools that offered him an athletic scholarship were [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]], [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football|Georgia Tech]], [[Temple Owls football|Temple]], and [[Connecticut Huskies football|Connecticut]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan Recruit Interests |url=https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Matt-Ryan-52194/RecruitInterests/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014218/https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Matt-Ryan-52194/RecruitInterests/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=247sports.com}}</ref> After visiting Boston College during his junior year, he gave them his verbal commitment on August 14, 2002. His choices had come down to [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] or Boston College. Ryan was looking for a university close to home and one that had a strong and competitive football program with a major emphasis on academics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Narducci |first=Mark |date=August 14, 2002 |title=Penn Charter star chooses BC Matt Ryan's finalists were Boston College and Iowa. |url=http://articles.philly.com/2002-08-14/sports/25336892_1_boston-college-top-quarterbacks-iowa |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921072316/http://articles.philly.com/2002-08-14/sports/25336892_1_boston-college-top-quarterbacks-iowa |archive-date=September 21, 2015 |access-date=August 14, 2002 |website=Philly.com}}</ref>
==High school career==
Ryan attended the [[William Penn Charter School]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Sielski: Matt Ryan's never been better, nine years in |first=Mike|last=Sielski |work=philly.com |publisher=[[Philadelphia Media Network]] (Digital), Inc. |date=November 9, 2016 |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20161110_Sielski_Matt_Ryan_s_never_been_better_nine_years_in.html |accessdate=2016-11-18 |quote=Matt Ryan has been good for a long time, but it took him a long time to be this good.}}</ref> in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], where he was a three-year starter and earned All-East honors from Larunt Lemming Prep Football Report. He captured All-Southeastern Pennsylvania accolades as a senior quarterback in addition to receiving All-City first-team honors in 2002 and second-team recognition in 2001. A three-time All-League selection, he threw for more than 1,300 yards with 9 touchdowns as a senior, finishing his career by completing more than 52 percent of his pass attempts during all three seasons at the helm. Ryan played football, basketball and baseball while in high school and was named captain of all three teams his senior year. He was [[quarterback]] of the [[American football|football]] team in 2002, played [[small forward]] on the [[basketball]] team, and was a [[pitcher]] and a [[shortstop]] on the [[baseball]] team.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html|title=Player Bio: Matt Ryan|publisher=Boston College Official Athletic Site|accessdate=2010-12-28|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html|archivedate=2010-04-13|df=}}</ref>

Ryan says he was "mildly" recruited and began receiving scholarship offers as a sophomore. Some of the schools that offered him an athletic scholarship were [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]], [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football|Georgia Tech]], [[Temple Owls football|Temple]], and [[Connecticut Huskies football|Connecticut]]. After attending his recruiting visit with Boston College during his junior year, it was announced he gave them his verbal commitment on August 14, 2002. His choices had come down to [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] or Boston College. Ryan was looking for a university close to home and had a strong and competitive football program with a major emphasis on academics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2002-08-14/sports/25336892_1_boston-college-top-quarterbacks-iowa|title=Penn Charter star chooses BC Matt Ryan's finalists were Boston College and Iowa.|author=Mark Narducci|accessdate=August 14, 2002}}</ref>


==College career==
==College career==


===2003-2004 seasons===
===2003–2004===

Ryan began attending Boston College in 2003 and [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirted]] his first year with the team. Before the 2004 season, he was named the starting quarterback for [[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College]] due to an injury to [[Quinton Porter]]. He made his collegiate debut on October 2, 2004 against the [[2004 UMass Minutemen football team|UMass Minutemen]] and completed two of three passes for 16 yards. He would not complete his first [[touchdown]] until November 20, 2004 against [[2004 Temple Owls football team|Temple]], after throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Larry Lester. Replacing the injured [[Paul Peterson (American football)|Paul Peterson]], he completed 9-of-15 passes for 121 yards. He made his first collegiate start on November 27, 2004 in the final game of that season, completing 24 of 51 passes for 200 yards against [[Syracuse Orange|Syracuse]]. He also played against [[NC State Wolfpack football|North Carolina]] in the [[Continental Tire Bowl]]. He completed one of his two passes for 13 yards. Ryan was also quite proficient in the classroom, and was awarded the 2004 Freshman Male Scholar-Athlete award that same year.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html|title=Player Bio: Matt Ryan|publisher=Boston Eagles Athletics Website|accessdate=2010-12-28|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html|archivedate=2010-04-13|df=}}</ref>
{{See also|2003 Boston College Eagles football team|2004 Boston College Eagles football team}}
Ryan launched a website during his senior year at Boston College called [https://web.archive.org/web/20090117214516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/mattryan/ Mattyice.com], where fans and media have 24-hour access to video highlights, updated biographical information, statistics and other information about him.<ref>[http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102607aab.html The Iceman Cometh - Matty Ice Website Launches Saturday] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324005314/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102607aab.html |date=2008-03-24 }}, bceagles.cstv.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>

In 2016, Boston College [[retired number|retired]] his jersey.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2016-07-06/boston-college-football-matt-ryan-luke-kuechlys-jerseys-be-retired | title=Boston College football: Matt Ryan, Luke Kuechly's jerseys to be retired | publisher=ncaa.com | date=July 6, 2016 | accessdate=October 25, 2016}}</ref>
Ryan began attending [[Boston College]] in 2003 and [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirted]] his first year with the team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Christopher |date=October 20, 2017 |title=BSJ Oral History: 10 years ago, Matt Ryan and BC made the college football world sit up and take notice |url=https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2017/10/20/bsj-oral-history-10-years-ago-matt-ryan-bc-made-college-football-world-sit-take-notice/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218031804/https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2017/10/20/bsj-oral-history-10-years-ago-matt-ryan-bc-made-college-football-world-sit-take-notice/ |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |access-date=December 18, 2019 |website=Boston Sports Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> Before the 2004 season, he was named the starting quarterback for [[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College]] due to an injury to [[Quinton Porter]].<ref name="Goldberg">{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Lee |date=January 24, 2017 |title=Portland native has close connection to Falcons quarterback |url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/sports/portland-native-has-close-connection-to-falcons-quarterback/97-392129941 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930194705/https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/sports/portland-native-has-close-connection-to-falcons-quarterback/97-392129941 |archive-date=September 30, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=WCSH}}</ref> He made his collegiate debut on October 2, 2004, against the [[2004 UMass Minutemen football team|UMass Minutemen]] and completed two of three passes for 16 yards in the 29–7 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massachusetts at Boston College Box Score, October 2, 2004 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-10-02-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224045533/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-10-02-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He would not complete his first [[touchdown]] until November 20, 2004, against [[2004 Temple Owls football team|Temple]], after throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Larry Lester. Replacing the injured [[Paul Peterson (American football)|Paul Peterson]], he completed 9-of-15 passes for 121 yards in the 34–17 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston College at Temple Box Score, November 20, 2004 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-11-20-temple.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042455/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-11-20-temple.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He made his first collegiate start on November 27, 2004, in the final game of that season, completing 24 of 51 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions in a 43–17 loss against [[2004 Syracuse Orange football team|Syracuse]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Syracuse at Boston College Box Score, November 27, 2004 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-11-27-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042600/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-11-27-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He also played against [[2004 North Carolina Tar Heels football team|North Carolina]] in the [[2004 Continental Tire Bowl|Continental Tire Bowl]]. He completed one of his two passes for 13 yards in the 37–24 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Continental Tire Bowl – North Carolina vs Boston College Box Score, December 30, 2004 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-12-30-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224045516/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2004-12-30-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan also received the 2004 Freshman Male Scholar-Athlete award in the same year.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{Cite web |title=Player Bio: Matt Ryan |url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html |archive-date=April 13, 2010 |access-date=December 28, 2010 |website=Boston Eagles Athletics}}</ref>

===2005===

{{See also|2005 Boston College Eagles football team}}

At the beginning of the 2005 season, Ryan was named the second-string quarterback behind Quinton Porter.<ref name="Goldberg" /> Porter had some success at the beginning of the year, including winning [[Atlantic Coast Conference]] Player of the Week for his performance in Boston College's 28–17 win over [[2005 Virginia Cavaliers football team|Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virginia at Boston College Box Score, October 8, 2005 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-10-08-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412182001/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-10-08-boston-college.html |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After a 30–10 loss to third-ranked [[2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team|Virginia Tech]], coach [[Tom O'Brien (American football)|Tom O'Brien]] finally went to Ryan for good in the fourth quarter of the next game against [[2005 NC State Wolfpack football team|North Carolina State]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston College at Virginia Tech Box Score, October 27, 2005 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-10-27-virginia-tech.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412182050/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-10-27-virginia-tech.html |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In ten games, of which he started five, he completed 121 of 195 passes for 1,514 yards. He had eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for five touchdowns and 94 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2005 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1/gamelog/2005/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042523/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1/gamelog/2005/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He started his first bowl game in the [[MPC Computers Bowl]] versus [[2005 Boise State Broncos football team|Boise State]]. He completed 19 of 36 passes for 256 yards and a career-best three touchdowns in the 27–21 victory to help Boston College finish with a #18 ranking in the final AP Poll.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MPC Computers Bowl – Boston College at Boise State Box Score, December 28, 2005 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-12-28-boise-state.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406095430/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2005-12-28-boise-state.html |archive-date=April 6, 2020 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 Polls |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2005-polls.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520192441/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2005-polls.html |archive-date=May 20, 2020 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

===2006===


{{See also|2006 Boston College Eagles football team}}
===2005 season===
At the beginning of the 2005 season, Ryan was named the second-string quarterback behind [[Quinton Porter]]. Porter had some success at the beginning of the year, including winning [[Atlantic Coast Conference]] player of the week for his performance in Boston College's 28&ndash;17 win over [[Virginia Cavaliers football|Virginia]]. After a 30&ndash;10 loss to third-ranked Virginia Tech, coach [[Tom O'Brien (American football)|Tom O'Brien]] finally went to Ryan for good in the fourth quarter of the next game against [[NC State Wolfpack football|North Carolina]]. In ten games (five starts), he completed 121 of 195 passes for 1,514 yards. He had eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for five touchdowns and 94 yards. He started his first bowl game in the [[MPC Computers Bowl]] versus [[Boise State]]. He completed 19 of 36 passes for 256 yards and a career-best three touchdowns.<ref name=autogenerated1/>


Ryan started 11 of the 12 games. He completed 263-of-427 passes for a conference-leading 2,942 yards, 15 touchdowns, and ten interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Leaders |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2006-leaders.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041727/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2006-leaders.html |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In addition, he rushed for four touchdowns.<ref name="MattRyan2006GL">{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2006 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1/gamelog/2006/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224045512/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1/gamelog/2006/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was All-ACC first-team and led the ACC in total offense (242.2 yards per game) and in passing yards (245.5 yards per game). He was named ACC Offensive Back of the week three times. He set career highs in completions (32 against [[2006 Central Michigan Chippewas football team|Central Michigan]]) and passing yards (356 against [[2006 BYU Cougars football team|Brigham Young]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston College at Central Michigan Box Score, August 31, 2006 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-08-31-central-michigan.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224045523/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-08-31-central-michigan.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Brigham Young at Boston College Box Score, September 16, 2006 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-09-16-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224045540/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-09-16-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He led the team to a 9–3 record including double overtime wins versus [[2006 Clemson Tigers football team|Clemson]] and Brigham Young.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clemson at Boston College Box Score, September 9, 2006 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-09-09-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042516/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-09-09-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He led the Eagles to a close 25–24 victory on December 26, 2006, in the [[Belk Bowl|Meineke Car Care Bowl]] against [[2006 Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meineke Car Care Bowl – Navy vs Boston College Box Score, December 30, 2006 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-12-30-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042603/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2006-12-30-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the season opener against Central Michigan, Ryan sprained his ankle.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vega |first=Michael |date=October 2, 2006 |title=Eagles looking forward to some rest and relaxation |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/articles/2006/10/02/eagles_looking_forward_to_some_rest_and_relaxation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224030506/http://archive.boston.com/sports/articles/2006/10/02/eagles_looking_forward_to_some_rest_and_relaxation/ |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en}}</ref> Against Virginia Tech, Ryan broke his foot on the same leg.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adelson |first=Andrea |date=January 30, 2017 |title=Where'd Matt Ryan's famous nickname come from? Hmm... |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/whered-matt-ryans-famous-nickname-hmm/story?id=45156941 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209134542/http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/whered-matt-ryans-famous-nickname-hmm/story?id=45156941 |archive-date=February 9, 2017 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Despite these injuries, Ryan only missed one game (against [[2006 Buffalo Bulls football team|Buffalo]]).<ref name="MattRyan2006GL" /> His 57 pass attempts in the 2006 Wake Forest game tied [[Shawn Halloran]]'s performance against [[1985 Syracuse Orangemen football team|Syracuse]] in 1985 and [[Frank Harris (quarterback, born 1948)|Frank Harris]]' performance against [[1968 Army Cadets football team|Army]] in 1968. For the school record, his 40 pass completions in the 2006 Wake Forest game broke the old school record of 37 by Harris in the game against Army in 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Heights, Volume XLIX, Number 9 – 12 November 1968 |url=https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19681112.2.44 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005015031/https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19681112.2.44&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |website=Boston College Libraries}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2006 |title=Wake Forest vs. Boston College Post-Game Notes |url=https://godeacs.com/news/2006/11/4/Wake_Forest_vs_Boston_College_Post_Game_Notes.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930195032/https://godeacs.com/news/2006/11/4/Wake_Forest_vs_Boston_College_Post_Game_Notes.aspx |archive-date=September 30, 2019 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |website=Wake Forest University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
===2006 season===
Ryan started 11 of the 12 games. He completed 254-of-398 passes for 2,700 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In addition, he rushed for four touchdowns. He was All-ACC first-team and led the ACC in total offense (242.2 yards per game) and in passing yards (245.5 yards per game). He was named ACC Offensive Back of the week three times. He set career highs in completions (32 vs. [[Central Michigan Chippewas|Central Michigan]]) and passing yards (356 vs. [[Brigham Young University Cougars football|Brigham Young]]). He led the team to a 9–3 record including double overtime wins versus [[Clemson Tigers football|Clemson]] and Brigham Young. He led the Eagles to a close 25–24 victory on December 26, 2006 in the [[Belk Bowl|Meineke Car Care Bowl]] against [[Navy Midshipmen football|Navy]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]. In the season opener against Central Michigan, Ryan sprained his ankle. Against Virginia Tech, Ryan broke his foot on the same leg. Despite these injuries, Ryan only missed one game (against [[Buffalo Bulls football|Buffalo]]).<ref>{{cite news| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1159279618C3A95B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | title=Boston.com Local Search - Boston Globe Archives}}</ref> His 57 pass attempts in the 2006 Wake Forest game tied [[Shawn Halloran]]'s performance against [[Syracuse Orange]] in 1985 and [[Frank Harris (quarterback)|Frank Harris]]'s performance against Army in 1968 for the BC record his 40 pass completions in the 2006 Wake Forest game broke the old school record of 37 by Frank Harris in the 1968 Army clash.


===2007 season===
===2007===
[[File:ACC Championship 2007 opening play.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Ryan and the Boston College Eagles line up on offense in the 2007 ACC Championship game]]
[[File:ACC Championship 2007 opening play.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Ryan and the Boston College Eagles line up on offense in the 2007 ACC Championship game.]]
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|image1=[http://www.gamingnexus.com/Images/News/8433/1.jpg Ryan on the cover of ''NCAA Football 09'']
|image1=[http://www.gamingnexus.com/Images/News/8433/1.jpg Ryan on the cover of ''NCAA Football 09'']
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Before the season started, Ryan was named to the preseason All-ACC team. Against [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons football|Wake Forest]], he completed 32 of 52 passes for 408 yards and 5 touchdowns. Boston College also hired a new coach: [[Jeff Jagodzinski]], a longtime NFL assistant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/story?id=09000d5d806d2d3a&template=with-video&confirm=true|title=Ryan undaunted by prospect of being drafted by Falcons|publisher=}}</ref> He continued his hot streak versus [[2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team|Georgia Tech]], going 30–44 with one touchdown and passing for a career-high 435 yards against the staunch Tech defense en route to a convincing 24–10 road victory. After this game, Ryan was suggested as a potential [[Heisman Trophy]] contender. Battling [[Virginia Tech Hokies football|Virginia Tech]] through bad weather in [[Blacksburg, Virginia]], Ryan led an amazing comeback for the Boston College Eagles, passing for two touchdowns with less than 3 minutes to play on October 25, 2007, including the game-winner with 11 seconds left to Andre Callender.<ref>[http://digg.com/d316bNL Matt Ryan] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20120707113933/http://digg.com/d316bNL |date=2012-07-07 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Blaudschun|url=http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/09/16/ryan_bc_prove_to_be_buzz_saw_against_georgia_tech/|title=Ryan, BC prove to be buzz saw against Georgia Tech|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|publisher=boston.com|date=2007-09-16|accessdate=2007-09-16}}</ref> However, Ryan's chances to win the Heisman fell sharply after he threw three interceptions in a 27–17 loss to [[Florida State]], an unranked team that had six wins and three losses. However, with a strong performance against Clemson<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12lk87HcY5U|title=Matt Ryan for Heisman: BC vs Clemson|date=19 November 2007|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> his chances were raised substantially. Despite 2 consecutive ACC losses, Ryan and the Eagles found themselves with a trip to the conference championship on the line. Down 10–3 in the third quarter, he led the offense on a game-tying drive, hitting on key passes to [[Rich Gunnell]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080514035915/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/callender_andre00.html Andre Callender] and [[Ryan Purvis]], landing the Eagles at the Clemson 2 early in the fourth. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204044949/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mccluskey_james00.html James McCluskey] finished the job from there, running it in to even the score at 10-apiece. Shortly thereafter, a Clemson turnover resulted in a BC field goal and a 13–10 lead for the maroon and gold . On November 24, against ACC rival Miami,<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpjTjLAvlxA|title=Matt Ryan for Heisman: Boston College vs Miami|date=26 November 2007|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> Ryan surpassed Doug Flutie for the most passing touchdowns in a single season by an Eagle QB with 28 TDs, ultimately ending the season with 31. Despite these records, he struggled with throwing interceptions throughout the year, and finished with 19 (2nd most among college quarterbacks). His five touchdown passes in the 2007 Wake Forest game are one shy of the school record of six, held by [[Doug Flutie]] in 1984 vs North Carolina. For the maroon and gold, it was their first 10-win regular season since 1940 and the first time they had achieved back-to-back 10-overall-win seasons in program history. He led the Eagles to extend the nation's longest bowl winning streak to eight with a 24–21 victory over [[Michigan State Spartans]] in the [[Champs Sports Bowl]] on December 28, Ryan threw three touchdown passes, two to Rich Gunnell and one to [https://web.archive.org/web/20100116002836/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/loyte_jon00.html Jon Loyte] .<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/122807aaa.html|title=Boston College Athletics|work=Boston College|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917173315/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/122807aaa.html|archivedate=2008-09-17|df=}}</ref>


{{See also|2007 Boston College Eagles football team}}
Ryan was awarded the 2007 [[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]], given annually in the United States to the nation's most outstanding college football senior quarterback, the other finalists for the 2007 award were Hawaii's Colt Brennan, Louisville's [[Brian Brohm]], Oregon's [[Dennis Dixon]], and Kentucky's [[Andre Woodson]] (all of whom were drafted at the [[2008 NFL Draft]])
He was selected to play in the [[2008 Senior Bowl]]. He also won the 2007 [[Manning Award]]<ref name=manningaward>[http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site343.php "2007 Manning Award Winner &ndash; Matt Ryan"]. All State Sugar Bowl. Retrieved 2016-11-18.</ref> awarded to the nation's top quarterback, beating out eventual Heisman winner [[Tim Tebow]] and eight other finalists for this year's award: [[Erik Ainge]] ([[University of Tennessee|Tennessee]]), [[Sam Bradford]] ([[University of Oklahoma|Oklahoma]]), [[Colt Brennan]] ([[University of Hawaii|Hawai'i]]), [[Chase Daniel]] ([[University of Missouri|Missouri]]), [[Dennis Dixon]] ([[University of Oregon|Oregon]]), [[Graham Harrell]] ([[Texas Tech University|Texas Tech]]), [[Pat White (gridiron football)|Pat White]] ([[University of West Virginia|West Virginia]]), and [[Andre' Woodson]] ([[University of Kentucky|Kentucky]]). He was named "Eagle of the Year" alongside BC's first ever individual champion Kasey Hill.


Ryan launched a website during his senior year called [https://web.archive.org/web/20090117214516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/mattryan/ Mattyice.com], where fans and media had 24-hour access to his video highlights, updated biographical information, statistics and other information.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Iceman Cometh – Matty Ice Website Launches Saturday |url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102607aab.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324005314/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102607aab.html |archive-date=March 24, 2008 |access-date=December 18, 2019 |website=Boston College Eagles Athletics}}</ref>
In November, he was asked to speak at the Boston College Multi-Cultural Thanksgiving celebration, where he spoke of family, integrity and devotion.


Before the season started, Ryan was named to the preseason All-ACC team. Boston College also hired a new coach: [[Jeff Jagodzinski]], a longtime NFL assistant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2008 |title=Ryan undaunted by prospect of being drafted by Falcons |url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/story?id=09000d5d806d2d3a&template=with-video&confirm=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206063531/http://www.nfl.com/combine/story?id=09000d5d806d2d3a&template=with-video&confirm=true |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |access-date=April 8, 2020 |website=NFL.com |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Against [[2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest]], he completed 32 of 52 passes for 408 yards and five touchdowns in the 38–28 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wake Forest at Boston College Box Score, September 1, 2007 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-09-01-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042528/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-09-01-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He continued his hot streak versus [[2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team|Georgia Tech]], going 30–of–44 with one touchdown and passing for a career-high 435 yards against the staunch Tech defense en route to a convincing 24–10 road victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston College at Georgia Tech Box Score, September 15, 2007 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-09-15-georgia-tech.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042533/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-09-15-georgia-tech.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After this game, Ryan was suggested as a potential [[Heisman Trophy]] contender.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blaudschun |first=Mark |date=September 17, 2007 |title=Eagles hitting new heights |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2007/09/17/eagles_hitting_new_heights/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412182744/http://archive.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2007/09/17/eagles_hitting_new_heights/ |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |website=[[Boston Globe|Boston.com]]}}</ref> Battling [[2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team|Virginia Tech]] through bad weather in [[Blacksburg, Virginia]], Ryan led an amazing comeback for the Boston College Eagles, passing for two touchdowns with less than three minutes to play on October 25, 2007, including the game-winner with 11 seconds left to Andre Callender.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston College at Virginia Tech Box Score, October 25, 2007 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-10-25-virginia-tech.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042430/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-10-25-virginia-tech.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Blaudschun |first=Mark |date=September 16, 2007 |title=Ryan, BC prove to be buzz saw against Georgia Tech |url=http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/09/16/ryan_bc_prove_to_be_buzz_saw_against_georgia_tech/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208140950/http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/09/16/ryan_bc_prove_to_be_buzz_saw_against_georgia_tech/ |archive-date=December 8, 2008 |access-date=September 16, 2007 |website=[[Boston Globe|Boston.com]]}}</ref> However, Ryan's chances to win the Heisman fell sharply after he threw three interceptions in a 27–17 loss to an unranked 6–3 [[2007 Florida State Seminoles football team|Florida State]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Florida State at Boston College Box Score, November 3, 2007 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-11-03-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042546/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-11-03-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> However, with a strong performance against [[2007 Clemson Tigers football team|Clemson]], his chances were raised substantially. Despite two consecutive ACC losses, Ryan and the Eagles found themselves with a trip to the conference championship on the line. Down 10–3 in the third quarter, he led the offense on a game-tying drive, hitting on key passes to [[Rich Gunnell]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080514035915/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/callender_andre00.html Andre Callender], and [[Ryan Purvis]], landing the Eagles at the Clemson two-yard line early in the fourth. [[James McCluskey]] finished the job from there, running it in to even the score at 10-apiece. Shortly thereafter, a Clemson turnover resulted in a Boston College field goal and a 13–10 lead for the Eagles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boston College at Clemson Box Score, November 17, 2007 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-11-17-clemson.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101138/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-11-17-clemson.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> On November 24, against ACC rival [[2007 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami]], Ryan surpassed [[Doug Flutie]] for the most passing touchdowns in a single season by an Eagle quarterback with 28 touchdowns, ultimately ending the season with 31.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Dick |date=October 27, 2007 |title=Matt Ryan leads way as Boston College stuns Virginia Tech |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/matt-ryan-leads-boston-college-stuns-virginia-tech-article-1.232706 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005015509/https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/matt-ryan-leads-boston-college-stuns-virginia-tech-article-1.232706 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |website=New York Daily News}}</ref> Despite these records, he struggled with throwing interceptions throughout the year, and finished with 19 (second most among college quarterbacks). His five touchdown passes in the 2007 Wake Forest game are one shy of the school record of six, held by Flutie in 1984 against [[1984 North Carolina Tar Heels football team|North Carolina]]. For Boston College, it was their first 10-win regular season since 1940 and the first time they had achieved back-to-back 10-overall-win seasons in program history. He led the Eagles to extend the nation's longest bowl winning streak to eight with a 24–21 victory over [[2007 Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State Spartans]] in the [[2007 Champs Sports Bowl|Champs Sports Bowl]] on December 28, Ryan threw three touchdown passes, two to Rich Gunnell and one to Jon Loyte.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Champs Sports Bowl – Michigan State vs Boston College Box Score, December 28, 2007 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-12-28-boston-college.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224042519/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2007-12-28-boston-college.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Player Bio: Jon Loyte |url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/loyte_jon00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116002836/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/loyte_jon00.html |archive-date=January 16, 2010 |access-date=April 8, 2020 |website=Boston College Eagles Athletics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 28, 2007 |title=Eagles Prevail in Champs Sports Bowl! |url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/122807aaa.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917173315/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/122807aaa.html |archive-date=September 17, 2008 |website=Boston College Eagles Athletics}}</ref> He finished the season with a conference-leading 4,507 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2007 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1/gamelog/2007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041806/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1/gamelog/2007/ |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Atlantic Coast Conference Leaders |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2007-leaders.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041329/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/2007-leaders.html |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
He was featured as the cover athlete for the [[PlayStation 3|PS3]] version of ''[[NCAA Football 09]]''.<ref>{{cite press release|title=EA Brings the Electricity of Big Play Saturday in NCAA Football 09|url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/ncaafootball09/news.html?sid=6189731&mode=recent&print=1 |work=[[Electronic Arts]]|publisher=[[GameSpot|GameSpot.com]]|date=2008-04-23|accessdate=2008-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206023827/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/ncaafootball09/news.html?sid=6189731&mode=recent&print=1|archive-date=December 6, 2008}}</ref>

Ryan earned various accolades for the 2007 season. He was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and the ACC Player of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ACC Offensive Player of the Year Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/acc-opoy.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001815/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/acc-opoy.html |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ACC Player of the Year Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/acc-poy.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001817/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/acc-poy.html |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was awarded the 2007 [[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]], given annually in the United States to the nation's most outstanding college football senior quarterback. The other finalists for the 2007 award were Hawaii's [[Colt Brennan]], Louisville's [[Brian Brohm]], Oregon's [[Dennis Dixon]], and Kentucky's [[Andre' Woodson]] (all of whom were drafted at the [[2008 NFL draft]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/unitas.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826190018/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/unitas.html |archive-date=August 26, 2016 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was selected to play in the [[2008 Senior Bowl]]. He also won the 2007 [[Manning Award]]<ref name="manningaward">{{cite web |url=http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site343.php |title=2007 Manning Award Winner – Matt Ryan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182034/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site343.php |archive-date=November 19, 2016 |website=All State Sugar Bowl |access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref> awarded to the nation's top quarterback, beating out eventual Heisman winner [[Tim Tebow]] and eight other finalists for that year's award: [[Erik Ainge]] ([[University of Tennessee|Tennessee]]), [[Sam Bradford]] ([[University of Oklahoma|Oklahoma]]), Colt Brennan ([[University of Hawaii|Hawai'i]]), [[Chase Daniel]] ([[University of Missouri|Missouri]]), Dennis Dixon ([[University of Oregon|Oregon]]), [[Graham Harrell]] ([[Texas Tech University|Texas Tech]]), [[Pat White (gridiron football)|Pat White]] ([[University of West Virginia|West Virginia]]), and Andre Woodson ([[University of Kentucky|Kentucky]]). He was named "Eagle of the Year" alongside Boston College's first ever individual champion Kasey Hill.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2008 |title=Kasey Hill and Matt Ryan Named Eagles of the Year |url=http://bceagles.com/news/2008/5/5/Kasey_Hill_and_Matt_Ryan_Named_Eagles_of_the_Year.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101508/http://bceagles.com/news/2008/5/5/Kasey_Hill_and_Matt_Ryan_Named_Eagles_of_the_Year.aspx |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=Boston College Eagles Athletics |language=en}}</ref> He finished in seventh place in the Heisman Trophy voting that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2007.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310011823/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2007.html |archive-date=March 10, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

He was featured as the cover athlete for the [[PlayStation 3|PS3]] version of ''[[NCAA Football 09]]''.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=EA Brings the Electricity of Big Play Saturday in NCAA Football 09 |date=April 23, 2008 |publisher=[[GameSpot|GameSpot.com]] |url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/ncaafootball09/news.html?sid=6189731&mode=recent&print=1 |access-date=May 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206023827/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/ncaafootball09/news.html?sid=6189731&mode=recent&print=1 |archive-date=December 6, 2008 |work=[[Electronic Arts]]}}</ref> In 2016, Boston College [[retired number|retired]] his jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 6, 2016 |title=Boston College football: Matt Ryan, Luke Kuechly's jerseys to be retired |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2016-07-06/boston-college-football-matt-ryan-luke-kuechlys-jerseys-be-retired |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025155020/http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2016-07-06/boston-college-football-matt-ryan-luke-kuechlys-jerseys-be-retired |archive-date=October 25, 2016 |access-date=October 25, 2016 |website=NCAA.com}}</ref>


===Awards and honors===
===Awards and honors===
Line 103: Line 116:
{{colend}}
{{colend}}


===Statistics===
===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan=2 | Year !! rowspan=2 | Team !! colspan=8 | Passing !! colspan=4 | Rushing
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! {{tooltip|Cmp|Passes completed}} !! {{tooltip|Att|Passes attempted}} !! {{tooltip|Pct|Completion percentage}} !! {{tooltip|Yds|Passing yards}} !! {{tooltip|Y/A|Yards per passing attempt}} !! {{tooltip|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{tooltip|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{tooltip|Rtg|Passer rating}} !! {{tooltip|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{tooltip|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{tooltip|Avg|Yards per rushing attempt}} !! {{tooltip|TD|Rushing touchdowns}}
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|-
|-
! {{abbr|Cmp|Passes completed}} !! {{abbr|Att|Passes attempted}} !! {{abbr|Pct|Completion percentage}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Passing yards}} !! {{abbr|Y/A|Yards per passing attempt}} !! {{abbr|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|Rtg|Passer rating}} !! {{abbr|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Yards per rushing attempt}} !! {{abbr|TD|Rushing touchdowns}}
| [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004]] || [[2004 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]] || 35 || 71 || 49.3% || 350 || 4.9 || 2 || 3 || 91.5 || 12 || -3 || -0.3 || 0
|-
|-
| [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]] || [[2005 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]] || 121 || 195 || 62.1% || 1,514 || 7.8 || 8 || 5 || 135.7 || 37 || 94 || 2.5 || 5
! [[2003 NCAA Division I-A football season|2003]] !! [[2003 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]]
| colspan="12"|[[File:Redshirt.svg|15px|Redshirt]] ''[[Redshirt (college sports)|Redshirt]]''
|-
|-
| [[2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2006]] || [[2006 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]] || 263 || 427 || 61.6% || 2,942 || 6.9 || 15 || 10 || 126.4 || 51 || -35 || -0.7 || 4
! [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004]] !! [[2004 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]]
| 35 || 71 || 49.3 || 350 || 4.9 || 2 || 3 || 91.5 || 12 || −3 || −0.3 || 0
|-
|-
| [[2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2007]] || [[2007 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]] || 388 || 654 || 59.3% || 4,507 || 6.9 || 31 || 19 || 127.0 || 68 || 2 || 0.0 || 2
! [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]] !! [[2005 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]]
| 121 || 195 || '''62.1''' || 1,514 || '''7.8''' || 8 || 5 || '''135.7''' || 37 || '''94''' || '''2.5''' || '''5'''
|-
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#eee;"
! [[2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2006]] !! [[2006 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]]
| colspan=2 | '''Career''' || 807 || 1,347 || 59.9% || 9,313 || 6.9 || 56 || 37 || 126.2 || 168 || 58 || 0.3 || 11
| 263 || 427 || 61.6 || 2,942 || 6.9 || 15 || 10 || 126.4 || 51 || −35 || −0.7 || 4
|-
! [[2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2007]] !! [[2007 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]]
| '''388''' || '''654''' || 59.3 || '''4,507''' || 6.9 || '''31''' || '''19''' || 127.0 || '''68''' || 2 || 0.0 || 2
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1.html Career] !! 807 !! 1,347 !! 59.9 !! 9,313 !! 6.9 !! 56 !! 37 !! 126.2 !! 168 !! 58 !! 0.3 !! 11
|}
|}
''Source'':<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/matt-ryan-1.html | title=Matt Ryan | publisher=Sports Reference LLC | work=sports-reference.com | accessdate=September 2, 2016}}</ref>


==Professional career==
==Professional career==
===Atlanta Falcons===
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 3/4
| weight = 228
| dash = 4.89
| ten split = 1.67
| twenty split = 2.86
| shuttle = 4.51
| cone drill = 7.40
| arm span = 32 5/8
| hand span = 9 1/2
| wonderlic = 32
| note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/matt-ryan/32005259-4123-8179-1aae-5603693aba86 |title=Matt Ryan Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=November 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=9162&DraftYear=2008 |title=Matt Ryan College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=November 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Will |date=March 7, 2018 |title=NFL Combine: Watch how Falcons players did at their combine workouts |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/nfl-combine-watch-how-falcons-players-did-at-their-combine-workouts-20429025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014222/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/nfl-combine-watch-how-falcons-players-did-at-their-combine-workouts-20429025 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |website=Atlanta Falcons}}</ref><ref name="Matt Ryan Stats - Combine Measurements">{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan Stats – Combine Measurements |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00.htm#all_combine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124193433/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00.htm#all_combine |archive-date=January 24, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2008 NFL Draft Profile |url=http://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/combine/_/id/11586/matt-ryan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014222/http://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/combine/_/id/11586/matt-ryan |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan, Combine Results, QB – Boston College |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=8061 |access-date=September 1, 2021 |website=nflcombineresults.com |archive-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901100238/https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=8061 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}


{{Externalimage
{{Externalimage
|align=left
|float=left
|width=180px
|width=180px
|image1=[http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0319/ncf_a_ryan_600.jpg Matt Ryan at the 2008 Boston College Pro Day]
|image1=[http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0319/ncf_a_ryan_600.jpg Matt Ryan at the 2008 Boston College Pro Day]
|image2=[http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/nfl-draft-1.jpg Ryan introduced as the 3rd overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft]
|image2=[http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/nfl-draft-1.jpg Ryan introduced as the 3rd overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft]
}}
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:89%;"
| colspan="20" style="text-align:center;"| ''Pre-draft measureables''
|-
!Wt
![[40-yard dash|40 yd]]
![[Vertical jump|Vert]]
![[Bench Press|BP]]
![[Wonderlic]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
||*224&nbsp;lb
||*4.86s
||*24
||N/A
||*32
|-
| colspan="20" style="text-align:center;"|(''* represents [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/videos/topperformers#page:2/video:09000d5d807b56e9|title=NFL Scouting Combine - NFL.com|work=NFL.com}}</ref>'')
|}


Ryan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/matt-ryan?id=310|title=NFL Draft Profile|publisher=}}</ref> scored a 32 on the [[Wonderlic]] exam, tying Louisville's [[Brian Brohm]] for the highest score by a quarterback in the 2008 Draft class.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-080322-nfl-draft-wonderlic-test,1,4563566.story|work=Chicago Tribune|title=NFL teams weigh Wonderlic tests - ChicagoSports.com}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80819f1e Who is...Matt Ryan?], nfl.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>
Ryan scored a 32 on the [[Wonderlic]] exam, tying Louisville's [[Brian Brohm]] for the highest score by a quarterback in the 2008 Draft class.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Draft Profile |url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/matt-ryan?id=310 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220020040/http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/matt-ryan?id=310 |archive-date=December 20, 2008 |website=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pompei |first=Dan |date=March 22, 2008 |title=NFL teams weigh Wonderlic tests |url=http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-080322-nfl-draft-wonderlic-test,1,4563566.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324065650/http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-080322-nfl-draft-wonderlic-test,1,4563566.story |archive-date=March 24, 2008 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rutherford |first=Mike |date=2008-03-24 |title=Brohm, Ryan are Wonderlic standouts |url=https://www.cardchronicle.com/2008/3/24/185129/624 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Card Chronicle |language=en}}</ref>


He was drafted third overall by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in the [[2008 NFL Draft]]<ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/04/NFL_Draft/Falcons_select_quarterback_Matt_Ryan.aspx Falcons select Quarterback Matt Ryan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915160138/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/04/NFL_Draft/Falcons_select_quarterback_Matt_Ryan.aspx |date=2008-09-15 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d807fd725|title=NFL Videos|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d8080481a|title=NFL Videos|publisher=}}</ref> He was the second first-round pick of the draft to sign when he agreed to a six-year, $72 million contract on May 20, 2008; the contract contained $34.75 million in guaranteed money.<ref name="Falcons ink QB Ryan to 6-year deal">{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/05/20/ryanburst_0521.html|title=Falcons ink QB Ryan to 6-year deal|last=Wyche|first=Steve|accessdate=2008-05-20}}</ref> The contract made Ryan the fourth highest paid quarterback in the NFL behind [[Peyton Manning]], [[Ben Roethlisberger]], and [[Carson Palmer]], despite never having played a professional game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2274314|title=Bengals QB Palmer signs extension through 2014|publisher=ESPN|date=2005-12-29|accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref> This helped fuel the discussion regarding whether salaries for first-round draftees in the NFL were too high.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cole|first=Jason|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AmjF8jXmH.Ux2wHcxgygHwdDubYF?slug=jc-ryan052208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns|title=Falcons pay steep price for face-lift |publisher=Yahoo! Sports|date=2010-12-23|accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref> In addition, Ryan has signed endorsement deals with [[Nike, Inc|Nike]]<ref name="Matt Ryan Signs with Nike Despite Michael Vick Connection">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefootballwire.com/2008/05/matt-ryan-signs-with-nike-despite.html|title=Matt Ryan Signs with Nike Despite Michael Vick Connection - The Football Wire|accessdate=2008-05-22}}</ref> and AirTran.<ref name="Falcons rookie Ryan signs endorsement deal with [[AirTran]]">{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/08/06/falcons_ryan_airtran_vick.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild112_prod=1dJQLPJc5GGFhdk0Qz632X96MXcx8P3zDPnMvqRLG4d8C8L2hpqT!-412780288&UrAuth=`NXNUObNYUbTTUWUXUaUZTYU^UWU^U`UZU\U_UcTYWYWZV&urcm=y|title=Falcons rookie Ryan signs endorsement deal with AirTran|last=Tucker|first=Tim|accessdate=2008-09-15}}</ref>
He was selected third overall by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in the [[2008 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403070538/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |archive-date=April 3, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=J. Michael |date=April 26, 2008 |title=Falcons select Quarterback Matt Ryan |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/04/NFL_Draft/Falcons_select_quarterback_Matt_Ryan.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915160138/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/04/NFL_Draft/Falcons_select_quarterback_Matt_Ryan.aspx |archive-date=September 15, 2008 |access-date=April 8, 2020 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref> He was the second first-round pick of the draft to sign when he agreed to a six-year, $72 million contract on May 20, 2008; the contract contained $34.75 million in guaranteed money.<ref name="Falcons ink QB Ryan to 6-year deal">{{Cite web |last=Wyche |first=Steve |date=May 20, 2008 |title=Falcons ink QB Ryan to 6-year deal |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/05/20/ryanburst_0521.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629112509/http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/05/20/ryanburst_0521.html |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |access-date=April 8, 2020 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> The contract made Ryan the fourth highest paid quarterback in the NFL behind [[Peyton Manning]], [[Ben Roethlisberger]], and [[Carson Palmer]], despite never having played a professional game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2005 |title=Bengals QB Palmer signs extension through 2014 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2274314 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104145714/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2274314 |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |access-date=December 28, 2010 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> This helped fuel the discussion regarding whether salaries for first-round draftees in the NFL were too high.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Jason |date=December 23, 2010 |title=Falcons pay steep price for face-lift |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AmjF8jXmH.Ux2wHcxgygHwdDubYF?slug=jc-ryan052208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622104858/http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-ryan052208 |archive-date=June 22, 2011 |access-date=December 28, 2010 |website=Yahoo! Sports}}</ref> In addition, Ryan had signed endorsement deals with [[Nike, Inc|Nike]]<ref name="Matt Ryan Signs with Nike Despite Michael Vick Connection">{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan Signs with Nike Despite Michael Vick Connection – The Football Wire |url=http://www.thefootballwire.com/2008/05/matt-ryan-signs-with-nike-despite.html |access-date=May 22, 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and AirTran.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2008 |title=AirTran swaps Michael Vick for Matt Ryan |url=https://www.projectq.us/matt-ryan-airtran/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005020430/https://www.projectq.us/matt-ryan-airtran/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |website=Project Q Atlanta |language=en-US}}</ref>


===2008 season===
====2008====

[[Image:Matt Ryan at Falcons at Raiders 11-2-08.JPG|thumb|right|Ryan in 2008]]
{{See also|2008 Atlanta Falcons season}}
On August 24, 2008, Ryan was named the starting quarterback for the September 7 regular season opener against the [[Detroit Lions]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3551650|title=Rookie Ryan to start at QB for Falcons|publisher=ESPN|date=2008-08-24|accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref><ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/08/21-30/Falcons_Name_Ryan_Starter.aspx "Ryan named starting quarterback for Falcons"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920004739/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/08/21-30/Falcons_Name_Ryan_Starter.aspx |date=2008-09-20 }}</ref> Ryan became the first rookie quarterback to start a season for the Falcons since [[Michael Vick]] in 2001. In the game, Ryan completed his first NFL pass for a 62-yard touchdown to [[Michael Jenkins (American football)|Michael Jenkins]],<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OBmsvevjhI|title=YouTube|publisher=}}</ref> becoming the first quarterback to throw a touchdown on his first career NFL pass since [[Michael Bishop (football player)|Michael Bishop]] of the [[New England Patriots]] in 2000. Ryan was sacked for the first time by Lions defensive player [[Dewayne White]] in his first win. The second game of the season against the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] marked Ryan's first interception by rookie [[cornerback]] [[Aqib Talib]] and also by [[Sabby Piscitelli]].
[[File:Falcons on offense at Atlanta at Oakland 11-2-08 12.JPG|thumb|Ryan takes a snap against the Raiders on November 2.]]
On August 24, 2008, Ryan was named the starting quarterback for the September 7 regular season opener against the [[2008 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 24, 2008 |title=Rookie Ryan to start at QB for Falcons |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3551650 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210195423/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3551650 |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |access-date=December 28, 2010 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2008 |title=Ryan named starting quarterback for Falcons |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/08/21-30/Falcons_Name_Ryan_Starter.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920004739/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/08/21-30/Falcons_Name_Ryan_Starter.aspx |archive-date=September 20, 2008 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref> Ryan became the first rookie quarterback to start a season for the Falcons since [[Michael Vick]] in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Isaza |first=Rudy |date=November 19, 2015 |title=Falcons' greatest moment, No. 7: Matt Ryan's first NFL pass a TD |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/falcons-greatest-moment-matt-ryan-first-nfl-pass/lEurQmlnDkbF2FhJV8KsSM/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224030744/https://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/falcons-greatest-moment-matt-ryan-first-nfl-pass/lEurQmlnDkbF2FhJV8KsSM/ |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=english}}</ref> In the game, Ryan completed his first NFL pass for a 62-yard touchdown to [[Michael Jenkins (wide receiver)|Michael Jenkins]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ikic |first=Adnan |date=May 10, 2019 |title=Matty Ice Moments: Looking back at Matt Ryan's first pass as a pro |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2019/5/10/18530290/atlanta-falcons-matt-ryan-matty-ice-moments-detroit-lions-2008-michael-turner |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930195302/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2019/5/10/18530290/atlanta-falcons-matt-ryan-matty-ice-moments-detroit-lions-2008-michael-turner |archive-date=September 30, 2019 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |website=The Falcoholic |language=en}}</ref> becoming the first quarterback to throw a touchdown on his first career NFL pass since [[Michael Bishop (gridiron football)|Michael Bishop]] of the [[New England Patriots]] in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 7, 2008 |title=Falcons' Ryan throws 62-yard TD on first NFL pass |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3574165 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Ryan was sacked for the first time by Lions defensive player [[Dewayne White]] in his first win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons - September 7th, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200809070atl.htm |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The second game of the season against the [[2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] marked Ryan's first interception by rookie [[cornerback]] [[Aqib Talib]] and also by [[Tino Sabbatelli|Sabby Piscitelli]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – September 14th, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200809140tam.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101327/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200809140tam.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>


In Week 3 against the [[2008 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]], he completed the then-longest touchdown pass in his career for 70 yards to [[Roddy White]]. The 70-yard touchdown pass to White was the longest pass completion for the Falcons since December 23, 2007, when [[Chris Redman]] threw a 74-yard touchdown pass. In the same game Ryan completed passes to 6 different players. The following week, he threw for 194 yards and two TDs against the [[Green Bay Packers]]. His touchdown passes went to Roddy White and [[tight end]] [[Justin Peelle]]. The following week against the [[Chicago Bears]] Ryan led the Falcons to a comeback win. With 6 seconds left he completed a 26-yard strike to Michael Jenkins that set [[Jason Elam]] up for the game-winning field goal as time expired. Ryan finished the game 22-of-30 for a then career-high 301 passing yards. He also had a key fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Roddy White. On Atlanta's first offensive drive, Ryan completed all five of his pass attempts for 57 yards en route to a Falcons field goal and a 3&ndash;0 lead. Ryan was named [[Diet Pepsi]] Rookie of the Week for his performance.<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=rookies&season=2008&seasonType=REG&week=6 Ryan named Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week], nfl.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>
In Week 3 against the [[2008 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]], he completed the then-longest touchdown pass in his career for 70 yards to [[Roddy White]]. The 70-yard touchdown pass to White was the longest pass completion for the Falcons since December 23, 2007, when [[Chris Redman]] threw a 74-yard touchdown pass. In the same game, Ryan completed passes to 6 different players.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons – September 21st, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200809210atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225140/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200809210atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The following week, he threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns against the [[2008 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]. His touchdown passes went to Roddy White and [[tight end]] [[Justin Peelle]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers – October 5th, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200810050gnb.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225327/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200810050gnb.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The following week against the [[2008 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]], Ryan led the Falcons to a comeback win. With six seconds left he completed a 26-yard strike to Michael Jenkins that set [[Jason Elam]] up for the game-winning field goal as time expired. Ryan finished the game 22-of-30 for a then career-high 301 passing yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons – October 12th, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200810120atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225218/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200810120atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He also had a key fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Roddy White. On Atlanta's first offensive drive, Ryan completed all five of his pass attempts for 57 yards en route to a Falcons field goal and a 3–0 lead. Ryan was named [[Diet Pepsi]] Rookie of the Week for his performance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week |url=http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=rookies&season=2008&seasonType=REG&week=6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027122027/http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=rookies&season=2008&seasonType=REG&week=6 |archive-date=October 27, 2008 |website=NFL.com}}</ref>


Ryan created an activity named "Folleyball" for NFL Play 60 at NFL Rush.com, published in October of that year.<ref>[http://www.nflrush.com/news/folleyball-matt-ryan NFL Play60 Game Ideas: Matt Ryan], nflrush.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>
Ryan created an activity named "Folleyball" for NFL Play 60 at NFL Rush.com, published in October of that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Folleyball – Matt Ryan |url=http://www.nflrush.com/news/folleyball-matt-ryan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202075103/http://www.nflrush.com/news/folleyball-matt-ryan |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |website=NFL Rush}}</ref>


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|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OBmsvevjhI Matt Ryan's 1st NFL pass, and touchdown]
|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OBmsvevjhI Matt Ryan's 1st NFL pass, and touchdown]
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On October 30, Ryan was honored as the NFC Rookie of the Month for October following an impressive string of games in which he led the Falcons to a 2–1 record. Ryan became the first player in Falcons franchise history to be awarded this honor<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 30, 2008 |title=Ryan named NFC Rookie of the Month |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/10/22-31/Ryan_named_NFC_Rookie_of_the_Month.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116174024/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/10/22-31/Ryan_named_NFC_Rookie_of_the_Month.aspx |archive-date=January 16, 2009 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Casserly |first=Charlie |date=October 14, 2008 |title=Falcons benefit from giving helping hand to Ryan |url=http://www.sportsline.com/cbssports/story/11033228 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017064522/http://www.sportsline.com/cbssports/story/11033228 |archive-date=October 17, 2008 |website=Sportsline}}</ref> In Week 8 against the [[2008 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]], Ryan finished with the highest completion percentage of his career (77.3). He threw for 220 yards, two touchdowns, and posted a quarterback rating of 138.4. He also completed passes to eight different receivers and the game was his third multiple touchdown game (Green Bay, Philadelphia).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Oakland Raiders – November 2nd, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200811020rai.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224102857/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200811020rai.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clemmons |first=Anna K. |date=October 2, 2008 |title=Matt Ryan: Things You Should Know About Being A Rookie |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3622080 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118165124/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3622080 |archive-date=January 18, 2016 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref> His first half passing yardage, completion percentage (81.3) and passer rating (154.2) are all career highs for a half and his two touchdowns tie a first half high, Ryan's final completion percentage of 77.3 is a career-high along with his passer rating of 138.4. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against the Raiders.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2008 |title=Ryan named NFC Offensive Player of the Week |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/11/1-10/Ryan_named_NFC_Offensive_Player_of_the_Week.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108052953/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/11/1-10/Ryan_named_NFC_Offensive_Player_of_the_Week.aspx |archive-date=November 8, 2008 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schefter |first=Adam |date=January 1, 2009 |title=QBs in contention for Offensive Rookie of the Year - NFL.com |url=http://blogs.nfl.com/2008/11/12/qbs-in-contention-for-offensive-rookie-of-the-year/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101102152/http://blogs.nfl.com/2008/11/12/qbs-in-contention-for-offensive-rookie-of-the-year/ |archive-date=January 1, 2009 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clemmons |first=Anna K. |date=November 20, 2008 |title=Matt Ryan helps Falcons rebuild in wake of Vick, Petrino |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3709358 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118165124/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3709358 |archive-date=January 18, 2016 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Week 9 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/week_9.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324102813/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/week_9.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He scored his first rushing career touchdown against the [[2008 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] on December 7 with a 12-yard touchdown scramble, Ryan also achieved 3,000+ passing yards in the 2008 season being only the 2nd rookie to do so. [[Peyton Manning]] was the first.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – December 7th, 2008 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200812070nor.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225107/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200812070nor.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Terence |date=December 10, 2008 |title=Falcons were right on Ryan, I was wrong |url=https://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/moore/entries/2008/12/10/falcons_were_right_on_ryan_i_w.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214134250/https://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/moore/entries/2008/12/10/falcons_were_right_on_ryan_i_w.html |archive-date=December 14, 2008 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>
[[File:Falcons on offense at Atlanta at Oakland 11-2-08 12.JPG|thumb|Ryan takes a snap against the Raiders on November 2.]]
On October 30, Ryan was honored as the NFC Rookie of the Month for October following an impressive string of games in which he led the Falcons to a 2&ndash;1 record. Ryan became the first player in Atlanta Falcons franchise history to be awarded this honor<ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/10/22-31/Ryan_named_NFC_Rookie_of_the_Month.aspx Ryan named NFC Rookie of the Month] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116174024/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/10/22-31/Ryan_named_NFC_Rookie_of_the_Month.aspx |date=2009-01-16 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.sportsline.com/cbssports/story/11033228 Falcons benefit from giving helping hand to Ryan by [[Charley Casserly]] ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017064522/http://www.sportsline.com/cbssports/story/11033228 |date=2008-10-17 }}</ref> In Week 8 against the [[Oakland Raiders]], Ryan finished with the highest completion percentage of his career (77.3). He threw for 220 yards and posted a quarterback rating of 138.4. He also completed passes to eight different receivers and the game was his third multiple touchdown game (Green Bay, Philadelphia).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3622080|title=Matt Ryan: Things You Should Know About Being A Rookie|work=ESPN.com}}</ref> His first half passing yardage, completion percentage (81.3) and passer rating (154.2) are all career highs for a half and his two touchdowns tie a first half high, Ryan’s final completion percentage of 77.3 is a career-high along with his passer rating of 138.4. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against the Raiders.<ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/11/1-10/Ryan_named_NFC_Offensive_Player_of_the_Week.aspx Ryan named NFC Offensive Player of the Week] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108052953/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/11/1-10/Ryan_named_NFC_Offensive_Player_of_the_Week.aspx |date=2008-11-08 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.nfl.com/2008/11/12/qbs-in-contention-for-offensive-rookie-of-the-year/|title=QBs in contention for Offensive Rookie of the Year - NFL.com|work=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3709358|title=Matt Ryan helps Falcons rebuild in wake of Vick, Petrino|work=ESPN.com}}</ref> He scored his first rushing TD against the [[New Orleans Saints]] on December 7 with a 12-yard touchdown scramble, Ryan also achieved 3000+ passing yards in the 2008 season being only the 2nd rookie to do so. [[Peyton Manning]] was the first.<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/moore/entries/2008/12/10/falcons_were_right_on_ryan_i_w.html "Falcons were right on Ryan, I was wrong"] by Terence Moore, ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution''; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>


Ryan became the first Falcons rookie quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season after finishing with 206 yards against Tampa Bay. Ryan’s passing total also makes him only the 10th quarterback in club annals to hit the 3,000-yard mark and the first since 1998 when [[Chris Chandler]] threw 3,154.<ref>[http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=496266 "Rookie Ryan is a rock for the Falcons' offense"], Sportingnews.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref> It was also his first overtime win as a starter. He was named the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for games played after his performance by the second time in his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/08/falcons_matt_ryan.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21|title=Ryan shows his competitive drive|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=rookies&season=2008&seasonType=REG&week=15|title=NFL.com - Official Site of the National Football League|publisher=}}</ref> Ryan finished second amongst rookies in fan Pro Bowl voting (416,468 votes), behind only Titans running back [[Chris Johnson (running back)|Chris Johnson]].<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/11/falcons_ryan_pro_bowl.html Falcons rookie Ryan picks up Pro Bowl votes] By D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution</ref> Ryan threw for a season-low 134 yards in Week 16 against [[Minnesota Vikings]], ending a streak of nine straight games with at least 200 yards passing, he finished 13-of-24 passing, throwing an 8-yard touchdown passes to [[Jerious Norwood]] in the second quarter; however, with this win Ryan led the Falcons to their first playoff berth since 2004.<ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/12/Week_16/Falcons_Vikings_Game_Story.aspx Falcons clinch postseason spot with win] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307232732/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/12/Week_16/Falcons_Vikings_Game_Story.aspx |date=2009-03-07 }} by J. Michael Moore , AtlantaFalcons.com</ref>
Ryan became the first Falcons rookie quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season after finishing with 206 yards against Tampa Bay. Ryan's passing total also makes him only the 10th quarterback in club annals to hit the 3,000-yard mark and the first since 1998 when [[Chris Chandler (American football)|Chris Chandler]] threw 3,154.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cosell |first=Greg |date=December 12, 2008 |title=Rookie Ryan is a rock for the Falcons' offense |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=496266 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219041634/http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=496266 |archive-date=December 19, 2008 |website=The Sporting News}}</ref> It was also his first overtime win as a starter. He was named the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for games played after his performance by the second time in his career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=D. Orlando |date=December 30, 2008 |title=Ryan shows his competitive drive |url=http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/08/falcons_matt_ryan.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219010849/https://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/08/falcons_matt_ryan.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21 |archive-date=December 19, 2008 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Falcons QB Ryan voted Week 15 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week |url=http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=rookies&season=2008&seasonType=REG&week=15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221145422/http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=rookies&season=2008&seasonType=REG&week=15 |archive-date=December 21, 2008 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> Ryan finished second amongst rookies in fan Pro Bowl voting (416,468 votes), behind only Titans running back [[Chris Johnson (running back)|Chris Johnson]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=D. Orlando |date=December 11, 2008 |title=Falcons rookie Ryan picks up Pro Bowl votes |url=http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/11/falcons_ryan_pro_bowl.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215073853/http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/11/falcons_ryan_pro_bowl.html |archive-date=December 15, 2008 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> Ryan threw for a season-low 134 yards in Week 16 against the [[2008 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], ending a streak of nine straight games with at least 200 yards passing, he finished 13-of-24 passing, throwing an 8-yard touchdown passes to [[Jerious Norwood]] in the second quarter; however, with this win Ryan led the Falcons to their first playoff berth since 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=J. Michael |date=December 22, 2008 |title=Falcons clinch postseason spot with win |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/12/Week_16/Falcons_Vikings_Game_Story.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223130317/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2008/12/Week_16/Falcons_Vikings_Game_Story.aspx |archive-date=December 23, 2008 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref>


He finished the season with 3,440 passing yards, 17 touchdowns (one rushing), and 11 interceptions. He and fellow rookie [[Joe Flacco]] were the first rookie quarterbacks to lead their teams to the playoffs after starting all 16 games of the season. He is one of twelve rookie quarterbacks to throw for over 3,000 yards in their rookie season. On December 31, Ryan was named the AP [[NFL Rookie of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/30/matt_ryan_atlanta_falcons.html|title=Ryan named NFL’s Offensive Rookie of Year|publisher=}}</ref><ref>[http://life.atlantafalcons.com/index.php?autocom=blog&blogid=4&showentry=843 "What's Being Said About Matt Ryan?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908025155/http://life.atlantafalcons.com/index.php?autocom=blog |date=2009-09-08 }}, posted by J. Michael Moore, FalconsLIFE; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>
He finished the season with 3,440 passing yards, 17 touchdowns (one rushing), and 11 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2008 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2008/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101305/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2008/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He and fellow rookie [[Joe Flacco]] were the first rookie quarterbacks to lead their teams to the playoffs after starting all 16 games of the season. He is one of twelve rookie quarterbacks to throw for over {{convert|3,000|yd|m|0}} in their rookie season. On December 31, Ryan was named the AP [[NFL Rookie of the Year]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=D. Orlando |title=Ryan named NFL's Offensive Rookie of Year |url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/30/matt_ryan_atlanta_falcons.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629141053/https://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/12/30/matt_ryan_atlanta_falcons.html |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/ap-offensive-rookie-of-the-year-award.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116080408/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/ap-offensive-rookie-of-the-year-award.htm |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In addition, he was named to the All-Rookie Team for the 2008 season, joining [[Steve Bartkowski]] (1975) and [[Doug Johnson (American football)|Doug Johnson]] (2000) as the only Falcons quarterbacks to ever claim this award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2008.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324082531/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2008.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>


Ryan made his first playoff start against the [[Arizona Cardinals]] on January 3, 2009. He was 15 years younger than opposing quarterback [[Kurt Warner]], the third largest age discrepancy between playoff quarterbacks. His first attempted playoff pass was an interception. Ryan completed 26 of 40 passing attempts for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns but was intercepted twice. He threw his first TD in a playoff contest to [[Justin Peelle]].<ref name=summary/> Atlanta lost, 30–24.<ref name=summary/> Falcons Head Coach [[Mike Smith (American football coach)|Mike Smith]] and Ryan became the first rookie head coach and rookie quarterback to coach and compete in a playoff game since the Cleveland Rams accomplished the feat in 1945 (the feat was repeated the next day when Ravens [[Joe Flacco]] and [[John Harbaugh]] did so.)<ref name=summary>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/Wild_Card/Falcons_Cardinals_Game_Notes.aspx ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108010609/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/Wild_Card/Falcons_Cardinals_Game_Notes.aspx |date=January 8, 2009 }}</ref> During the game, Ryan set an NFL playoff rookie record with 26 completions in a single postseason game.<ref name=summary/>
Ryan made his first playoff start in the [[2008–09 NFL playoffs#NFC: Arizona Cardinals 30, Atlanta Falcons 24|Wild Card Round]] against the [[2008 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] on January 3, 2009. He was 15 years younger than opposing quarterback [[Kurt Warner]], the third-largest age discrepancy between playoff quarterbacks. His first attempted playoff pass was an interception. Ryan completed 26 of 40 passing attempts for 199 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. He threw his first touchdown in a playoff contest to Justin Peelle.<ref name=summary/> Atlanta lost, 30–24.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card – Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals – January 3rd, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200901030crd.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901110112/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200901030crd.htm |archive-date=September 1, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=summary/> Falcons Head Coach [[Mike Smith (American football coach)|Mike Smith]] and Ryan became the first rookie head coach and rookie quarterback to coach and compete in a playoff game since the [[1945 Cleveland Rams season|Cleveland Rams]] accomplished the feat with coach [[Adam Walsh (American football)|Adam Walsh]] and quarterback [[Bob Waterfield]] in 1945 (the feat was repeated the next day when Ravens [[Joe Flacco]] and [[John Harbaugh]] did so.)<ref name="summary">{{Cite web |date=January 3, 2009 |title=Falcons-Cardinals Game Notes |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/Wild_Card/Falcons_Cardinals_Game_Notes.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108010609/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/Wild_Card/Falcons_Cardinals_Game_Notes.aspx |archive-date=January 8, 2009 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref> During the game, Ryan set an NFL playoff rookie record with 26 completions in a single postseason game.<ref name=summary/>

====2009====
{{See also|2009 Atlanta Falcons season}}


===2009 season===
[[File:Matt Ryan.jpg|thumb|right|Ryan being introduced before the Falcons' 2009 regular season opener on September 13]]
[[File:Matt Ryan.jpg|thumb|right|Ryan being introduced before the Falcons' 2009 regular season opener on September 13]]
Ryan was voted by his teammates as Offensive Captain alongside [[Todd McClure]] at the end of the 2008 Season. He was first on the depth chart and was the Falcons starting quarterback for the second consecutive season.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}
Ryan was voted by his teammates as Offensive Captain alongside offensive lineman [[Todd McClure]] at the end of the 2008 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 5, 2009 |title='Captain' Ryan turns focus to 2009 for Falcons |url=http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/1/216545 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222021836/https://accesswdun.com/article/2009/1/216545 |archive-date=December 22, 2019 |access-date=December 22, 2019 |website=AccessWDUN |language=en |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

In 2009, Ryan started off the season fast as he threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions as he led the Falcons to a 19–7 win against the [[2009 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]] in the 2009 NFL season opener.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons – September 13th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200909130atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101333/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200909130atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> In Week 2, Ryan led the Falcons past the [[2009 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]]. Ryan had a career-high in touchdown passes (3), completion percentage (78%) and touchdown passes in a half (3). He finished the game 21–28 with 220 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – September 20th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200909200atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111094608/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200909200atl.htm |archive-date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 3, Ryan and the Falcons lost to the [[2009 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]. Ryan completed 17–28 for 199 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the 26–10 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots – September 27th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200909270nwe.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101335/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200909270nwe.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

In the Week 5 game against the [[2009 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], he completed 15 of 21 passes for 258 yards in the first half, setting a new career-high for the first half of play.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers – October 11th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910110sfo.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222165021/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910110sfo.htm |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Falcons-49ers Game Notes">{{Cite web |date=October 13, 2009 |title=Falcons-49ers Game Notes |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/10/Week_5/Falcons_49ers_Game_Notes.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013180938/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/10/Week_5/Falcons_49ers_Game_Notes.aspx |archive-date=October 13, 2009 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}</ref> Ryan finished the 45–10 victory having completed 22 of 32 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns for a 110.0 passer rating. Ryan tossed a 31-yard strike to Roddy White, and he connected to White again in the second quarter with a 90-yard touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WK 5 Can't-Miss Play: White's 90-yd TD |url=http://www.nfl.com/videos/atlanta-falcons/09000d5d81352034/WK-5-Can-t-Miss-Play-White-s-90-yd-TD |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722011642/http://www.nfl.com/videos/atlanta-falcons/09000d5d81352034/WK-5-Can-t-Miss-Play-White-s-90-yd-TD |archive-date=July 22, 2018 |access-date=October 1, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> The pass and reception for Ryan and White set new career highs. The pass and reception also mark the third longest in franchise history and the longest pass play since 2001.<ref name="Falcons-49ers Game Notes" /> The game was his third-career 300-yard passing outing as the second-year quarterback set a new career-high in total passing yards with 329 in a single game.<ref name="Falcons-49ers Game Notes" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers – October 11th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910110sfo.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202070833/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910110sfo.htm |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

In Weeks 6 through 9, Ryan generally struggled, throwing more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6), was sacked 10 times, and had an average passer rating of 65.5. Still, he led the Falcons to two victories in the four games, in part thanks to [[Michael Turner (American football)|Michael Turner]] having some strong performances.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons – October 18th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910180atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101331/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910180atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – October 25th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910250dal.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101342/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200910250dal.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – November 2nd, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911020nor.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225103/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911020nor.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons – November 8th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911080atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101344/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911080atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

In Week 12, Ryan suffered a turf toe injury during a game against the [[2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 1, 2009 |title=Falcons' Ryan out with toe injury |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/sports/20091201_Falcons__Ryan_out_with_toe_injury.html |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=inquirer.com |language=en |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529035026/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/sports/20091201_Falcons__Ryan_out_with_toe_injury.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Chris Redman]] stepped in and managed to win the game by connecting to [[Roddy White]] for a five-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – November 29th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911290atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101324/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911290atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Following this victory, however, the effect of Ryan's absence was compounded by injury to starting running back Michael Turner, and the Falcons suffered a 34–17 loss to the [[2009 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] and a 26–23 loss to the [[2009 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] in Weeks 13 and 14.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons – December 6th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912060atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228184735/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912060atl.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – December 13th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912130atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228184741/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912130atl.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 15, Ryan returned, despite not yet having fully recovered from his injury, and led Atlanta to a 10–7 upset win against the [[2009 New York Jets season|New York Jets]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets – December 20th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912200nyj.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101308/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912200nyj.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

In Week 16, the Falcons defeated the [[2009 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]] in a 31–3 win. Ryan threw for 250 yards with three touchdowns, two of them to Roddy White.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons – December 27th, 2009 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912270atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171127135649/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200912270atl.htm |archive-date=November 27, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the last game of the season, the Falcons defeated the Buccaneers by a score of 20–10. In the win, Ryan had 223 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – January 3rd, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001030tam.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225320/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001030tam.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> With a record of 9–7, the Falcons attained back to back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons (1966–Present) |url=http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/atlanta/falcons.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020093437/http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/atlanta/falcons.html |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |access-date=October 1, 2019 |website=Sports E-Cyclopedia}}</ref>

Ryan finished the season throwing for 2,916 yards with 22 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 80.9. Ryan also rushed for 49 yards and one touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2009 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2009/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101328/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2009/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====2010====

{{See also|2010 Atlanta Falcons season}}

In the 2010 season, Ryan led the Falcons to an NFC best 13–3 record, second in the NFL behind the 14–2 [[2010 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602002517/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/index.htm |archive-date=June 2, 2019 |access-date=December 29, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

Ryan's 2010 season started off slow in a 15–9 loss to the [[2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]]. He was 27-of-44 for 252 yards and an interception.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers – September 12th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201009120pit.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111094610/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201009120pit.htm |archive-date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He bounced back in the next game against the [[2010 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]]. In the 41–7 victory, he was 21-of-32 for 225 yards and three touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons – September 19th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201009190atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101310/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201009190atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 7, he had his most efficient game of the season in the 39–32 win over the [[2010 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]]. He was 24-of-33 for 299 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception for a season-high 118.1 passer rating.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons – October 24th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201010240atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225229/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201010240atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The victory over the Bengals was the start of an eight-game winning streak for Ryan and the Falcons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons 2010 Games and Schedule |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2010/gamelog/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 10, against the [[2010 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]], he passed for 316 yards and three touchdowns in the 26–21 win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons – November 11th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201011110atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204214907/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201011110atl.htm |archive-date=December 4, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After falling to the [[2010 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] in Week 16, Ryan closed out the regular season with a 31–10 victory over the [[2010 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]] with 236 passing yards and two touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – December 27th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201012270atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222170045/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201012270atl.htm |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – January 2nd, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201101020atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101338/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201101020atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

On the season, Ryan set career highs in touchdowns (28), completion percentage (62.5), and yards (3,705) while tossing nine interceptions. Ryan set the single-season franchise records, as well as career highs, in attempts (571), completions (357), and wins in a season (13).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2010 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2010/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224102858/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2010/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan led the NFL in fourth-quarter comebacks for a quarterback in the 2010 season, with six.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/leaders.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=March 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316160332/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/leaders.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2010–11 NFL playoffs#NFC: Green Bay Packers 48, Atlanta Falcons 21|Divisional Round]], the Falcons were defeated by the eventual [[Super Bowl XLV]] champions, the [[2010 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]], by a score of 48–21. In the loss, Ryan passed for 186 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round – Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons – January 15th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201101150atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225258/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201101150atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

Ryan was invited to the [[2011 Pro Bowl]], for the first time of his career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/probowl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316023404/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2010/probowl.htm |archive-date=March 16, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He threw two touchdowns in the Pro Bowl, one to [[Tony Gonzalez]] and the other to [[Larry Fitzgerald]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Americans vs. NFC Nationals – Box Score – January 30, 2011 |url=https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/boxscore?id=6014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111041648/https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/boxscore?id=6014 |archive-date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> He was named as the 52nd best player in the league on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2011]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2011-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425184739/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2011-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=April 25, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====2011====

{{See also|2011 Atlanta Falcons season}}


In the 2011 season, Ryan led the Falcons to a 10–6 record, passing for 4,177 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2011 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2011/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101340/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2011/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In [[2009 Atlanta Falcons season|2009]], Ryan started off the season fast as he threw for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions as he led the Falcons to a 19–7 win against the [[Miami Dolphins]] in the 2009 NFL season opener. In Week 2, Ryan led the Falcons past the Carolina Panthers. Ryan had a career-high in touchdown passes (3), completion percentage (78%) and touchdown passes in a half (3). He finished the game 21–28 with 220 yards, 3 touchdowns and a pick. In Week 3, Ryan and the Falcons lost to the New England Patriots. Ryan completed 17-28 for 199 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.


In the season opener against the [[2011 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]], Ryan was 31-of-47 for 319 yards and an interception in the 30–12 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears – September 11th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201109110chi.htm |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014220/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201109110chi.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> However, in the next game, the Falcons bounced back with a 35–31 victory over the [[2011 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]. Ryan was 17-of-28 for 195 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons – September 18th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201109180atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111094605/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201109180atl.htm |archive-date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Weeks 10 and 11, he recorded consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards in games against the [[2011 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] and the [[2011 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee Titans]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – November 13th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201111130atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814054940/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201111130atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons – November 20th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201111200atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225135/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201111200atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 14, against the [[2011 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], he was 22-of-38 for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the 31–23 victory to his second career NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers – December 11th, 2011 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201112110car.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225227/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201112110car.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 NFL Week 14 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_14.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324103028/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/week_14.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan finished the 2011 season with 4,177 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2011 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2011/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105193656/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2011/ |archive-date=January 5, 2020 |access-date=April 7, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In the Week 5 game against the [[San Francisco 49ers]], he completed 15 of 21 passes for 258 yards in the first half, setting a new career-high for the first half of play.<ref name="Falcons-49ers Game Notes">[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/10/Week_5/Falcons_49ers_Game_Notes.aspx Falcons-49ers Game Notes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013180938/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/10/Week_5/Falcons_49ers_Game_Notes.aspx |date=2009-10-13 }}</ref> Ryan finished the game having completed 22 of 32 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns for a 110.0 passer rating. Ryan tossed a 31-yard strike to Roddy White and he connected to White again in the second quarter with a 90-yard touchdown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/videos/atlanta-falcons/09000d5d81352034/WK-5-Can-t-Miss-Play-White-s-90-yd-TD|title=WK 5 Can't-Miss Play: White's 90-yd TD|work=NFL.com}}</ref> The pass and reception for Ryan and White set new career highs. The pass and reception also mark the third longest in franchise history and the longest pass play since 2001.<ref name="Falcons-49ers Game Notes" /> The game was his third-career 300-yard passing outing as the second-year quarterback set a new career-high in total passing yards in a single game.<ref name="Falcons-49ers Game Notes" />


The Falcons' regular-season mark of 10–6 qualified them for the playoffs. However, they were defeated by the eventual [[Super Bowl XLVI]] champion [[2011 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] in the [[2011–12 NFL playoffs#NFC: New York Giants 24, Atlanta Falcons 2|Wild Card Round]] by a score of 24–2, marking the fewest points in a postseason game in Falcons' history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons Playoff History |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/playoffs.htm |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the loss, Ryan was 24-of-41 passing for 199 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card – Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants – January 8th, 2012 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201201080nyg.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814020930/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201201080nyg.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In Weeks 6 through 9, Ryan generally struggled, throwing more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6), was sacked 10 times, and had an average passing rating of 65.5. Still, he led the Falcons to two victories in the four games, in part thanks to Michael Turner returning to the form of 2008.


====2012====
In Week 12, Ryan suffered a turf toe injury during the game against Tampa Bay. [[Chris Redman]] stepped in and managed to win the game by connecting to [[Roddy White]] for a touchdown in the 4th quarter. Following this victory, however, the effect of Ryan's absence was compounded by injury to starting running back [[Michael Turner (American football)|Michael Turner]], and the Falcons suffered losses to both Philadelphia and New Orleans in Weeks 13 and 14. In Week 15, Ryan returned, despite not yet having fully recovered from his injury, and led Atlanta to a 10–7 upset win against the [[New York Jets]].


{{See also|2012 Atlanta Falcons season}}
In Week 16, the Falcons defeated the [[Buffalo Bills]] in a 31–3 win. Ryan threw for 250 yards with three touchdowns, two of them to Roddy White. In the last game of the season, the Falcons defeated the Bucs 20-10.


In 2012, Ryan led the Falcons to their franchise best start of the season, starting 8–0.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2012 |title=Falcons beat slumping Dallas to move to 8–0 |url=https://ca.reuters.com/article/idCABRE8A406H20121105 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620162610/https://www.reuters.com/article/idCABRE8A406H20121105?edition-redirect=ca |archive-date=June 20, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=Reuters}}</ref> Ryan set personal records in completions (422), completion percentage (68.6), yards (4,719), and touchdowns (32).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2012 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2012/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101314/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2012/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
With a record of 9–7, the Atlanta Falcons attained back to back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/atlanta/falcons.html|title=Atlanta Falcons (1966-Present)|publisher=}}</ref>


In the 8–0 start, Ryan posted four games with three touchdown passes and three games going over the 300-yard passing mark. The first loss of the season for the Falcons came in Week 10 against the [[2012 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]]. Ryan was 34-of-52 for a then career-high 411 yards and three touchdowns and one interception as the Falcons fell by a score of 31–27.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – November 11th, 2012 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201211110nor.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225154/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201211110nor.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the next game against the [[2012 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]], Ryan threw for 301 yards but had a career-worst five interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huseth |first=Greg |date=2012-11-19 |title=Falcons down Cardinals, but it's uglier than ever |url=https://bloggingdirty.com/2012/11/19/falcons-down-cardinals-but-its-uglier-than-ever/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Blogging Dirty |language=en-US}}</ref> Despite the turnovers, the Falcons won by a score of 23–19.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons – November 18th, 2012 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201211180atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225330/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201211180atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the penultimate game of the regular season, he was 25-of-32 for 279 yards and four touchdowns in a 31–18 victory over the [[2012 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] to his third career NFC Offensive Player of the Week nod.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions – December 22nd, 2012 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201212220det.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225024/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201212220det.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 NFL Week 16 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/week_16.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324103037/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/week_16.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
Ryan finished the season throwing for 2,916 yards with 22 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 80.9. Ryan also rushed for 49 yards and one touchdown.


The Falcons finished the regular season 13–3, with the first seed in the NFC. Ryan, who was 0–3 in the postseason coming into the playoffs, won his first postseason game in the [[2012–13 NFL playoffs#NFC: Atlanta Falcons 30, Seattle Seahawks 28|Divisional Round]] against the [[2012 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]], with Ryan orchestrating the final scoring drive that led to [[Matt Bryant]]'s game-winning 49-yard field goal. Ryan finished with 250 passing yards, 68.6% completion percentage, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 30–28 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round – Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons – January 13th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201301130atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802182831/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201301130atl.htm |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the [[2012–13 NFL playoffs#NFC Championship Game: San Francisco 49ers 28, Atlanta Falcons 24|NFC Championship]] against the [[2012 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], Ryan threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns, but also committed two turnovers in crucial portions of the game, and later sprained the AC joint to his non-throwing shoulder as the Falcons lost 28–24.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship – San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons – January 20th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201301200atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814021122/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201301200atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Welch |first=Alex |date=January 20, 2013 |title=Matt Ryan injury: Falcons QB has sprained AC joint |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-playoff-schedule-bracket-2013/2013/1/20/3898178/matt-ryan-injury-falcons-49ers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228185608/https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-playoff-schedule-bracket-2013/2013/1/20/3898178/matt-ryan-injury-falcons-49ers |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}</ref> He did not require surgical procedure to repair his shoulder and would have been able to play in Super Bowl XLVII if the Falcons had advanced. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career, but declined due to the shoulder injury.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/probowl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316023449/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/probowl.htm |archive-date=March 16, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2021 |title=Matt Ryan to miss Pro Bowl with shoulder injury |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000129332/article/matt-ryan-to-miss-pro-bowl-with-shoulder-injury |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407194443/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000129332/article/matt-ryan-to-miss-pro-bowl-with-shoulder-injury |archive-date=April 7, 2020 |access-date=April 7, 2020 |website=NFL.com |language=en}}</ref> He was ranked #17 by his fellow players on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2013]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2013-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527175924/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2013-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
===2010 season===
In the [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|2010 season]], Ryan led the Falcons to an NFC best 13–3 record, second in the NFL behind the 14–2 [[2010 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]. He set career highs in touchdowns (28), completion percentage (62.5), and yards (3,705) while tossing 9 interceptions. Ryan set the single season franchise records, as well as career highs, in attempts (571), completions (357), and wins in a season (13).


====2013====
Ryan led the NFL in fourth quarter comebacks for a quarterback in the 2010 season, with six. In the Divisional round of the 2010–11 NFL playoffs, the Falcons were defeated by the eventual [[Super Bowl XLV]] champions, Green Bay Packers, with the score 48–21.


{{See also|2013 Atlanta Falcons season}}
Ryan was invited to the [[2011 Pro Bowl]], for the first time of his career. He threw two touchdowns in the Pro Bowl, one to [[Tony Gonzalez]] and the other to [[Larry Fitzgerald]].


On July 25, 2013, Ryan agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $103.75 million with the Falcons.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bell |first=Jarrett |date=July 25, 2013 |title=Falcons QB Matt Ryan signs NFL's second-most lucrative contract |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/07/25/matt-ryan-contract-extension/2587609/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412010121/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/07/25/matt-ryan-contract-extension/2587609/ |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |access-date=December 21, 2019 |work=USA Today}}</ref> On December 30, Ryan surpassed [[Steve Bartkowski]] for the all-time franchise leader in passing yards.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 27, 2017 |title=37,701: Career Passing Yards |url=http://herald-review.com/career-passing-yards/article_4a31bea2-09e0-5d32-b0f7-37d8a2d2f275.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228171537/http://herald-review.com/career-passing-yards/article_4a31bea2-09e0-5d32-b0f7-37d8a2d2f275.html |archive-date=December 28, 2017 |access-date=December 28, 2017 |work=Herald-Review.com |language=en}}</ref>
===2011 season===
In the 2011 season, Ryan led the Falcons to a 10–6 record, passing for 4,177 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. However, they were defeated by the eventual [[Super Bowl XLVI]] champion [[New York Giants]] in the Wild Card Round by a score of 24–2.


The Falcons had a down year, where they recorded a 4–12 record due to multiple injuries and losing key players on both sides of the ball.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corbett |first=Jim |date=September 17, 2013 |title=Falcons lose Sean Weatherspoon, Steven Jackson for foreseeable future |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/09/17/sean-weatherspoon-steven-jackson-injuries-injured-reserve-return/2827631/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412013129/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/09/17/sean-weatherspoon-steven-jackson-injuries-injured-reserve-return/2827631/ |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |access-date=December 21, 2019 |website=USA TODAY}}</ref> Ryan did record some impressive individual performances in the down season. In Week 2, against the [[2013 St. Louis Rams season|St. Louis Rams]], he had 374 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 31–24 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Louis Rams at Atlanta Falcons – September 15th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201309150atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014234/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201309150atl.htm |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Against the [[2013 New England Patriots|New England Patriots]] in Week 4, he was 34-of-54 for a then career-high 421 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the 30–23 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons – September 29th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201309290atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814024915/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201309290atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In his performance against the Patriots, Ryan became the first quarterback in franchise history to have multiple games with at least 400 passing yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quarterbacks with 400-yard passing games, Atlanta Falcons |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/bSZYc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014226/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=bSZYc |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Against the [[2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] in Week 7, he was 20-of-26 for 273 yards and three touchdowns for a 148.4 passer rating in the 31–23 victory to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – October 20th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201310200atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101301/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201310200atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 NFL Week 7 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/week_7.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324102320/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/week_7.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After the victory, the Falcons were 2–4 with all the losses being by a combined 19 points. However, the rest of the season collapsed starting with five consecutive losses, which the team never recovered from.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2013.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214071733/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2013.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 8, against the [[2013 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]], he had a career-high 61 pass attempts for 301 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions in the 27–13 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals – October 27th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201310270crd.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423083458/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201310270crd.htm |archive-date=April 23, 2020 |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
===2012 season===
In 2012, Ryan led the Falcons to their franchise best start of the season, starting 8–0. Ryan set personal records in completions (422), completion percentage (68.6), yards (4,719), and touchdowns (32). The Falcons finished the season 13–3, with the first seed in the NFC. Ryan, who was 0–3 in the postseason coming into the playoffs, won his first postseason game in the NFC Divisional Round against the [[2012 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]], with Ryan orchestrating the final scoring drive that led to [[Matt Bryant]]'s game-winning field goal. Ryan finished with 250 passing yards, 68.6% completion percentage, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. In the NFC Championship against the [[San Francisco 49ers]], Ryan threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns, but also committed two turnovers in crucial portions of the game, and later sprained the AC joint to his non-throwing shoulder as the Falcons lost 28–24. He did not require surgical procedure to repair his shoulder and would have been able to play in the Super Bowl if the Falcons had advanced.


Overall, on the season, Ryan passed for 4,515 yards, which ranked fourth in the league, with 26 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2013 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2013/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101258/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2013/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 NFL Passing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/passing.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424064624/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2013/passing.htm |archive-date=April 24, 2020 |access-date=April 7, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
===2013 season===
On July 25, 2013, Ryan agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $103.75 million with the Falcons.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bell|first=Jarrett|title=Falcons QB Matt Ryan signs NFL's second-most lucrative contract|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/07/25/matt-ryan-contract-extension/2587609/|newspaper=USA Today|date=July 25, 2013}}</ref> On December 30, Ryan surpassed [[Steve Bartkowski]] for the all-time franchise leader in passing yards. The Falcons had a down year, where they limped to a 4–12 record, due to multiple injuries and losing key players on both sides of the ball.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/09/17/sean-weatherspoon-steven-jackson-injuries-injured-reserve-return/2827631/|title=Falcons lose Sean Weatherspoon, Steven Jackson for foreseeable future|date=17 September 2013|work=USA TODAY}}</ref>


===2014 season===
====2014====
[[File:Matt Ryan 2014.jpg|thumb|Ryan against the [[2014 Baltimore Ravens season|Ravens]] in 2014]]
[[File:Matt Ryan 2014.jpg|thumb|Ryan against the [[2014 Baltimore Ravens season|Ravens]] in 2014]]
Ryan led the Falcons to a 6–10 record in 2014. He threw for 4,694 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, and had a quarterback rating of 93.9; the second highest of his career. The Falcons missed the playoffs a second year in a row after losing to their divisional rivals, [[2014 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], in Week 17.


{{See also|2014 Atlanta Falcons season}}
===2015 season===
[[File:Matt Ryan 2015.jpg|thumb|Ryan in 2015]]
Ryan led the Falcons to a 8–8 record in 2015, good for second in the [[NFC South]], but not enough for the playoffs. Ryan finished with 21 touchdown passes, the second lowest of his career, as well as 16 interceptions, the second highest of his career. However, Ryan fumbled a career-high 12 times, losing five of them, which was also a career-high.


Ryan led the Falcons to a 6–10 record in 2014. He threw for 4,694 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, and had a quarterback rating of 93.9.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2014 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2014/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101303/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2014/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
===2016 season: MVP season===
In Week 4 of the 2016 season, Ryan threw for a team-record 503 yards and four touchdowns while teammate [[Julio Jones]] caught 12 passes for a team-record 300 yards and a touchdown in a win over the [[2016 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/monday-musings-the-reason-behind-matt-ryans-turnaround-and-why-falcons-are-3-1/ | title=Monday Musings: The reason behind Matt Ryan's turnaround and why Falcons are 3-1 | publisher=cbssports.com | date=October 3, 2016 | accessdate=October 3, 2016 | author=Prisco, Pete}}</ref> Ryan and Jones were the first quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history to combine for at least 500 passing yards and 300 receiving yards in the same game.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000713849/article/matt-ryan-julio-jones-set-records-in-win-over-panthers | title=Matt Ryan, Julio Jones set records in win over Panthers | publisher=nfl.com | date=October 2, 2016 | accessdate=October 3, 2016 | author=Wesseling, Chris}}</ref> In October 2016, he set an NFL record for most consecutive games with at least 200 passing yards with 46 straight games.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2671540-matt-ryan-set-record-for-most-consecutive-games-with-at-least-200-passing-yards | title=Matt Ryan Set Record for Most Consecutive Games with At Least 200 Passing Yards | publisher=bleacherreport.com | date=October 24, 2016 | accessdate=October 25, 2016}}</ref>
Ryan improved greatly from the previous season. He threw for a career-high 4,944 yards on just 373 completions and 534 attempts, second in the league, and a career-high 38 touchdowns and a career-low seven interceptions, also second in the league. Ryan's 9.3 yards per attempt and 5.0 air yards per attempt ranked No. 1 among NFL quarterbacks in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/matt-ryan |title=Matt Ryan Advanced Stats and Metrics Profile|work=PlayerProfiler.com}}</ref> He threw touchdown passes to 13 different receivers, an NFL record. He threw a touchdown pass in all 16 games for the first time in his career and was the only quarterback to do so for the 2016 season. Ryan was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and was named First-team [[2016 All-Pro Team|All Pro]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Three rookies, Matt Ryan among players named to All-Pro team|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000770458/article/three-rookies-matt-ryan-among-players-named-to-allpro-team?campaign=Twitter_atn|website=NFL.com|date=January 6, 2017}}</ref> Following the regular season, he was recognized as the [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] by the [[Pro Football Writers Association]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cunningham|first1=Michael|title=Pro Football Writers vote Falcons’ Matt Ryan MVP|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/pro-football-writers-vote-falcons-matt-ryan-mvp/Dq5jiksVlhDH9g23jrGcIK/|accessdate=January 22, 2017|work=[[NJ.com]]|date=January 25, 2017}}</ref> Ryan was named the [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] and the [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] for the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Matt Ryan named NFL Offensive Player of the Year|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000782784/article/matt-ryan-named-nfl-offensive-player-of-the-year|author=Bergman, Jeremy|website=NFL.com|date=February 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Matt Ryan named NFL's Most Valuable Player for 2016|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000782775/article/matt-ryan-named-nfls-most-valuable-player-for-2016|author=Rosenthal, Gregg|website=NFL.com|date=February 4, 2017}}</ref>


The season did start off promising with a 37–34 overtime victory over the [[2014 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]]. Ryan was 31-of-43 for a then career-high 448 yards and three touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – September 7th, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201409070atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814021727/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201409070atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2014 NFL Week 1 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/week_1.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324170748/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/week_1.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After a 24–10 loss to the [[2014 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]], the Falcons defeated the [[2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] by a score of 56–14.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals – September 14th, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201409140cin.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814023357/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201409140cin.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the victory, Ryan was 21-of-24 for a career-high single-game completion percentage of 87.50% and had 286 yards and three touchdowns for a career-high 155.9 passer rating. He earned another NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for his effort against the Buccaneers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – September 18th, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201409180atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814021249/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201409180atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2014 NFL Week 3 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/week_3.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324102338/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/week_3.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Falcons went on to lose six of their next eight games. After a much-needed 29–18 win over the [[2014 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] in Week 13, the Falcons faced off against the [[2014 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons – November 30th, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201411300atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814023245/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201411300atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> and lost 43–37 as Ryan had 375 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers – December 8th, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201412080gnb.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814023333/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201412080gnb.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After a 27–20 loss to the [[2014 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] and a 30–14 victory over the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons had a 6–9 record. Despite the struggles of the 2014 season, the Falcons still had a chance to make the playoffs with a Week 17 victory due to the weakness of the entire NFC South division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manasso |first=John |date=December 28, 2014 |title=Panthers flatten Falcons, claim NFC South title |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/12/28/panthers-crush-falcons-34-3-roll-into-playoffs/20979977/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407193912/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/12/28/panthers-crush-falcons-34-3-roll-into-playoffs/20979977/ |archive-date=April 7, 2020 |access-date=April 7, 2020 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> However, the Falcons missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season after losing 34–3 to their [[Falcons–Panthers rivalry|divisional rival]], [[2014 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], in Week 17.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – December 28th, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201412280atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225254/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201412280atl.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> For the third time in his career, Ryan was named to the Pro Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2014 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/probowl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816061701/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/probowl.htm |archive-date=August 16, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was ranked as the 77th best player in the league among his peers on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2015]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2015 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2015-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525110036/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2015-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
As the number 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs, Ryan led the 11–5 Atlanta Falcons to a 36–20 victory over the number 3 seeded [[2016 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]] in the Divisional Round.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2016.htm|title=2016 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players|work=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]|accessdate=6 August 2017}}</ref> Ryan passed for over 300 yards and had three touchdowns.<ref>{{cite web|title=Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons' offense too much for Seattle Seahawks|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/01/14/atlanta-falcons-seattle-seahawks/96599382/|website=usatoday.com|date=January 14, 2017|author=Pelissero, Tom}}</ref> In the NFC Championship game, Ryan led the Falcons to a 44–21 victory over the [[Green Bay Packers]]. Ryan threw for 392 yards for 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for a fifth touchdown, just the fourth player to do so in a post-season game,<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=P&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_td&c1comp=gt&c1val=4&c2stat=rush_td&c2comp=gt&c2val=1&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_td Players with 4+ passing TDs and 1+ rushing TD in a postseason game]. [[Tobin Rote]] (1957) is the only other player to do so without an interception; [[Peyton Manning]] and [[Aaron Rodgers]] both had one INT in their games.</ref> as the Falcons earned a trip to [[Super Bowl LI]].<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL LIVE SCORE UPDATES: Packers vs. Falcons: RECAP, final score, stats for NFC Championship|url=http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/01/nfl_live_score_updates_packers_falcons_12217_time.html|date=January 14, 2017|author=Pelissero, Tom}}</ref> During the [[Super Bowl]] against the [[2016 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]], Ryan finished with 284 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a lost fumble in a 28–34 overtime loss.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm|title=Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017|work=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]|accessdate=6 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Chadiha|first1=Jeffri|title=Falcons' historic collapse leads to Patriots' fifth Super Bowl win|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000783872/article/falcons-historic-collapse-leads-to-patriots-fifth-super-bowl-win|publisher=NFL|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}</ref>


===2017 season===
====2015====
{{See also|2015 Atlanta Falcons season}}
On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 23–17 victory over the [[2017 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] at [[Soldier Field]], Ryan connected with tight end [[Austin Hooper]] for an 88-yard touchdown, which was the second-longest touchdown pass of Ryan's career. In the game, Ryan was 21-of-30 for 321 yards and the one touchdown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/touchdowns/passing|title=Matt Ryan Career Passing Touchdown Log|accessdate=7 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709100chi.htm|title=Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears - September 10th, 2017|work=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]|accessdate=7 October 2017}}</ref>


The 2015 season was an inconsistent one for Ryan and the Falcons. In the season opener against the [[2015 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]], he was 23-of-34 for 298 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the 26–24 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons – September 14th, 2015 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201509140atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814023349/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201509140atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the next game against the [[2015 New York Giants season|New York Giants]], he was 30-of-46 for 363 yards and a touchdown in the 24–20 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants – September 20th, 2015 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201509200nyg.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814055117/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201509200nyg.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Falcons won the next three games for a 5–0 start.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ikic |first=Adnan |date=2019-03-26 |title=Reflecting on Matt Ryan's 11 seasons: 2015 |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2019/3/26/18277940/atlanta-falcons-reflecting-on-matt-ryans-11-seasons-2015-carolina-panthers-indianapolis-colits |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=The Falcoholic|publisher=SB Nation |language=en}}</ref> Their first loss came in the sixth game with a 31–21 setback against the [[2015 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]], where Ryan was 30-of-44 for 295 yards and two touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – October 15th, 2015 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201510150nor.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225026/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201510150nor.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After a 10–7 victory over the [[2015 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee Titans]], the Falcons dropped their next six games to send their season plummeting.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Kendall |date=October 25, 2015 |title=Falcons 10, Titans 7: Atlanta pulls out ugly win |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2015/10/25/9610964/falcons-10-titans-7-atlanta-pulls-out-ugly-win-against-tennessee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529004311/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2015/10/25/9610964/falcons-10-titans-7-atlanta-pulls-out-ugly-win-against-tennessee |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=The Falcoholic|publisher=SB Nation |language=en}}</ref> In the losing streak, Ryan had a season-high 397 passing yards for two touchdowns and an interception in a 23–20 loss to the [[2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] in Week 8 on November 1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – November 1st, 2015 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201511010atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814023321/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201511010atl.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan led the Falcons to an 8–8 record in 2015, good for second in the NFC South, but not enough to reach the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2015 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108194639/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/index.htm |archive-date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=December 29, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In Week 2, Ryan and the Falcons had their first home game at the new [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]]. Against the [[2017 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] on ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football]]'', Ryan was 19-of-28 for 252 yards and a touchdown, which was to running back [[Tevin Coleman]] and the first touchdown ever thrown in the new stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709170atl.htm|title=Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons - September 17th, 2017|work=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]|accessdate=7 October 2017}}</ref>


Ryan finished the 2015 season with 21 touchdown passes, the second-lowest of his career, as well as 16 interceptions, the second-highest of his career. Additionally Ryan fumbled a career-high 12 times, losing five of them, which was also a career-high.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2015 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2015/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101312/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2015/ |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==NFL career statistics and accolades==

{| class="wikitable"
====2016: MVP season====
! colspan="2"|<center>Legend</center>
{{See also|2016 Atlanta Falcons season}}

[[File:Pro Football Hall of Fame (38810025231).jpg|thumb|Ryan's #2 jersey worn in the [[Super Bowl LI]] at the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]]]
The 2016 season was one of historically significant individual and team performance for Ryan and the Falcons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirsh |first=Andrew |date=January 2, 2017 |title=Falcons Offense Has Historically Great Regular Season |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-offense-has-historically-great-regular-season-18378527 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518024531/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-offense-has-historically-great-regular-season-18378527 |archive-date=May 18, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Kevin |date=June 8, 2021 |title=The 2016 Falcons had the team's greatest offense of all time |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2021/6/8/22512404/2016-falcons-greatest-offense-of-all-time-matt-ryan-julio-jones-kyle-shanahan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413185820/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2021/6/8/22512404/2016-falcons-greatest-offense-of-all-time-matt-ryan-julio-jones-kyle-shanahan |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=The Falcoholic|publisher=SB Nation |language=en}}</ref> Ryan started off the 2016 season with 334 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 31–24 loss to the [[2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Odum |first=Charles |date=September 11, 2016 |title=Jameis Winston's 4 TD passes push Bucs past Falcons 31–24 in opener |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/tampa-bay-buccaneers/os-ap-bucs-top-falcons-opener-31-24-20160911-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014222/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/tampa-bay-buccaneers/os-ap-bucs-top-falcons-opener-31-24-20160911-story.html |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=OrlandoSentinel.com}}</ref> The next game, a 35–28 victory over the [[2016 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]], he passed for 396 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 19, 2016 |title=Ryan throws 3 TD passes to lead Falcons past Raiders 35–28 |url=https://apnews.com/4328adccc875474c8531476dfbf2d416 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224033654/https://apnews.com/4328adccc875474c8531476dfbf2d416 |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=AP NEWS}}</ref> In Week 4, Ryan threw for a team-record 503 yards and four touchdowns while teammate [[Julio Jones]] caught 12 passes for a team-record 300 yards and a touchdown in a win over the [[2016 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prisco |first=Pete |date=October 3, 2016 |title=Monday Musings: The reason behind Matt Ryan's turnaround and why Falcons are 3–1 |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/monday-musings-the-reason-behind-matt-ryans-turnaround-and-why-falcons-are-3-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003183254/http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/monday-musings-the-reason-behind-matt-ryans-turnaround-and-why-falcons-are-3-1/ |archive-date=October 3, 2016 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |website=CBSSports.com}}</ref> Ryan and Jones were the first quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history to combine for at least 500 passing yards and 300 receiving yards in the same game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wesseling |first=Chris |date=October 2, 2016 |title=Matt Ryan, Julio Jones set records in win over Panthers |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/matt-ryan-julio-jones-set-records-in-win-over-panthers-0ap3000000713849 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429094436/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000713849/article/matt-ryan-julio-jones-set-records-in-win-over-panthers |archive-date=April 29, 2017 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> In October 2016, he set an NFL record for most consecutive games with at least 200 passing yards with 46 straight games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 24, 2016 |title=Matt Ryan Set Record for Most Consecutive Games with At Least 200 Passing Yards |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2671540-matt-ryan-set-record-for-most-consecutive-games-with-at-least-200-passing-yards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025154901/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2671540-matt-ryan-set-record-for-most-consecutive-games-with-at-least-200-passing-yards |archive-date=October 25, 2016 |access-date=October 25, 2016 |website=Bleacher Report}}</ref> In Week 9, in the 43–28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had 344 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2016 NFL Week 9 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2016/week_9.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324103035/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2016/week_9.htm |archive-date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 17, in a 38–32 victory over the [[2016 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]], he had 331 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – January 1st, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201701010atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611132857/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201701010atl.htm |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2016 NFL Week 17 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2016/week_17.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014221/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2016/week_17.htm |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=March 24, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan improved greatly from the previous season. He threw for a career-high 4,944 yards on just 373 completions and 534 attempts, second in the league, and a career-high 38 touchdowns and a career-low seven interceptions, also second in the league. Ryan's 9.3 yards per attempt and 5.0 air yards per attempt ranked No. 1 among NFL quarterbacks in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan Advanced Stats and Metrics Profile |url=http://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/matt-ryan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220121822/https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/matt-ryan/ |archive-date=December 20, 2019 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=PlayerProfiler.com}}</ref> He threw a touchdown pass in all 16 games for the first time in his career and was the only quarterback to do so for the 2016 season. In the season, he threw a pass to an NFL-record 13 different receivers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stuart |first=Chase |date=January 1, 2017 |title=Matt Ryan and Touchdown Passes To 13 Different Receivers |url=http://www.footballperspective.com/matt-ryan-and-touchdown-passes-to-13-different-receivers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908043226/http://www.footballperspective.com/matt-ryan-and-touchdown-passes-to-13-different-receivers/ |archive-date=September 8, 2018 |access-date=November 2, 2018 |work=FootballPerspective.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Ryan was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and was named First-team [[2016 All-Pro Team|All Pro]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 6, 2017 |title=Three rookies, Matt Ryan among players named to All-Pro team |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/three-rookies-matt-ryan-among-players-named-to-all-pro-team-0ap3000000770458 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617193111/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000770458/article/three-rookies-matt-ryan-among-players-named-to-allpro-team?campaign=Twitter_atn |archive-date=June 17, 2018 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> Following the regular season, he was recognized as the [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] by the [[Pro Football Writers Association]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cunningham |first=Michael |date=January 25, 2017 |title=Pro Football Writers vote Falcons' Matt Ryan MVP |url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/pro-football-writers-vote-falcons-matt-ryan-mvp/Dq5jiksVlhDH9g23jrGcIK/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119052532/http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/pro-football-writers-vote-falcons-matt-ryan-mvp/Dq5jiksVlhDH9g23jrGcIK/ |archive-date=January 19, 2017 |access-date=January 22, 2017 |work=[[NJ.com]]}}</ref> Ryan was named the [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] and the NFL Most Valuable Player for the 2016 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bergman |first=Jeremy |date=February 4, 2017 |title=Matt Ryan named NFL Offensive Player of the Year |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/matt-ryan-named-nfl-offensive-player-of-the-year-0ap3000000782784 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191125220403/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000782784/article/matt-ryan-named-nfl-offensive-player-of-the-year |archive-date=November 25, 2019 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |date=February 4, 2017 |title=Matt Ryan named NFL's Most Valuable Player for 2016 |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/matt-ryan-named-nfl-s-most-valuable-player-for-2016-0ap3000000782775 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219220745/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000782775/article/matt-ryan-named-nfls-most-valuable-player-for-2016 |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> He earned the Bert Bell Award for the 2016 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year) Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/bert-bell-award.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821031638/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/bert-bell-award.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was ranked tenth by his peers on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2017]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2017 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2017-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511024213/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2017-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

As the #2-seed in the NFC Playoffs, Ryan led the 11–5 Falcons to a 36–20 home victory over the #3-seed [[2016 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]] in the [[2016–17 NFL playoffs#NFC: Atlanta Falcons 36, Seattle Seahawks 20|Divisional Round]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2016 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2016.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807022126/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2016.htm |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |access-date=August 6, 2017 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Ryan passed for over 300 yards and had three touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pelissero |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Pelissero |date=January 14, 2017 |title=Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons' offense too much for Seattle Seahawks |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/01/14/atlanta-falcons-seattle-seahawks/96599382/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118174122/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/01/14/atlanta-falcons-seattle-seahawks/96599382/ |archive-date=January 18, 2020 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=USA Today}}</ref> In the [[2016–17 NFL playoffs#NFC Championship Game: Atlanta Falcons 44, Green Bay Packers 21|NFC Championship]], Ryan led the Falcons to a 44–21 home victory over the [[2016 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]. Ryan threw for 392 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also ran for a fifth touchdown, just the fourth player to do so in a post-season game,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Players with 4+ passing TDs and 1+ rushing TD in a postseason game |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/76Ts5 |access-date=April 7, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |quote=[[Tobin Rote]] (1957) is the only other player to do so without an interception; [[Peyton Manning]] and [[Aaron Rodgers]] both had one INT in their games. |archive-date=May 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531010934/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=76Ts5 |url-status=live }}</ref> as the Falcons earned a trip to [[Super Bowl LI]]. The game against the Packers was the last one ever played at the [[Georgia Dome]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duggan |first=Dan |date=January 14, 2017 |title=Packers vs. Falcons |url=http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/01/nfl_live_score_updates_packers_falcons_12217_time.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101101050/https://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/01/nfl_live_score_updates_packers_falcons_12217_time.html |archive-date=January 1, 2019 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=NJ.com}}</ref> During [[Super Bowl LI]] against the [[2016 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]], Ryan finished with 284 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a lost fumble. Although the Falcons led the game 28–3 midway through the third quarter, they suffered one of the most historic collapses in sports history and lost in overtime, 34–28.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LI – New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons – February 5th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331010158/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm |archive-date=March 31, 2019 |access-date=August 6, 2017 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chadiha |first=Jeffri |date=February 6, 2017 |title=Falcons' historic collapse leads to Patriots' fifth Super Bowl win |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/falcons-historic-collapse-leads-to-patriots-fifth-super-bowl-wi-0ap3000000783872 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807021058/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000783872/article/falcons-historic-collapse-leads-to-patriots-fifth-super-bowl-win |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> Ryan became the first quarterback in franchise history to pass for over 1,000 yards in a single postseason. Of the quarterbacks to achieve the feat, he achieved the highest passer rating, 135.3, and joined [[Joe Flacco]] as the only ones to not throw a single interception.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Players to pass for at least 1,000 yards in a single postseason, NFL history |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/JWuO8 |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====2017====
{{See also|2017 Atlanta Falcons season}}

On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 23–17 victory over the [[2017 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] at [[Soldier Field]], Ryan connected with tight end [[Austin Hooper]] for an 88-yard touchdown, which was the second-longest touchdown pass of Ryan's career. In the game, Ryan was 21-of-30 for 321 yards and the one touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan Career Passing Touchdown Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/touchdowns/passing |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008030648/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/touchdowns/passing |archive-date=October 8, 2017 |access-date=October 7, 2017 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears – September 10th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709100chi.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920021504/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709100chi.htm |archive-date=September 20, 2017 |access-date=October 7, 2017 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref> In Week 2, Ryan and the Falcons had their first home game at the new [[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]]. Against the [[2017 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]], Ryan was 19-of-28 for 252 yards and a touchdown, which was thrown to running back [[Tevin Coleman]] and the first touchdown ever thrown in the new stadium. The Falcons won by a score of 34–23.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons – September 17th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709170atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008080102/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709170atl.htm |archive-date=October 8, 2017 |access-date=October 7, 2017 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref> In Week 7, in a Super Bowl LI rematch against the [[2017 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]], Ryan passed for 233 yards and a passing touchdown to go along with a career-high 37 rushing yards in the 23–7 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots – October 22nd, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201710220nwe.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611133110/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201710220nwe.htm |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 10, during a 27–7 win over the [[2017 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]], Ryan became the fastest quarterback to throw for over 40,000 passing yards. This was done in 151 games breaking [[Drew Brees]]' record which was done in 152 games.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McClure |first=Vaughn |date=November 12, 2017 |title=Falcons QB Ryan fastest to 40,000 passing yds |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21395052/matt-ryan-atlanta-falcons-fastest-player-throw-40000-yards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920160958/http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21395052/matt-ryan-atlanta-falcons-fastest-player-throw-40000-yards |archive-date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=October 4, 2018 |work=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> In Week 17, after clinching a spot in the playoffs by beating the [[2017 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]] 22–10, Ryan set the record for most passing yards through 10 seasons with 41,796, breaking the record held by [[Peyton Manning]], who had 41,626.<ref name="thefalcoholic.com">{{Cite web |last=Choate |first=Dave |date=January 2018 |title=Matt Ryan has more passing yards through 10 seasons than any quarterback in NFL history |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2018/1/1/16837138/matt-ryan-has-more-passing-yards-through-10-seasons-than-any-quarterback-in-nfl-history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329012905/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2018/1/1/16837138/matt-ryan-has-more-passing-yards-through-10-seasons-than-any-quarterback-in-nfl-history |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |access-date=July 26, 2019 |website=SB Nation}}</ref> Ryan led the Falcons to a road victory against the [[2017 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]] in the [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#NFC: Atlanta Falcons 26, Los Angeles Rams 13|Wild Card Round]] by a score of 26–13.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card – Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams – January 6th, 2018 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201801060ram.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174418/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201801060ram.htm |archive-date=January 10, 2018 |access-date=January 17, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> A week later, Ryan passed for 210 yards and one touchdown as the Falcons were beaten by the [[2017 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] 15–10 in the NFC [[2017–18 NFL playoffs#NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 15, Atlanta Falcons 10|Divisional Round]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round – Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles – January 13th, 2018 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201801130phi.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118030609/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201801130phi.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2018 |access-date=January 17, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> Ryan was ranked 29th by his fellow players on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2018]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2018-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511024218/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2018-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====2018====
{{See also|2018 Atlanta Falcons season}}

[[File:Atlanta Falcons (45674483812).jpg|thumb|Ryan and his teammates in a game against the [[2018 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]]]]
On May 3, 2018, Ryan signed a five-year, $150 million contract with the Falcons with $100 million guaranteed, making him the first player to average at least $30 million per year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cancian |first=Dan |date=2018-05-04 |title=Matt Ryan Becomes NFL's First $30m-a-year Player |url=https://www.newsweek.com/matt-ryan-salary-falcons-qb-becomes-nfls-first-30m-year-player-910259 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wesseling |first=Chris |date=May 3, 2018 |title=Matt Ryan, Falcons agree to five-year, $150M contract |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/matt-ryan-falcons-agree-to-five-year-150m-contract-0ap3000000931322 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322010656/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000931322/article/matt-ryan-falcons-agree-to-fiveyear-150m-contract |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=March 8, 2019 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> In Week 2, a 31–24 victory over the [[2018 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], Ryan recorded two rushing touchdowns, a one-yard score in the third quarter and an eight-yard score in the fourth quarter, in a single game for the first time in his professional career. In addition, he had 272 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and an interception in the win.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Florio |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Florio |date=2018-09-17 |title=Matt Ryan has two rushing touchdowns for the first time in a long time |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/matt-ryan-has-two-rushing-touchdowns-for-the-first-time-in-a-long-time |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004230019/https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/09/17/matt-ryan-has-two-rushing-touchdowns-for-the-first-time-in-a-long-time/ |archive-date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> In Week 3, in a 43–37 overtime loss to the [[2018 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]], Ryan passed for 374 yards and a career-high five touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 23, 2018 |title=Falcons' Matt Ryan: Career day in loss |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/falcons-matt-ryan-career-day-in-loss/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006201709/https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/falcons-matt-ryan-career-day-in-loss/ |archive-date=October 6, 2018 |access-date=October 6, 2018 |work=CBS Sports |language=en |agency=RotoWire}}</ref> In Week 4, against the [[2018 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]], he had 419 passing yards and three touchdowns in a tough 37–36 loss where the Bengals scored a go-ahead touchdown with seven seconds remaining.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 1, 2018 |title=Bengals get win in final seconds |url=https://www.irontontribune.com/2018/10/01/bengals-get-win-in-final-seconds/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011040713/https://www.irontontribune.com/2018/10/01/bengals-get-win-in-final-seconds/ |archive-date=October 11, 2018 |access-date=October 10, 2018 |work=The Tribune |language=en-US |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> In Week 7, against the [[2018 New York Giants|New York Giants]], he had 379 passing yards and one passing touchdown in the 23–20 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons – October 22nd, 2018 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201810220atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611133553/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201810220atl.htm |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 10, against the [[2018 Cleveland Browns|Cleveland Browns]], he had a career-high 38 completions on 52 attempts for 330 yards and two touchdowns in the 28–16 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Cleveland Browns – November 11th, 2018 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201811110cle.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001001714/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201811110cle.htm |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 12, against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving, he had 377 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 31–17 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – November 22nd, 2018 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201811220nor.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228191944/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201811220nor.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In a Week 14 34–20 loss to the [[2018 Green Bay Packers|Green Bay Packers]], Ryan eclipsed 4,000 yards, becoming the third quarterback in NFL history to reach 4,000 in at least eight consecutive seasons, joining [[Drew Brees]] (2006–2017) and [[Peyton Manning]] (2006–2014).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Streaks – Eight Seasons – 4,000 Passing Yards |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/AtvgZ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014239/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=AtvgZ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=December 18, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 15, a 40–14 victory over the [[2018 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]], Ryan recorded two passing touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown, giving him a career-high three rushing touchdowns for the season. In addition, this victory gave Ryan 100 regular season wins, and made Ryan and Thomas Dimitroff only the sixth quarterback-general manager duo to record at least 100 wins together.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Winkeljohn |first=Matt |date=December 16, 2018 |title=Cardinals fall 40–14 under Falcons' "avalanche" |url=https://apnews.com/10426023734d45fb9521219b1b49ce2a |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123071451/https://apnews.com/10426023734d45fb9521219b1b49ce2a |archive-date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Will |date=December 16, 2018 |title=Matt Ryan, Thomas Dimitroff earn 100th career win with Falcons |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-thomas-dimitroff-earn-100th-career-win-with-falcons?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123071455/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-thomas-dimitroff-earn-100th-career-win-with-falcons?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook |archive-date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In Week 17, a 34–32 victory of the [[2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], in addition to passing for 378 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, Ryan recorded his first career reception on a five-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver [[Mohamed Sanu]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parks |first=James |date=December 30, 2018 |title=Matt Ryan catches first career TD pass |url=https://247sports.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/Article/Matt-Ryan-catches-TD-pass-from-Mohamed-Sanu-127048858/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014317/https://247sports.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/Article/Matt-Ryan-catches-TD-pass-from-Mohamed-Sanu-127048858/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=247 Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> With the touchdown reception, Ryan set an NFL record for most passing yards in a game while recording a receiving touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most passing yards in a single game while recording a receiving touchdown, NFL history |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/P5Is8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529003602/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=P5Is8 |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=December 28, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

Ryan finished the 2018 season with 35 passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown, giving him a career-high 39 total touchdowns on the season. In addition, the seven interceptions thrown by Ryan are tied for his career best.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parks |first=James |date=November 30, 2018 |title=Matt Ryan's 2018 season: By the numbers |url=https://247sports.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/LongFormArticle/Matt-Ryan-2018-numbers-125573072/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014254/https://247sports.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/LongFormArticle/Matt-Ryan-2018-numbers-125573072/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=247 Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2018 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124193433/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00.htm |archive-date=January 24, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Despite a losing 7–9 record, Ryan finished with the third most passing yards, tied for the third most passing touchdowns, fourth in completion percentage, and fourth in passer rating.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 NFL Passing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2018/passing.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123011741/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2018/passing.htm |archive-date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan was named a Pro Bowl alternate for the season, although Ryan declined the invitation upon being selected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eurich |first=Matt |date=January 21, 2019 |title=NFL reactions to Mitch Trubisky getting named to Pro Bowl |url=https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/ContentGallery/Mitch-Trubisky-Pro-Bowl-reactions-128125860/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014255/https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/ContentGallery/Mitch-Trubisky-Pro-Bowl-reactions-128125860/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=Chicago Bears |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2018.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107110109/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2018.htm |archive-date=January 7, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was ranked 69th by his fellow players on the [[NFL Top 100 Players of 2019]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2019 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2019-nfl-top-100.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511024217/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2019-nfl-top-100.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====2019====
{{See also|2019 Atlanta Falcons season}}

[[File:Matt ryan 2019.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Ryan speaking to [[United States Secretary of Defense|Defense Secretary]] [[Mark Esper]] in 2019]]
On March 12, the Falcons restructured Ryan's contract by converting $8.75 million of his base salary into a signing bonus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weaver |first=Tim |date=March 12, 2019 |title=Falcons save $7 million in cap space by restructuring Matt Ryan's contract |url=https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2019/03/12/falcons-matt-ryan-contract-cap-space-restructure/amp/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514192334/https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2019/03/12/falcons-matt-ryan-contract-cap-space-restructure/amp/ |archive-date=May 14, 2019 |access-date=March 12, 2019 |website=Falcons Wire |language=en}}</ref>

In Week 1 against the [[2019 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], Ryan completed 33-of-46 passes for 304 yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 28–12 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 8, 2019 |title=Falcons vs. Vikings final score: Minnesota cruises in Week 1 matchup, Dalvin Cook gets off to a hot start |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/falcons-vs-vikings-final-score-minnesota-cruises-in-week-1-matchup-dalvin-cook-gets-off-to-a-hot-start/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013214249/https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/falcons-vs-vikings-final-score-minnesota-cruises-in-week-1-matchup-dalvin-cook-gets-off-to-a-hot-start/ |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |access-date=October 13, 2019 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref> In Week 2 against the [[2019 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]], Ryan threw for 320 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions as the Falcons won 24–20. On fourth down with two minutes left in the game, Ryan threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to [[Julio Jones]] that ended giving the Falcons the late go-ahead score.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Newberry |first=Paul |date=September 15, 2019 |title=Jones scores late TD, leads Falcons past Eagles 24–20 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128124 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916162047/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128124 |archive-date=September 16, 2019 |access-date=September 15, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> In Week 3 against the [[2019 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]], Ryan threw for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception as the Falcons lost 27–24.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2019 |title=Brissett's fast start helps Colts hold off Falcons 27–24 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127929 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923011244/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127929 |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> In Week 4, in a 24–10 loss to the [[2019 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee Titans]], Ryan passed for 397 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons – September 29th, 2019 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201909290atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002181715/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201909290atl.htm |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |access-date=October 2, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 5 against the [[2019 Houston Texans season|Houston Texans]], Ryan threw for 330 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception while adding a rushing touchdown in the 53–32 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2019 |title=Watson throws 5 TDs, 3 to Fuller; Texans top Falcons 53–32 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127960 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007054053/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127960 |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |access-date=October 6, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Ryan became the first Falcons quarterback since Chris Miller in 1990 to pass for over 300 yards and have three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the same game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Players with 300 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown in a single game, Atlanta Falcons |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/Ee88M |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 6 against the [[2019 Arizona Cardinals|Arizona Cardinals]], he passed for 356 yards and four touchdowns in a 34–33 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Root |first=Jess |date=October 13, 2019 |title=10 things we learned in Cardinals' 34–33 win over Falcons |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/cardinals/2019/10/13/10-things-we-learned-in-cardinals-3433-win-over-falcons/40313833/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220529003249/https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/cardinals/2019/10/13/10-things-we-learned-in-cardinals-3433-win-over-falcons/40313833/ |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=October 17, 2019 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en}}</ref> In Week 7 against the [[2019 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]], Ryan suffered an ankle injury. Without Ryan, the Falcons lost 37–10.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 20, 2019 |title=Rams snap skid by beating Falcons 37–10 as Ryan hurts ankle |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127940 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021005135/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127940 |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |access-date=October 20, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Ryan was ruled out with an ankle injury in Week 8 against the [[2019 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]], ending Ryan's streak of 154 consecutive regular season games started. The streak was fifth all-time for quarterbacks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |date=October 26, 2019 |title=Falcons QB Matt Ryan (ankle) out vs. Seahawks |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/falcons-qb-matt-ryan-ankle-out-vs-seahawks-0ap3000001069507 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027145405/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001069507/article/falcons-qb-matt-ryan-ankle-out-vs-seahawks |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |access-date=October 28, 2019 |website=NFL.com |language=en}}</ref> Ryan returned from injury in Week 10 against the [[2019 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] and threw for 182 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 26–9 upset win.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 10, 2019 |title=Falcons stun first-place Saints, 26–9 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127948 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014317/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127948 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> In Week 11 against the [[2019 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], Ryan threw for 311 yards and a touchdown in the 29–3 win. In the game, Ryan surpassed [[Warren Moon]] for the [[List of National Football League career passing yards leaders|10th all time passing yards]] in NFL history.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2019 |title=Falcons defense overwhelms Allen, Panthers 29–3 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128049 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014315/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128049 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=November 17, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Will |date=November 17, 2019 |title=Matt Ryan passes Warren Moon, moves into top 10 for all-time passing yards |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-passes-warren-moon-moves-into-top-10-for-all-time-passing-yards?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014301/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-passes-warren-moon-moves-into-top-10-for-all-time-passing-yards?campaign=sf%3Afanshare%3Afacebook |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=November 19, 2019 |website=Atlanta Falcons |language=en-US}}</ref> In Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers, Ryan threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns, including a career long 93-yard touchdown to [[Olamide Zaccheaus]] in the 40–20 win. In the game, Ryan became the 10th quarterback in NFL history to reach 50,000 career passing yards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McClure |first=Vaughn |date=December 8, 2019 |title=Falcons' Ryan 10th QB to 50,000 passing yards |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28252063/falcons-matt-ryan-10th-qb-50000-passing-yards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209211801/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28252063/falcons-matt-ryan-10th-qb-50000-passing-yards |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |access-date=December 10, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 15, against the heavily favored [[2019 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], Ryan helped lead a 29–22 upset victory. In the last moments of the game, Ryan threw a five-yard pass to Julio Jones to go ahead before a defensive score put the game away for good.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers – December 15th, 2019 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201912150sfo.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208213051/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201912150sfo.htm |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 16 against the [[2019 Jacksonville Jaguars season|Jacksonville Jaguars]], Ryan passed for 384 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in the 24–12 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons – December 22nd, 2019 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201912220atl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224031112/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201912220atl.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 17 against the [[2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], Ryan threw for 313 yards and a touchdown during the 28–22 overtime win.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2019 |title=Jones' INT return in OT lifts Falcons over Bucs 28–22 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128034 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230233936/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128034 |archive-date=December 30, 2019 |access-date=December 29, 2019 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Ryan finished the 2019 season with 4,466 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions as the Falcons finished with a 7–9 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2019 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2019.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328160806/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2019.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |access-date=January 1, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2019/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102070728/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2019/ |archive-date=January 2, 2020 |access-date=January 1, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Ryan's 408 pass completions led the NFL.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2019 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2019/leaders.htm |access-date=January 1, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=January 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105220654/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2019/leaders.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

====2020====
{{See also|2020 Atlanta Falcons season}}

In Week 1 against the [[2020 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]], Ryan completed 37-of-52 for 450 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the 25–38 loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons - September 13th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202009130atl.htm |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the game, Ryan surpassed [[John Elway]] for the [[List of National Football League career passing yards leaders|9th most all time passing yards]] in NFL history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=D. Orlando |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Ryan moves past Elway into 9th place on passing list |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/ryan-moves-past-elway-into-9th-place-on-passing-list/YVZFBD7XLJBLDNZHRMC5NGMBIM/#:~:text=Falcons%20quarterback%20Matt%20Ryan,%20who,the%20ninth-most%20passing%20yards. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014300/https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/ryan-moves-past-elway-into-9th-place-on-passing-list/YVZFBD7XLJBLDNZHRMC5NGMBIM/#:~:text=Falcons%20quarterback%20Matt%20Ryan,%20who,the%20ninth-most%20passing%20yards. |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 17, 2020 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=English}}</ref> In the loss, Ryan helped lead three different wide receivers ([[Julio Jones]], [[Calvin Ridley]], and [[Russell Gage]]) to surpass 100 receiving yards. It was the first time in franchise history that three different wide receivers hit the mark in the same game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McClure |first=Vaughn |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Falcons run into familiar problem in opener: Not enough touchdowns early |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/35558/falcons-run-into-familiar-problem-in-opener-not-enough-touchdowns-early |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014359/https://www.espn.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/35558/falcons-run-into-familiar-problem-in-opener-not-enough-touchdowns-early |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 17, 2020 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en}}</ref> In Week 2 against the [[2020 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]], Ryan threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns during the 40–39 loss. At one point during the game, Ryan and the Falcons had a 20-point lead, but they still managed to lose the game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2020 |title=Cowboys' rally stuns Falcons 40–39 in McCarthy's home debut |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401220249 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920225002/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401220249 |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |access-date=September 20, 2020 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> The Falcons dropped their next three games to start 0–5 for the first time since 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Choate |first=Dave |date=October 11, 2020 |title=Falcons start 0–5 for the first time since 1997 |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2020/10/11/21511834/falcons-start-0-5-for-the-first-time-since-1997 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=The Falcoholic |language=en |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510030325/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2020/10/11/21511834/falcons-start-0-5-for-the-first-time-since-1997 |url-status=live }}</ref> In Week 6 against the [[2020 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], he had 371 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in the 40–23 victory, the Falcons' first of the 2020 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings – October 18th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202010180min.htm |access-date=October 19, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020060416/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202010180min.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 6.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |date=October 21, 2020 |title=Titans RB Derrick Henry, Falcons QB Matt Ryan lead Players of the Week |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-derrick-henry-falcons-matt-ryan-players-of-the-week |access-date=October 24, 2020 |website=[[NFL.com]] |archive-date=October 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023203539/https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-derrick-henry-falcons-matt-ryan-players-of-the-week |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the Vikings game, Ryan recorded three games with at least 300 passing yards the rest of the season. The Falcons showed positive signs winning three of four from Weeks 6–9, but they closed out the season on a separate five-game losing streak.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2020.htm |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108040747/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2020.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Overall, Ryan finished the 2020 season with 4,581 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions as the team went 4–12.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2020 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2020/ |access-date=January 7, 2021 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=January 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110230838/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He led the league in both passes completed on passes attempts going 407-of-626.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/leaders.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123041457/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/leaders.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

====2021====
{{See also|2021 Atlanta Falcons season}}
[[File:Matt Ryan Falcons vs Giants SEP2021.png|thumb|right|Ryan in 2021]]
With the departure of longtime teammate Julio Jones, Ryan struggled to find consistency in his first year with new head coach [[Arthur Smith (American football, born 1982)|Arthur Smith]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Worley |first=Deen |date=May 3, 2021 |title=Falcons HC Arthur Smith: 'The expectation is to win now' |url=https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/03/atlanta-falcons-arthur-smith-nfl-news-draft/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507141500/https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/03/atlanta-falcons-arthur-smith-nfl-news-draft/ |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=Falcons Wire |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Mike |date=July 7, 2021 |title='Face of The Falcons': Who Replaces the Julio Jones Image? |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/face-of-falcons-nfl-who-atlanta-replaces-julio-jones-image |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019205138/https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/face-of-falcons-nfl-who-atlanta-replaces-julio-jones-image |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=Sports Illustrated Atlanta Falcons News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref> Ryan and Falcons started the season with a 1–3 mark.<ref name="2021gl" /> In Week 5 against the [[2021 New York Jets season|New York Jets]], Ryan became the seventh quarterback in NFL history to reach 5,000 [[List of National Football League career passing completions leaders|career completions]]. In the same game, Ryan surpassed [[Eli Manning]] for the [[List of National Football League career passing yards leaders|8th most all-time passing yards in NFL history]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |date=October 10, 2021 |title=Falcons' Matt Ryan becomes seventh QB in history to reach 5,000 completions on this play |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32372194/falcons-matt-ryan-becomes-seventh-qb-history-reach-5000-completions-play |access-date=October 11, 2021 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en |archive-date=October 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010170032/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32372194/falcons-matt-ryan-becomes-seventh-qb-history-reach-5000-completions-play |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the victory over the Jets, the Falcons reached .500 with a win in their next game over the [[2021 Miami Dolphins|Miami Dolphins]], with Ryan passing for 336 yards and two touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins – October 24th, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202110240mia.htm |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516172854/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202110240mia.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In Week 9 against the [[2021 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]], Ryan had 343 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown in the 27–25 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 7, 2021 |title=Ryan passes for 343 yards, 2 TDs as Falcons top Saints 27–25 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401326458 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en |agency=[[Associated Press]] |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110191100/https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401326458 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |date=November 10, 2021 |title=Chargers QB Justin Herbert, Falcons QB Matt Ryan lead Players of the Week |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/players-of-the-week-2021-week-9-justin-herbert-matt-ryan |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110134004/https://www.nfl.com/news/players-of-the-week-2021-week-9-justin-herbert-matt-ryan |url-status=live }}</ref> The Falcons offense would be anemic in the next two games, as they were held to a field goal against the [[2021 Dallas Cowboys|Dallas Cowboys]] and then were shut out by the [[2021 New England Patriots|New England Patriots]], with Ryan held to less than 200 yards in both games. The Falcons alternated wins and losses going into Week 17.<ref name="2021gl" />

During the Week 17 game against the [[2021 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]], Ryan was called for a taunting penalty after seemingly scoring a rushing touchdown, but after further review, he was ruled down at the 1-yard line, and the resulting 15-yard penalty put Atlanta back at the 16-yard-line instead of being enforced on the ensuing kickoff. The Falcons failed to score from that distance on the next two plays, all but sealing a 29–15 loss that eliminated the team from the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joseph |first=Andrew |date=January 2, 2022 |title=A ridiculous taunting penalty on Matt Ryan led to the costliest sequence for the Falcons |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/01/matt-ryan-taunting-penalty-touchdown-video-playoffs-falcons-bills |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102211813/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/01/matt-ryan-taunting-penalty-touchdown-video-playoffs-falcons-bills |archive-date=January 2, 2022 |access-date=January 3, 2022 |website=For The Win|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref> Ryan finished the 2021 season with 3,968 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.<ref name="2021gl">{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2021 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2021/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216073223/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2021/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |access-date=March 23, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

===Indianapolis Colts===
{{See also|2022 Indianapolis Colts season}}
On March 21, 2022, the Falcons traded Ryan to the [[Indianapolis Colts]] for a third-round pick in the [[2022 NFL draft]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Bair |first=Scott |date=March 21, 2022 |title=Falcons trade Matt Ryan to Indianapolis Colts |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-trade-matt-ryan-to-indianapolis-colts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510024422/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-trade-matt-ryan-to-indianapolis-colts |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=Atlanta Falcons}}</ref>

In his first game with the Colts in Week 1 against the [[2022 Houston Texans|Houston Texans]], Ryan finished with 352 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception as the game ended in a 20–20 tie.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Ryan |date=September 11, 2022 |title=Colts tie Texans after comeback falls short, leading to huge survivor pool blow |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-tie-texans-after-comeback-falls-short-leading-to-huge-survivor-pool-blow-203754525.html |access-date=September 12, 2022 |website=Yahoo! Sports |archive-date=September 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912010611/https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-tie-texans-after-comeback-falls-short-leading-to-huge-survivor-pool-blow-203754525.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He surpassed 60,000 passing yards, becoming the second fastest to ever do so.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rieken |first=Kristie |date=September 11, 2022 |title=Ryan, Colts rally but stall in OT for 20–20 tie with Texans |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/ryan-colts-rally-but-stall-in-ot-for-20-20-tie-with-texans/2022/09/11/a97448ae-3215-11ed-a0d6-415299bfebd5_story.html |access-date=September 12, 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> In Week 6 against the [[2022 Jacksonville Jaguars|Jacksonville Jaguars]], Ryan finished with 389 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 34–27 victory, including throwing the game-winning touchdown to [[Alec Pierce]] with 17 seconds remaining.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts – October 16th, 2022 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202210160clt.htm |access-date=October 17, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=October 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017131814/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202210160clt.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In the game, he passed [[Dan Marino]] for seventh all-time in passing yards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Conti |first=Kristen |date=October 16, 2022 |title=Matt Ryan Passes Dan Marino on All-Time Passing Yards List |url=https://www.necn.com/news/sports/matt-ryan-passes-dan-marino-on-all-time-passing-yards-list/2846765/ |access-date=October 17, 2022 |website=NECN |language=en-US |archive-date=October 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016212040/https://www.necn.com/news/sports/matt-ryan-passes-dan-marino-on-all-time-passing-yards-list/2846765/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Following a Week 7 loss to the [[2022 Tennessee Titans|Tennessee Titans]], head coach [[Frank Reich]] announced Ryan had a shoulder injury and [[Sam Ehlinger]] would be the Colts' starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2022 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patra |first=Kevin |date=October 24, 2022 |title=Frank Reich names Sam Ehlinger as Colts' starting quarterback for rest of season over Matt Ryan |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/frank-reich-names-sam-ehlinger-as-colts-starting-quarterback-for-rest-of-season- |access-date=October 24, 2022 |website=NFL.com |archive-date=October 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024181402/https://www.nfl.com/news/frank-reich-names-sam-ehlinger-as-colts-starting-quarterback-for-rest-of-season- |url-status=live }}</ref> However two weeks later, Reich was fired and interim coach [[Jeff Saturday]] announced Ryan would return as the team's starter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holder |first=Stephen |date=November 7, 2022 |title=Colts fire coach Reich, name Saturday interim |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34971861/sources-frank-reich-coach-stumbling-colts |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116105854/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34971861/sources-frank-reich-coach-stumbling-colts |url-status=live }}</ref> In a 25–20 victory over the [[2022 Las Vegas Raiders season|Las Vegas Raiders]], Ryan threw the game-winning touchdown pass to [[Parris Campbell]] with five minutes remaining, on a drive which included a career-best 39-yard run by Ryan to convert a third down.<ref name="RallyPast">{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2022 |title=Matt Ryan, Interim Coach Saturday Rally Colts Past Raiders |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2022-11-13/matt-ryan-interim-coach-saturday-rally-colts-past-raiders |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114005621/https://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2022-11-13/matt-ryan-interim-coach-saturday-rally-colts-past-raiders |url-status=live }}</ref> In a game against the [[2022 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], Ryan and the Colts jumped to a 33–0 lead at halftime before having a historic collapse, allowing the Vikings to make [[2022 Indianapolis Colts–Minnesota Vikings game|the largest comeback in NFL history]] and win 39–36 in overtime.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Boyd |first1=James |last2=Keefer |first2=Zak |last3=Lewis |first3=Alec |date=December 17, 2022 |title=Vikings complete largest comeback in NFL history |url=https://theathletic.com/4011868/2022/12/17/colts-vikings-comeback/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 17, 2022 |website=The Athletic |archive-date=December 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217224233/https://theathletic.com/4011868/2022/12/17/colts-vikings-comeback/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan finished with 182 yards and a touchdown in the game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings – December 17th, 2022 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202212170min.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=March 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306141654/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202212170min.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Following this loss, Saturday announced that [[Nick Foles]] would be the starting quarterback for the last three games of the season and that Ehlinger would be his backup, placing Ryan on the third line.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shook |first=Nick |date=December 21, 2022 |title=Colts bench Matt Ryan, name Nick Foles starting QB for Monday's game vs. Chargers |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/colts-bench-matt-ryan-name-nick-foles-starting-qb-chargers-monday-night |access-date=December 27, 2022 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US |archive-date=December 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227062443/https://www.nfl.com/news/colts-bench-matt-ryan-name-nick-foles-starting-qb-chargers-monday-night |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan appeared in 12 games in the 2022 season. He finished with 3,057 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121045326/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/2022/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan's 14 passing touchdowns marked a career-low for a single season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chicester |first=Ryan |date=January 10, 2023 |title=Sal Licata unloads on callers ripping him for floating Matt Ryan to Jets possibility |url=https://www.audacy.com/wfan/sports/jets/sal-licata-unloads-on-callers-after-floating-matt-ryan-jets |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Audacy.com |language=en-US |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111154538/https://www.audacy.com/wfan/sports/jets/sal-licata-unloads-on-callers-after-floating-matt-ryan-jets |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the season, on March 15, 2023, Ryan was released by the Colts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stankevitz |first=JJ |date=March 15, 2023 |title=Colts release QB Matt Ryan |url=https://www.colts.com/news/matt-ryan-released-quarterback-2023-nfl-free-agency-falcons |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=Colts.com |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403141509/https://www.colts.com/news/matt-ryan-released-quarterback-2023-nfl-free-agency-falcons |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Retirement===
For the 2023 season, the Colts still owed Ryan over $12 million as part of the agreed terms of the trade made the previous year, as Ryan had opted not to officially announce his retirement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brandt |first=Andrew |date=August 2, 2023 |title=Business of Football Hall of Fame: Welcoming Our Second Class, Including Joe Flacco |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/08/02/business-football-hall-of-fame-matt-ryan-joe-flacco-matt-rhule |access-date=January 21, 2024 |website=SI.com |archive-date=November 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114024102/https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/08/02/business-football-hall-of-fame-matt-ryan-joe-flacco-matt-rhule |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the 2023 season, on April 22, 2024, Ryan officially announced his retirement and signed a one-day contract with Atlanta to retire as a Falcon.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Waack |first1=Terrin |title=Matt Ryan announces retirement, signs one-day contract with Atlanta to retire a Falcon |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-retirement-one-day-contract-quarterback |website=atlantafalcons.com |date=April 22, 2024 |access-date=April 22, 2024 |archive-date=April 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422181904/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-retirement-one-day-contract-quarterback |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan was later inducted into the [[Atlanta Falcons#Ring of Honor|Falcons Ring of Honor]] at halftime during a Falcons' home game on October 3, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Florio |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Florio |date=October 3, 2024 |title=Matt Ryan enters the Falcons’ Ring of Honor tonight |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/matt-ryan-enters-the-falcons-ring-of-honor-tonight |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=NBC Sports}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| style="background:#ffff00; width:3em;"|
|Led the league
|-
| style="background:#FFFF00; width:3em;"|
| AP [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|NFL MVP]] & [[Offensive Player of the Year|OPOTY]]
| AP [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|NFL MVP]] & [[Offensive Player of the Year|OPOTY]]
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
|-
| '''Bold'''
| '''Bold'''
|Career high
| Career high
|}
|}


===Regular season===
===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
{{NFL QB stats start}}
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2008 NFL season|2008]]
! rowspan="2"| Team
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
! colspan="3"| Games
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 11–5 || 265 || 434 || 61.1% || 3,440 || 7.9 || 215.0 || 16 || 11 || 87.7 || 17 || '''55''' || 104 || 1.9 || 6.5 || 1 || 6
! colspan="9"| Passing
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="2"| Sacks
! colspan="2"| Fumbles
|-
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Record|Record as a starter}} !! {{abbr|Cmp|Passes completed}} !! {{abbr|Att|Passes attempted}} !! {{abbr|Pct|Completion percentage}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Passing yards}} !! {{abbr|Y/A|Yards per passing attempt}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest pass completion}} !! {{abbr|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|Rtg|Passer rating}} !! {{abbr|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Yards per rushing attempt}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest rushing attempt}} !! {{abbr|TD|Rushing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Sck|Times sacked}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Yards lost due to sacks}} !! {{abbr|Fum|Fumbles}} !! {{abbr|Lost|Fumbles lost}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2009 NFL season|2009]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2009 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| 14 || 14 || 9–5 || 263 || 451 || 58.3% || 2,916 || 6.5 || 208.3 || 22 || 14 || 80.9 || 19 || 30 || 49 || 1.6 || 3.5 || 1 || 5
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2010 NFL season|2010]]
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] !! [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 11–5 || 265 || 434 || 61.1 || 3,440 || 7.9 || 70 || 16 || 11 || 87.7 || '''55''' || 104 || 1.9 || 17 || 1 || 17 || 104 || 6 || 1
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''13–3''' || 357 || 571 || 62.5% || 3,705 || 6.5 || 231.6 || 28 || 9 || 91.0 || 23 || 46 || 122 || 2.7 || 7.6 || 0 || 4
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2011 NFL season|2011]]
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] !! [[2009 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 14 || 14 || 9–5 || 263 || 451 || 58.3 || 2,916 || 6.5 || 90 || 22 || 14 || 80.9 || 30 || 49 || 1.6 || 7 || 1 || 19 || 92 || 5 || 2
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2011 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 10–6 || 347 || 566 || 61.3% || 4,177 || 7.4 || 261.1 || 29 || 12 || 92.2 || 26 || 37 || 84 || 2.3 || 5.3 || '''2''' || 5
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2012 NFL season|2012]]
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] !! [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || '''13–3''' || 357 || 571 || 62.5 || 3,705 || 6.5 || 46 || 28 || 9 || 91.0 || 46 || 122 || 2.7 || 20 || 0 || 23 || 158 || 4 || 3
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''13–3''' || 422 || 615 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 68.6% || 4,719 || 7.7 || 294.9 || 32 || 14 || 99.1 || 28 || 34 || 141 || 4.1 || 8.8 || 1 || 3
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2013 NFL season|2013]]
! [[2011 NFL season|2011]] !! [[2011 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 10–6 || 347 || 566 || 61.3 || 4,177 || 7.4 || 80 || 29 || 12 || 92.2 || 37 || 84 || 2.3 || 12 || 2 || 26 || 173 || 5 || 3
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2013 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 4–12 || '''439''' || '''651''' || 67.4% || 4,515 || 6.9 || 282.2 || 26 || '''17''' || 89.6 || '''44''' || 17 || 55 || 3.2 || 3.4 || 0 || 5
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2014 NFL season|2014]]
! [[2012 NFL season|2012]] !! [[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 ||'''13–3''' || 422 || 615 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 68.6 || 4,719 || 7.7 || 80 || 32 || 14 || 99.1 || 34 || 141 || 4.1 || 16 || 1 || 28 || 210 || 3 || 2
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2014 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 6–10 || 415 || 628 || 66.1% || 4,694 || 7.5 || 293.4 || 28 || 14 || 93.9 || 31 || 29 || '''145''' || '''5.0''' || '''9.1''' || 0 || 5
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2015 NFL season|2015]]
! [[2013 NFL season|2013]] !! [[2013 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 4–12 || '''439''' || '''651''' || 67.4 || 4,515 || 6.9 || 81 || 26 || '''17''' || 89.6 || 17 || 55 || 3.2 || 17 || 0 || 44 || 298 || 5 || 4
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2015 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 8–8 || 407 || 614 || 66.3% || 4,591 || 7.5 || 286.9 || 21 || 16 || 89.0 || 30 || 36 || 63 || 1.8 || 3.9 || 0 || '''12'''
|-
|-
! [[2014 NFL season|2014]] !! [[2014 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| style="background:#FFFF00; text-align:center;"| [[2016 NFL season|2016]]
| 16 || 16 || 6–10 || 415 || 628 || 66.1 || 4,694 || 7.5 || 79 || 28 || 14 || 93.9 || 29 || 145 || '''5.0''' || 15 || 0 || 31 || 205 || 5 || 2
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 11–5 || 373 || 534 || '''69.9%''' || '''4,944''' || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''9.3''' || '''309.0''' || '''38''' || 7 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''117.1''' || 37 || 35 || 117 || 3.3 || 7.3 || 0 || 4
|-
|-
! [[2015 NFL season|2015]] !! [[2015 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#eee;"
| 16 || 16 || 8–8 || 407 || 614 || 66.3 || 4,591 || 7.5 || 70 || 21 || 16 || 89.0 || 36 || 63 || 1.8 || 18 || 0 || 30 || 203 || 12 || '''5'''
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
|-
| '''142''' || '''142''' || '''85–57''' || '''3,288''' || '''5,064''' || '''64.9%''' || '''37,701''' || '''7.4''' || '''265.5''' || '''240'''|| '''114''' || '''93.6''' || '''255''' || '''319''' || '''880''' || '''2.8''' || '''6.2''' || '''5''' || '''49'''
! style="background:#ffff00; width:3em;"|[[2016 NFL season|2016]] !! [[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 11–5 || 373 || 534 || '''69.9''' || '''4,944'''|| style="background:#cfecec;" | '''9.3''' || 76 || '''38''' || 7 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''117.1''' || 35 || 117 || 3.3 || 18 || 0 || 37 || 235 || 4 || 2
|-
! [[2017 NFL season|2017]] !! [[2017 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 10–6 || 342 || 529 || 64.7 || 4,095 || 7.7 || 88 || 20 || 12 || 91.4 || 32 || 143 || 4.5 || 16 || 0 || 24 || 156 || 4 || 3
|-
! [[2018 NFL season|2018]] !! [[2018 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 7–9 || 422 || 608 || 69.4 || 4,924 || 8.1 || 75 || 35 || 7 || 108.1 || 33 || 125 || 3.8 || 15 || '''3''' || 42 || 296 || 10 || '''5'''
|-
! [[2019 NFL season|2019]] !! [[2019 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 15 || 15 || 7–8 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 408 || 616 || 66.2 || 4,466 || 7.3 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''93''' || 26 || 14 || 92.1 || 34 || '''147''' || 4.3 || 12 || 1 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''48''' || '''316''' || 9 || '''5'''
|-
! [[2020 NFL season|2020]] !! [[2020 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 16 || 16 || 4–12 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 407 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 626 || 65.0 || 4,581 || 7.3 || 63 || 26 || 11 || 93.3 || 29 || 92 || 3.2 || 16 || 2 || 41 || 257 || 6 || 3
|-
! [[2021 NFL season|2021]] !! [[2021 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 17 || 17 || 7–10 || 375 || 560 || 67.0 || 3,968 || 7.1 || 64 || 20 || 12 || 90.4 || 40 || 82 || 2.1 || 17 || 1 || 40 || 274 || 11 || 4
|-
! [[2022 NFL season|2022]] !! [[2022 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 12 || 12 || 4–7–1 || 309 || 461 || 67.0 || 3,057 || 6.6 || 45 || 14 || 13 || 83.9 || 27 || 70 || 2.6 || '''39''' || 1 || 38 || 287 || '''15''' || '''5'''
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00.htm Career] !! 234 !! 234 !! 124−109−1 !! 5,551 !! 8,464 !! 65.6 !! 62,792 !! 7.4 !! 93 !! 381 !! 183 !! 93.6 !! 514 !! 1,539 !! 3.0 !! 39 !! 13 !! 488 !! 3,264 !! 104 !! 49
|}
|}


===Playoffs===
===Postseason===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
{{NFL QB stats start}}
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2008–09 NFL playoffs|2008]]
! rowspan="2"| Team
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
! colspan="3"| Games
| 1 || 1 || 0–1 || 26 || 40 || 65.0% || 199 || 5.0 || 199.0 || 2 || 2 || 72.8 || 3 || 4 || 6 || 1.5 || 6.0 || 0 || '''1'''
! colspan="9"| Passing
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="2"| Sacks
! colspan="2"| Fumbles
|-
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Record|Record as a starter}} !! {{abbr|Cmp|Passes completed}} !! {{abbr|Att|Passes attempted}} !! {{abbr|Pct|Completion percentage}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Passing yards}} !! {{abbr|Y/A|Yards per passing attempt}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest pass completion}} !! {{abbr|TD|Passing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|Rtg|Passer rating}} !! {{abbr|Att|Rushing attempts}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Rushing yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Yards per rushing attempt}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest rushing attempt}} !! {{abbr|TD|Rushing touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|Sck|Times sacked}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Yards lost due to sacks}} !! {{abbr|Fum|Fumbles}} !! {{abbr|Lost|Fumbles lost}}
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2010–11 NFL playoffs|2010]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| 1 || 1 || 0–1 || 20 || 29 || 69.0% || 186 || 6.4 || 186.0 || 1 || 2 || 69.0 || 5 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0 || '''1'''
|-
|-
! [[2008–09 NFL playoffs|2008]] !! [[2008 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2011–12 NFL playoffs|2011]]
| 1 || 1 || 0–1 || 26 || 40 || 65.0 || 199 || 5.0 || 28 || 2 || 2 || 72.8 || 4 || 6 || 1.5 || 2 || 0 || 3 || 9 || 1 || '''1'''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2011 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| 1 || 1 || 0–1 || 24 || 41 || 58.9% || 199 || 4.9 || 199.0 || 0 || 0 || 71.1 || 2 || 3 || 3 || 1.0 || 3.0 || 0 || 0
|-
|-
! [[2010–11 NFL playoffs|2010]] !! [[2010 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2012–13 NFL playoffs|2012]]
| 1 || 1 || 0–1 || 20 || 29 || 69.0 || 186 || 6.4 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 69.0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 37 || 1 || '''1'''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| 2 || 2 || 1–1 || 54 || 77 || 70.1% || 646 || 8.4 || 323.0 || 6 || '''3''' || 105.2 || 1 || 3 || 9 || 3.0 || 4.5 || 0 || '''1'''
|-
|-
! [[2011–12 NFL playoffs|2011]] !! [[2011 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2016–17 NFL playoffs|2016]]
| 1 || 1 || 0–1 || 24 || 41 || 58.5 || 199 || 4.9 || 21 || 0 || 0 || 71.1 || 3 || 3 || 1.0 || 3 || 0 || 2 || 16 || 0 || 0
| style="text-align:center;"| [[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta]]
| '''3''' || '''3''' || '''2–1''' || '''70''' || '''98''' || '''71.4%''' || '''1,014''' || '''10.3''' || '''338.0''' || '''9''' || 0 || '''135.3''' || '''8''' || '''6''' || '''20''' || '''3.3''' || '''6.7''' || '''1''' || '''1'''
|-
|-
! [[2012–13 NFL playoffs|2012]] !! [[2012 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#eee;"
| 2 || 2 || 1–1 || 54 || 77 || 70.1 || 646 || 8.4 || 47 || 6 || '''3''' || 105.2 || 3 || 9 || 3.0 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || '''1'''
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
|-
| '''8''' || '''8''' || '''3–5''' || '''194''' || '''285''' || '''68.1%''' || '''2,244''' || '''7.9''' || '''280.5''' || '''18''' || '''7''' || '''102.4''' || '''19''' || '''17''' || '''38''' || '''2.2''' || '''4.8''' || '''1''' || '''4'''
! [[2016–17 NFL playoffs|2016]] !! [[2016 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 3 || 3 || '''2–1''' || '''70''' || '''98''' || '''71.4''' || '''1,014''' || '''10.3''' || '''73''' || '''9''' || 0 || '''135.3''' || '''6''' || '''20''' || '''3.3''' || '''14''' || '''1''' || '''8''' || '''59''' || '''3''' || '''1'''
|-
! [[2017–18 NFL playoffs|2017]] !! [[2017 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 2 || 2 || 1–1 || 43 || 66 || 65.2 || 428 || 6.5 || 52 || 2 || 0 || 93.5 || '''6''' || 5 || 0.8 || 4 || 0 || 6 || 35 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RyanMa00/gamelog/post/ Career] !! 10 !! 10 !! 4–6 !! 237 !! 351 !! 67.5 !! 2,672 !! 7.6 !! 73 !! 20 !! 7 !! 100.8 !! 23 !! 43 !! 1.9 !! 14 !! 1 !! 25 !! 156 !! 6 !! 4
|}
|}


Line 316: Line 440:
<!---DON'T ADD UNSOURCED RECORDS--->
<!---DON'T ADD UNSOURCED RECORDS--->
{{colbegin}}
{{colbegin}}
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] selection ([[2011 Pro Bowl|2010]], [[2013 Pro Bowl|2012]], [[2015 Pro Bowl|2014]], [[2017 Pro Bowl|2016]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2016 All-Pro Team|2016]])
* [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] (2016)
* [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] (2016)
* [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] (2016)
* [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] (2016)
* [[List of National Football League annual passer rating leaders|NFL passer rating leader]] (2016)
* [[Bert Bell Award]] (2016)
* [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award|AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (2008)
* [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award|AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (2008)
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2016 All-Pro Team|2016]])
* [[Pro Football Writers Association|PFWA Offensive Player of the Year]] (2016)
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] selections ([[2011 Pro Bowl|2010]], [[2013 Pro Bowl|2012]], [[2015 Pro Bowl|2014]], [[2017 Pro Bowl|2016]])
* [[Pro Football Writers Association|PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (2008)
* [[List of National Football League annual passer rating leaders|NFL passer rating leader]] (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Passer Rating Year-by-Year Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_year_by_year.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122145846/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_year_by_year.htm |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
* [[List of National Football League season pass completion percentage leaders|NFL completion percentage co-leader]] ([[2012 NFL season|2012]])
* [[List of National Football League season pass completion percentage leaders|NFL completion percentage co-leader]] ([[2012 NFL season|2012]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Pass Completion % Year-by-Year Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_perc_year_by_year.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103134613/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_perc_year_by_year.htm |archive-date=November 3, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Bert Bell Award]] (2016)
* [[Pro Football Writers Association|PFWA Offensive Player of the Year]] (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |title=PFWA Offensive Player of the Year Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/pfwa-offensive-player-of-the-year-award.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317021424/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/pfwa-offensive-player-of-the-year-award.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Pro Football Writers Association|PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (2008)<ref>{{Cite web |title=PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/pfwa-offensive-rookie-of-the-year-award.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621024300/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/pfwa-offensive-rookie-of-the-year-award.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week#FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Year winners|FedEx Air Player of the Year]] (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Rob |date=February 4, 2017 |title=Rushing Leader Ezekiel Elliott Named FedEx Ground NFL Player Of The Year |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/rushing-leader-ezekiel-elliott-named-fedex-ground-nfl-player-of-the-year-427371 |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=Dallas Cowboys |language=en-US |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121043935/https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/rushing-leader-ezekiel-elliott-named-fedex-ground-nfl-player-of-the-year-427371 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 3× [[Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week]] winner
* 3× [[Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week]] winner
* Most consecutive NFL games with 200 plus passing yards<ref>{{cite web|author=Jackson, Kendall|url=http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2016/10/23/13373876/matt-ryan-sets-nfl-record-for-consecutive-games-with-200-passing-yards|title=Matt Ryan sets NFL record for consecutive games with 200 passing yards|date=2016-10-23}}</ref>
* [[Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week]] winner (2008)
* [[Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week]] winner (2008)
* [[National Football Conference|NFC]] Rookie of the Month (October 2008)
* [[National Football Conference|NFC]] Rookie of the Month (October 2008)
* ''Sporting News'' NFL Rookie of the Year (2008)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sporting News Rookie of the Year Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/sporting-news-rookie-of-the-year-award.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=June 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616055343/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/sporting-news-rookie-of-the-year-award.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''Sporting News'' All-Rookie Team (2008)
* ''Sporting News'' All-Rookie Team (2008)
* [[National Football Conference|NFC]] Offensive Player of the Month (November 2010, September 2012, September 2016)
* [[National Football Conference|NFC]] Offensive Player of the Month (November 2010, September 2012, September 2016)<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Players of the Month |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/players-of-the-month.htm |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929204108/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/players-of-the-month.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Rookie of the Year by [[Sporting News]]<ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/11-20/Smith_players_receive_accolades_from_The_Sporting_News.aspx Falcons receive honors from national publication] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220142132/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/11-20/Smith_players_receive_accolades_from_The_Sporting_News.aspx |date=2009-02-20 }}</ref> (2008)
* Rookie of the Year by ''[[Sporting News]]''<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 15, 2009 |title=Falcons receive honors from national publication |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/11-20/Smith_players_receive_accolades_from_The_Sporting_News.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220142132/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2009/01/11-20/Smith_players_receive_accolades_from_The_Sporting_News.aspx |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Atlanta Falcons}}</ref> (2008)
* [[ESPY Awards|ESPY Award]]: [[Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award|Best Breakthrough Athlete]]<ref>[http://jmike.blogs.atlantafalcons.com/2009/07/16/we-have-an-espy-winner/ We Have an ESPY Winner] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719185113/http://jmike.blogs.atlantafalcons.com/2009/07/16/we-have-an-espy-winner/ |date=2009-07-19 }}</ref> (2009)
* [[ESPY Awards|ESPY Award]]: [[Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award|Best Breakthrough Athlete]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 16, 2009 |title=J.Mike's Missives – We Have an ESPY Winner |url=http://jmike.blogs.atlantafalcons.com/2009/07/16/we-have-an-espy-winner/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719185113/http://jmike.blogs.atlantafalcons.com/2009/07/16/we-have-an-espy-winner/ |archive-date=July 19, 2009 |website=Atlanta Falcons}}</ref> (2009)
* [[NEXT Athlete]] Award (ESPN the Magazine) (2009)
* [[NEXT Athlete]] Award (''[[ESPN The Magazine]]'') (2009)
* [[National Football Conference|NFC]] Player of the Month (November 2010)<ref>{{cite web |author=D. Orlando Ledbetter |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2010/12/01/matt-ryan-nominated-for-2011-pulse-award/ |title=Matt Ryan named NFC player of the month |publisher=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=2010-12-01 |accessdate=2010-12-28 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206093247/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2010/12/01/matt-ryan-nominated-for-2011-pulse-award/ |archivedate=2010-12-06 |df= }}</ref>
* [[National Football Conference|NFC]] Player of the Month (November 2010)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=D. Orlando |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Matt Ryan named NFC player of the month |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2010/12/01/matt-ryan-nominated-for-2011-pulse-award/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206093247/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2010/12/01/matt-ryan-nominated-for-2011-pulse-award/ |archive-date=December 6, 2010 |access-date=December 28, 2010 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>
* 10× NFC Offensive Player of the Week<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan named NFC offensive player of the week after masterful performance |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-named-nfc-offensive-player-of-the-week-after-masterful-performance |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=www.atlantafalcons.com |language=en-US |archive-date=June 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603010557/https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/matt-ryan-named-nfc-offensive-player-of-the-week-after-masterful-performance |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Most regular season wins by a quarterback in his first five seasons: 56 (tied with [[Russell Wilson]])<ref>{{cite web|title = Most regular season wins by QB in first 5 seasons|work=pro-football-reference.com|url = http://pfref.com/tiny/dOc57|accessdate = January 2, 2017}}</ref>
* Fastest player to pass for 40,000 yards (151 games)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2017/11/12/matt-ryan-becomes-fastest-player-to-reach-40000-passing-yards/ | title=Matt Ryan becomes fastest player to reach 40,000 passing yards | publisher=thefalconswire.usatoday.com | date=November 12, 2017 | accessdate=November 13, 2017 | author=Weaver, Tim}}</ref>
{{colend}}
{{colend}}

===NFL records===
* Most regular season wins by a quarterback in his first five seasons: 56 (tied with [[Russell Wilson]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most regular season wins by a quarterback in their first five seasons, NFL history |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/GAkf8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014303/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=GAkf8 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=January 2, 2017 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>
*Consecutive NFL games with at least 200 passing yards (64 games)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Kendall |date=October 23, 2016 |title=Matt Ryan sets NFL record for consecutive games with 200 passing yards |url=http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2016/10/23/13373876/matt-ryan-sets-nfl-record-for-consecutive-games-with-200-passing-yards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225181955/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2016/10/23/13373876/matt-ryan-sets-nfl-record-for-consecutive-games-with-200-passing-yards |archive-date=February 25, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=The Falcoholic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ikic |first=Adnan |date=August 14, 2019 |title=Matty Ice Moments: The 200-yard streak |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2019/8/14/20801458/matt-ryan-dan-fouts-atlanta-falcons-matty-ice-moments-the-200-yard-streak |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510023806/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2019/8/14/20801458/matt-ryan-dan-fouts-atlanta-falcons-matty-ice-moments-the-200-yard-streak |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=The Falcoholic |language=en}}</ref>
* Most passing yards in first 10 years in NFL history (41,796)<ref name="thefalcoholic.com" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=David J. |date=January 4, 2018 |title=Why Matt Ryan's 10-year yardage record is still significant |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2018/1/4/16837844/why-matt-ryans-10-year-yardage-record-is-still-significant-dont-undersell-this-great-qb |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410053023/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2018/1/4/16837844/why-matt-ryans-10-year-yardage-record-is-still-significant-dont-undersell-this-great-qb |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=The Falcoholic}}</ref>
* Most passing yards in first 11 years in NFL history (46,720)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ikic |first=Adnan |date=December 10, 2018 |title=Matt Ryan surpasses Peyton Manning for most passing yards in a QB's first 11 seasons |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2018/12/10/18133205/matt-ryan-surpasses-peyton-manning-for-most-passing-yards-in-a-qbs-first-11-seasons-nfl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217142742/https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2018/12/10/18133205/matt-ryan-surpasses-peyton-manning-for-most-passing-yards-in-a-qbs-first-11-seasons-nfl |archive-date=February 17, 2019 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=The Falcoholic}}</ref>
* Most passing yards in first 12 years in NFL history (51,186)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keneely |first=Kevin |date=December 8, 2019 |title=Matt Ryan surpasses Peyton Manning for most passing yards in a QB's first 12 seasons |url=https://twitter.com/KevinKeneely1/status/1203794877860986881 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208221856/https://twitter.com/KevinKeneely1/status/1203794877860986881 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=June 7, 2020 |website=Twitter}}</ref>
* Most passing yards in first 13 years in NFL history (55,767)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Ryan surpasses Peyton Manning for most passing yards in a QB's first 13 seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-passing-yards-in-first-13-seasons |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217023914/https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-passing-yards-in-first-13-seasons |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=May 9, 2022 |website=StatMuse}}</ref>
* Most passing yards in first 14 years in NFL history (59,735)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Passing Yards In First 14 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-passing-yards-in-first-14-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 7 years in NFL history (2,508)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 7 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-7-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 8 years in NFL history (2,915)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 8 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-8-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 9 years in NFL history (3,288)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 9 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-9-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 10 years in NFL history (3,630)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 10 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-10-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 11 years in NFL history (4,052)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 11 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-11-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 12 years in NFL history (4,460)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 12 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-12-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 13 years in NFL history (4,867)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 13 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-13-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 14 years in NFL history (5,242)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 14 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-14-seasons |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>
* Most pass completions in first 15 years in NFL history (5,551)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Pass Completions In First 15 Seasons |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-pass-completions-in-first-15-seasons |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref>


===Falcons franchise records===
===Falcons franchise records===
<!---DON'T ADD UNSOURCED RECORDS--->
<!---DON'T ADD UNSOURCED RECORDS--->
{{colbegin}}
[[File:Matt Ryan1.jpg|thumb|right|Ryan with the Falcons in 2009]]
*Only Falcons quarterback to lead the team to an 8-0 start <ref>[http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2012/10/07/atlanta-falcons-improve-to-5-0-for-first-time-in-team-history/ Atlanta Falcons improve to 5-0 for first time in team history | Atlanta Falcons<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009192957/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2012/10/07/atlanta-falcons-improve-to-5-0-for-first-time-in-team-history/ |date=2012-10-09 }}</ref>
*Only Falcons quarterback to lead the team to an 8–0 start<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ledbetter |first=D. Orlando |date=October 9, 2012 |title=Atlanta Falcons improve to 5–0 for first time in team history |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2012/10/07/atlanta-falcons-improve-to-5-0-for-first-time-in-team-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009072525/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2012/10/07/atlanta-falcons-improve-to-5-0-for-first-time-in-team-history/ |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>
*Most wins in a regular season by a starting quarterback: 13 (2010 and 2012)<ref name=autogenerated3 />
*Most wins in a regular season by a starting quarterback: 13 (2010 and 2012)<ref name="autogenerated3" />
*Fewest interceptions in a regular season by starting quarterback 7 (2016) (16 starts)<ref name=autogenerated3 />
*Fewest interceptions in a regular season by starting quarterback 7 (2016 and 2018) (16 starts)<ref name="autogenerated3" />
*Most 4th quarter comeback wins in a single season: 5 (2010) (tied with [[Steve Bartkowski]])<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/|title=Atlanta Falcons Team Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}</ref>
*Most comeback wins in a single season: 5 (2010) (tied with [[Steve Bartkowski]] in 1979)<ref name="autogenerated3">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons Team Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053534/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/ |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Most comeback wins in a single season, Atlanta Falcons |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/sMnXi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014304/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=sMnXi |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*Most career quarterback wins: 120 (2008–2021)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most career quarterback wins, Atlanta Falcons |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/wOHDc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014406/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=wOHDc |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*Most career wins: 85
* Completions: career (5,242),<ref name="autogenerated3" /> season (439 in 2013),<ref name="pfrs">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, single-season passing records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/TwTdV |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014327/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=TwTdV |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> game (37 on November 1, 2015, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers),<ref name="pfrg">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, single-game passing records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/GhtXm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014333/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=GhtXm |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> playoffs (194),<ref name="pfrpc">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, playoff career passing records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/WMzGt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014327/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=WMzGt |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> playoff season (70 in 2016),<ref name="pfrps">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, playoff season records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/IzoO0 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> playoff game (30 on January 20, 2013, against the San Francisco 49ers),<ref name="pfrpg">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, playoff game records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/9m1vA |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014350/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=9m1vA |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> rookie season (265 in 2008)<ref name="pfrrs">{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, rookie season passing records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/5Urdi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014319/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=5Urdi |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
* Completions: career (3,352)<ref name=autogenerated3 />, season (439 in 2013)<ref name="pfrs">[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/psl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&year_min=1920&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&team_id=atl&pos%5B%5D=qb&pos%5B%5D=rb&pos%5B%5D=wr&pos%5B%5D=te&pos%5B%5D=e&pos%5B%5D=t&pos%5B%5D=g&pos%5B%5D=c&pos%5B%5D=ol&pos%5B%5D=dt&pos%5B%5D=de&pos%5B%5D=dl&pos%5B%5D=ilb&pos%5B%5D=olb&pos%5B%5D=lb&pos%5B%5D=cb&pos%5B%5D=s&pos%5B%5D=db&pos%5B%5D=k&pos%5B%5D=p&draft_year_min=1936&draft_year_max=2017&draft_slot_min=1&draft_slot_max=500&draft_pick_in_round=pick_overall&conference=any&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=250&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_td Falcons season passing records, PFR]</ref>, game (37 on 2015-11-01 TAM),<ref name=pfrg>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=R&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=15&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_td Falcons single game passing records, PFR]</ref> playoffs (194),<ref name=pfrpc>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=combined&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=P&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=100&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_cmp Falcons playoff career passing records]</ref> playoff season (70 in 2016),<ref name=pfrps>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=P&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=15&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_cmp Falcons playoff season records]</ref> playoff game (30 on 2013-01-20 SFO),<ref name=pfrpg>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=P&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=15&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_cmp Falcons playoff game records]</ref> rookie season (265 in 2008)<ref name=pfrrs>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=1&pos=0&game_type=R&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=150&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_cmp Falcons rookie season passing records]</ref>
* Pass Attempts: career (5,157),<ref name=autogenerated3 /> season (651 in 2013),<ref name=pfrs /> playoffs (285),<ref name=pfrpc /> playoff season (98 in 2016),<ref name=pfrps /> rookie season (434 in 2008)<ref name=pfrrs />
* Pass Attempts: career (8,464),<ref name="autogenerated3" /> season (651 in 2013),<ref name="pfrs" /> playoffs (285),<ref name="pfrpc" /> playoff season (98 in 2016),<ref name="pfrps" /> rookie season (434 in 2008)<ref name="pfrrs" />
* Passing Yards: career (38,568),<ref name=autogenerated3 /> season (4,944 in 2016),<ref name=pfrs /> game (503 on 2016-10-02 CAR),<ref name=pfrg /> playoffs (2,244),<ref name=pfrpc /> playoff season (1,014 in 2016),<ref name=pfrps /> playoff game (396 on 2013-01-20 SFO),<ref name=pfrpg /> rookie season (3,440 in 2008)<ref name=pfrrs />
* Passing Yards: career (59,735),<ref name="autogenerated3" /> season (4,944 in 2016),<ref name="pfrs" /> playoffs (2,244),<ref name="pfrpc" /> playoff season (1,014 in 2016),<ref name="pfrps" /> playoff game (396 on January 20, 2013, against the San Francisco 49ers),<ref name="pfrpg" /> rookie season (3,440 in 2008)<ref name="pfrrs" />
* Passing TDs: career (244),<ref name=autogenerated3 /> season (38 in 2016),<ref name=pfrs /> playoffs (18),<ref name=pfrpc /> playoff season (9 in 2016),<ref name=pfrps /> playoff game (4 on 2017-01-22 GNB),<ref name=pfrpg /> rookie season (16 in 2008)<ref name=pfrrs />
* Passing TDs: career (367),<ref name="autogenerated3" /> season (38 in 2016),<ref name="pfrs" /> playoffs (18),<ref name="pfrpc" /> playoff season (9 in 2016),<ref name="pfrps" /> playoff game (4 on January 22, 2017, against the Green Bay Packers),<ref name="pfrpg" /> rookie season (16 in 2008)<ref name="pfrrs" />
* Passer Rating: career (93.7),<ref name=autogenerated3 /> season (117.1 in 2016),<ref name=pfrs /> playoffs (102.4),<ref name=pfrpc /> playoff season (135.3 in 2016),<ref name=pfrps /> playoff game (144.1 on 2017-02-05 NNWE),<ref name=pfrpg /> rookie season (87.7 in 2008),<ref name=pfrrs /> rookie game (138.4 on 2008-11-02 @OAK)<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=1&pos=0&game_type=R&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_att&c1comp=gt&c1val=15&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_rating Falcons rookie single-game records]</ref>
* Passer Rating: career (93.7),<ref name="autogenerated3" /> season (117.1 in 2016),<ref name="pfrs" /> playoffs (102.4),<ref name="pfrpc" /> playoff season (135.3 in 2016),<ref name="pfrps" /> playoff game (144.1 on February 5, 2017, against the New England Patriots),<ref name="pfrpg" /> rookie season (87.7 in 2008),<ref name="pfrrs" /> rookie game (138.4 on November 2, 2008, against the Oakland Raiders)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, rookie single-game passer rating records |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/IHtra |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014309/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=IHtra |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
* Sacked: playoffs (19),<ref name=pfrpc /> playoff game (5 on 2017-02-05 NNWE)<ref name=pfrpg />
* Sacked: playoffs (19),<ref name="pfrpc" /> playoff game (5 on February 5, 2017, against the New England Patriots)<ref name="pfrpg" />
* Yds/Pass Att: playoffs (7.87),<ref name=pfrpc /> playoff season (10.35 in 2016),<ref name=pfrps /> playoff game (12.35 on 2017-02-05 NNWE),<ref name=pfrpg /> rookie season (7.93 in 2008)<ref name=pfrrs />
* Yds/Pass Att: playoffs (7.87),<ref name="pfrpc" /> playoff season (10.35 in 2016),<ref name="pfrps" /> playoff game (12.35 on February 5, 2017, against the New England Patriots),<ref name="pfrpg" /> rookie season (7.93 in 2008)<ref name="pfrrs" />
* Pass Yds/Game: career (266),<ref name=autogenerated3 />, season (309 in 2016),<ref name=pfrs /> rookie season (215 in 2008)<ref name=pfrrs />
* Pass Yds/Game: career (269.1),<ref name="autogenerated3" /> season (309 in 2016),<ref name="pfrs" /> rookie season (215 in 2008)<ref name="pfrrs" />
* 300+ yard passing games: career (45),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, career 300+-yard passing games |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/7cSyu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014353/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=7cSyu |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> season (8 in 2012 & 2016),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, 300+-yard passing games, single season |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/EynX5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510023419/https://stathead.com/tools/tiny.fcgi?id=EynX5 |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> playoffs (3),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, 300+-yards passing games, postseason |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/7sife |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014335/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=7sife |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> rookie season (2 in 2008)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, rookies with 300+ yards passing |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/F2cgB |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014407/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=F2cgB |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
* 300+ yard passing games: career (45),<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=career&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=E&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_yds&c1comp=gt&c1val=300&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_rating Falcons career 300+ yard passing games]</ref> season (8 in 2012 & 2016),<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=season&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=E&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_yds&c1comp=gt&c1val=300&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_rating Falcons 300+ yard passing games in a season]</ref> playoffs (3),<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=career&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=0&game_type=P&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_yds&c1comp=gt&c1val=300&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_rating Falcons with 300+ yards passing in postseason games]</ref> rookie season (2 in 2008)<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=season&year_min=1950&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=1&pos=0&game_type=E&team_id=atl&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=pass_yds&c1comp=gt&c1val=300&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_rating Falcons rookies with 300+ yards passing]</ref>
* 4,000+ passing yard seasons: career (10)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons, 4,000+ passing yards in a season |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/UeA2H |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014310/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=UeA2H |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
* 4000+ passing yard seasons: career (6)<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/psl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=total&year_min=1920&year_max=2017&season_start=1&season_end=-1&team_id=atl&pos%5B%5D=qb&pos%5B%5D=rb&pos%5B%5D=wr&pos%5B%5D=te&pos%5B%5D=e&pos%5B%5D=t&pos%5B%5D=g&pos%5B%5D=c&pos%5B%5D=ol&pos%5B%5D=dt&pos%5B%5D=de&pos%5B%5D=dl&pos%5B%5D=ilb&pos%5B%5D=olb&pos%5B%5D=lb&pos%5B%5D=cb&pos%5B%5D=s&pos%5B%5D=db&pos%5B%5D=k&pos%5B%5D=p&draft_year_min=1936&draft_year_max=2017&draft_slot_min=1&draft_slot_max=500&draft_pick_in_round=pick_overall&conference=any&draft_pos%5B%5D=qb&draft_pos%5B%5D=rb&draft_pos%5B%5D=wr&draft_pos%5B%5D=te&draft_pos%5B%5D=e&draft_pos%5B%5D=t&draft_pos%5B%5D=g&draft_pos%5B%5D=c&draft_pos%5B%5D=ol&draft_pos%5B%5D=dt&draft_pos%5B%5D=de&draft_pos%5B%5D=dl&draft_pos%5B%5D=ilb&draft_pos%5B%5D=olb&draft_pos%5B%5D=lb&draft_pos%5B%5D=cb&draft_pos%5B%5D=s&draft_pos%5B%5D=db&draft_pos%5B%5D=k&draft_pos%5B%5D=p&c1stat=pass_yds&c1comp=gt&c1val=4000&c5val=1.0&order_by=pass_td Falcons with 4000+ yards passing in a season]</ref>
{{colend}}


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Ryan, the third of four siblings, was born to Bernice and Michael Ryan, both Roman Catholics of Irish descent.<ref>[http://www.irishcentral.com/story/sport/from-the-bleachers/matt-ryan-leads-falcons-to-joint-best-record-in-the-nfl-111028499.html "Matt Ryan leads Falcons to joint best record in the NFL"], irishcentral.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref> One of Ryan's uncles, John Loughery, played quarterback at [[Boston College]] from 1979-82.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html|title=Player Bio: Matt Ryan|publisher=Bceagles.cstv.com|date=1985-05-17|accessdate=2010-12-28|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html|archivedate=2010-04-13|df=}}</ref> Ryan is an avid golfer and has participated in such tournaments as the [[American Century Celebrity Golf Classic]].<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d8115843a/Matt-Ryan-interview "Falcons QB Matt Ryan checks in from the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship"], nfl.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref>
Ryan, the third of four siblings, was born to Michael and Bernice Ryan. They are of Irish descent and were raised as [[Catholic]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eklof |first=Cormac |date=November 30, 2010 |title=Matt Ryan leads Falcons to joint best record in the NFL |url=http://www.irishcentral.com/sports/usa/matt-ryan-leads-falcons-to-joint-best-record-in-the-nfl-111028499-238056081.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223053417/http://www.irishcentral.com/sports/usa/matt-ryan-leads-falcons-to-joint-best-record-in-the-nfl-111028499-238056081.html |archive-date=December 23, 2015 |access-date=June 7, 2019 |website=IrishCentral.com |language=en}}</ref> One of Ryan's uncles, John Loughery, played quarterback at [[Boston College]] from 1979 to 1982.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Ryan is an avid golfer and has participated in such tournaments as the [[American Century Celebrity Golf Classic]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 27, 2015 |title=Matt Ryan interview |url=http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d8115843a/matt-ryan-interview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228181308/http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d8115843a/matt-ryan-interview |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=June 7, 2019 |website=NFL.com |language=en}}</ref> His cousin, [[Mike McGlinchey (offensive lineman)|Mike McGlinchey]], played college football at [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] and was later drafted by the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santoliquito |first=Joseph |date=September 10, 2015 |title=Matt Ryan's family still roots for the Eagles just not on Monday night |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/matt-ryans-family-roots-eagles-not-monday-night/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607124509/https://www.phillyvoice.com/matt-ryans-family-roots-eagles-not-monday-night/ |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |access-date=June 7, 2019 |website=Philly Voice}}</ref>


He is part of the Falcons' online reading program, "Read with a Falcon" and grew up a fan of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].<ref>[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media_library/Videos/Community_Relations/2008/10/Read_with_a_Falcon_-_Matt_Ryan_-_10-21-08.aspx "Matt Ryan reads Jake's 100th Day of School"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025055253/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media_library/Videos/Community_Relations/2008/10/Read_with_a_Falcon_-_Matt_Ryan_-_10-21-08.aspx |date=2008-10-25 }} by Lester L. Laminack, atlantafalcons.com; accessed September 7, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite web|URL=http://m.espn.com/general/chat/chat?eventId=19950&src=desktop}}</ref>
He is part of the Falcons' online reading program, "Read with a Falcon," and grew up a fan of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Read with a Falcon – Matt Ryan – 10/21/08 |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media_library/Videos/Community_Relations/2008/10/Read_with_a_Falcon_-_Matt_Ryan_-_10-21-08.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025055253/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media_library/Videos/Community_Relations/2008/10/Read_with_a_Falcon_-_Matt_Ryan_-_10-21-08.aspx |archive-date=October 25, 2008 |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Atlanta Falcons}}</ref>


On November 21, 2017, Ryan announced on social media that he and his wife Sarah were expecting twins.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petit |first=Stephanie |date=November 22, 2017 |title=Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan and Wife Expecting Twins |url=http://people.com/babies/falcons-quarterback-matt-ryan-expecting-twins/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122210343/http://people.com/babies/falcons-quarterback-matt-ryan-expecting-twins/ |archive-date=November 22, 2017 |access-date=November 24, 2017 |website=People.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2018, Sarah announced the birth of their twin boys.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Petit |first1=Stephanie |last2=Rosen |first2=Elissa |date=April 8, 2018 |title=Matt Ryan Is a Dad! Falcons Quarterback's Wife Discusses Complications of Welcoming Twin Boys |url=https://people.com/parents/matt-ryan-welcomes-twin-boys-health-complications/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112095046/https://people.com/parents/matt-ryan-welcomes-twin-boys-health-complications/ |archive-date=January 12, 2019 |access-date=January 11, 2019 |website=People.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Maghen |date=June 17, 2018 |title=Sarah Ryan shares photos of twins, Matt Ryan for Father's Day |url=https://www.myajc.com/sports/look-sarah-ryan-shares-photos-twins-matt-ryan-for-father-day/dLNeSGcD8ckapNIXa0MtnK/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014311/https://www.ajc.com/sports/look-sarah-ryan-shares-photos-twins-matt-ryan-for-father-day/dLNeSGcD8ckapNIXa0MtnK/ |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2019 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=English}}</ref> Ryan and his wife quietly welcomed their third son Cal Patrick Ryan on April 1, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andaloro |first=Angela |date=April 6, 2023 |title=NFL Quarterback Matt Ryan and Wife Sarah Welcome Third Baby Boy: 'Worth the Wait' |url=https://people.com/parents/nfl-quarterback-matt-ryan-and-wife-sarah-welcome-third-baby-boy/ |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=People.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Alexis |date=April 22, 2024 |title=Matt Ryan's charity work leaves powerful legacy off the field |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/matt-ryans-charity-work-leaves-powerful-legacy-off-the-field/HQSL64JTLNCDRBFQPRKXOXYSWU/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=English}}</ref>
Ryan was a supporter of [[Barack Obama]] in his bid for the presidency of the United States.<ref name="NYTQ&A">{{cite news|last1=Thamel|first1=Pete|title=Q & A: Boston College QB Matt Ryan|url=https://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/q-a-boston-college-qb-matt-ryan/|accessdate=24 January 2017|publisher=The New York Times|date=September 21, 2007}}</ref>


On January 9, 2019, Ryan made a cameo appearance on the series premiere of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Schooled (TV series)|Schooled]]'', and his high school athletic career is also explored in the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Ellen |date=January 9, 2019 |title='The Goldbergs' spinoff 'Schooled' kicks off with nod to NFL star Matt Ryan's Penn Charter days |url=http://www.philly.com/entertainment/tv/schooled-abc-matt-ryan-penn-charter-the-goldbergs-20190110.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110091818/http://www.philly.com/entertainment/tv/schooled-abc-matt-ryan-penn-charter-the-goldbergs-20190110.html |archive-date=January 10, 2019 |access-date=January 11, 2019 |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref>
==References==


In June 2020, Ryan donated $500,000 to a [[GoFundMe]] that he started to help advance the lives of people in the black community of [[Atlanta]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McClure |first=Vaughn |date=June 5, 2020 |title=Falcons QB Matt Ryan donating $500,000 to help Atlanta's black community |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29271194/falcons-quarterback-matt-ryan-donating-500000-support-atlanta-black-community |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605191601/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29271194/falcons-quarterback-matt-ryan-donating-500000-support-atlanta-black-community |archive-date=June 5, 2020 |access-date=June 5, 2020 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref>
{{reflist|30em}}

On May 15, 2023, Ryan was hired by CBS as a football analyst.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alper |first=Josh |date=2023-05-15 |title=Matt Ryan joining CBS Sports, says he hasn't retired |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/matt-ryan-joining-cbs-sports-says-he-hasnt-retired |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Florio |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Florio |date=2023-05-22 |title=Matt Ryan chose CBS over Fox |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/matt-ryan-chose-cbs-over-fox |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> He joined the network's ''[[The NFL Today]]'' pre-game show for the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner|first=Steve|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/04/29/phil-simms-boomer-esiason-out-nfl-today-matt-ryan-in/73498461007/|title=CBS makes major changes to 'NFL Today': Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason out|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=April 29, 2024|access-date=April 30, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Matt Ryan (American football)}}
{{commons category|Matt Ryan (American football)}}
*{{Footballstats |nfl=matt-ryan|espn=11237|yahoo=8780 |pfr=RyanMa00}}
*[http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/roster/Matt-Ryan/7ba8774b-4091-4142-a4c1-1ae868594c2a Atlanta Falcons bio]
*{{Twitter|m_ryan02}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html Boston College Eagles bio]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235516/http://bceagles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ryan_matt00.html Boston College Eagles bio]

*[http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11237/matt-ryan ESPN Profile]
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{{succession box | title=[[Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award]] | before=[[Adrian Peterson]]| years=2009| after=[[Chris Johnson (running back)|Chris Johnson]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award]] | before=[[Adrian Peterson]]| years=2009| after=[[Chris Johnson (running back)|Chris Johnson]]}}
{{succession box | title=Scanlan Award | before=[[Josh Beekman]]| years=2007| after=[[Brandon Robinson]]}}
{{succession box | title=Scanlan Award | before=[[Josh Beekman]]| years=2007| after=Brandon Robinson}}
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{{AP Offensive Rookies of the Year}}
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[[Category:Boston College Eagles football players]]
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[[Category:Catholics from Pennsylvania]]
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[[Category:Players of American football from Chester County, Pennsylvania]]
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[[Category:Unconferenced Pro Bowl players]]
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[[Category:William Penn Charter School alumni]]

Latest revision as of 07:38, 1 December 2024

Matt Ryan
refer to caption
Ryan with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021
No. 2
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1985-05-17) May 17, 1985 (age 39)
Exton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:Penn Charter
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
College:Boston College (2003–2007)
NFL draft:2008 / round: 1 / pick: 3
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts:8,464
Passing completions:5,551
Completion percentage:65.6%
TDINT:381–183
Passing yards:62,792
Passer rating:93.6
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Matthew Thomas Ryan (born May 17, 1985) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Atlanta Falcons. Nicknamed "Matty Ice", Ryan holds the Falcons franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, completions, passer rating, and wins. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, winning the Manning and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards as a senior, and was selected by the Falcons third overall in the 2008 NFL draft.

Ryan immediately made an impact by taking the Falcons to the playoffs in his first season, earning him Offensive Rookie of the Year. During his Atlanta tenure, he led the team to six playoff appearances and three division titles, while receiving four Pro Bowl selections. His most successful season was in 2016 when he was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and led the Falcons to an appearance in Super Bowl LI. In his final season, Ryan played for the Indianapolis Colts. Since retiring, he has served as an analyst for CBS Sports.

Early life

[edit]

Ryan went to William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia where he was a three-year starter and earned All-East honors from Larunt Lemming Prep Football Report.[1] He captured All-Southeastern Pennsylvania accolades as a senior quarterback in addition to receiving All-City first-team honors in 2002 and second-team recognition in 2001. A three-time All-League selection, he threw for more than 2000 yards with 19 touchdowns as a senior, finishing his career by completing more than 52 percent of his pass attempts during all three seasons at the helm. Ryan played football, basketball and baseball while in high school and was named captain of all three teams his senior year. He was quarterback of the football team in 2002, played small forward on the basketball team, and was a pitcher and shortstop on the baseball team.[2]

Ryan says he was "mildly" recruited and began receiving scholarship offers as a sophomore.[3] Some of the schools that offered him an athletic scholarship were Purdue, Georgia Tech, Temple, and Connecticut.[4] After visiting Boston College during his junior year, he gave them his verbal commitment on August 14, 2002. His choices had come down to Iowa or Boston College. Ryan was looking for a university close to home and one that had a strong and competitive football program with a major emphasis on academics.[5]

College career

[edit]

2003–2004

[edit]

Ryan began attending Boston College in 2003 and redshirted his first year with the team.[6] Before the 2004 season, he was named the starting quarterback for Boston College due to an injury to Quinton Porter.[7] He made his collegiate debut on October 2, 2004, against the UMass Minutemen and completed two of three passes for 16 yards in the 29–7 victory.[8] He would not complete his first touchdown until November 20, 2004, against Temple, after throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Larry Lester. Replacing the injured Paul Peterson, he completed 9-of-15 passes for 121 yards in the 34–17 victory.[9] He made his first collegiate start on November 27, 2004, in the final game of that season, completing 24 of 51 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions in a 43–17 loss against Syracuse.[10] He also played against North Carolina in the Continental Tire Bowl. He completed one of his two passes for 13 yards in the 37–24 victory.[11] Ryan also received the 2004 Freshman Male Scholar-Athlete award in the same year.[12]

2005

[edit]

At the beginning of the 2005 season, Ryan was named the second-string quarterback behind Quinton Porter.[7] Porter had some success at the beginning of the year, including winning Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week for his performance in Boston College's 28–17 win over Virginia.[13] After a 30–10 loss to third-ranked Virginia Tech, coach Tom O'Brien finally went to Ryan for good in the fourth quarter of the next game against North Carolina State.[14] In ten games, of which he started five, he completed 121 of 195 passes for 1,514 yards. He had eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for five touchdowns and 94 yards.[15] He started his first bowl game in the MPC Computers Bowl versus Boise State. He completed 19 of 36 passes for 256 yards and a career-best three touchdowns in the 27–21 victory to help Boston College finish with a #18 ranking in the final AP Poll.[16][17]

2006

[edit]

Ryan started 11 of the 12 games. He completed 263-of-427 passes for a conference-leading 2,942 yards, 15 touchdowns, and ten interceptions.[18] In addition, he rushed for four touchdowns.[19] He was All-ACC first-team and led the ACC in total offense (242.2 yards per game) and in passing yards (245.5 yards per game). He was named ACC Offensive Back of the week three times. He set career highs in completions (32 against Central Michigan) and passing yards (356 against Brigham Young).[20][21] He led the team to a 9–3 record including double overtime wins versus Clemson and Brigham Young.[22] He led the Eagles to a close 25–24 victory on December 26, 2006, in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Navy in Charlotte, North Carolina.[23] In the season opener against Central Michigan, Ryan sprained his ankle.[24] Against Virginia Tech, Ryan broke his foot on the same leg.[25] Despite these injuries, Ryan only missed one game (against Buffalo).[19] His 57 pass attempts in the 2006 Wake Forest game tied Shawn Halloran's performance against Syracuse in 1985 and Frank Harris' performance against Army in 1968. For the school record, his 40 pass completions in the 2006 Wake Forest game broke the old school record of 37 by Harris in the game against Army in 1968.[26][27]

2007

[edit]
Ryan and the Boston College Eagles line up on offense in the 2007 ACC Championship game.
External image
image icon Ryan on the cover of NCAA Football 09

Ryan launched a website during his senior year called Mattyice.com, where fans and media had 24-hour access to his video highlights, updated biographical information, statistics and other information.[28]

Before the season started, Ryan was named to the preseason All-ACC team. Boston College also hired a new coach: Jeff Jagodzinski, a longtime NFL assistant.[29] Against Wake Forest, he completed 32 of 52 passes for 408 yards and five touchdowns in the 38–28 victory.[30] He continued his hot streak versus Georgia Tech, going 30–of–44 with one touchdown and passing for a career-high 435 yards against the staunch Tech defense en route to a convincing 24–10 road victory.[31] After this game, Ryan was suggested as a potential Heisman Trophy contender.[32] Battling Virginia Tech through bad weather in Blacksburg, Virginia, Ryan led an amazing comeback for the Boston College Eagles, passing for two touchdowns with less than three minutes to play on October 25, 2007, including the game-winner with 11 seconds left to Andre Callender.[33][34] However, Ryan's chances to win the Heisman fell sharply after he threw three interceptions in a 27–17 loss to an unranked 6–3 Florida State.[35] However, with a strong performance against Clemson, his chances were raised substantially. Despite two consecutive ACC losses, Ryan and the Eagles found themselves with a trip to the conference championship on the line. Down 10–3 in the third quarter, he led the offense on a game-tying drive, hitting on key passes to Rich Gunnell, Andre Callender, and Ryan Purvis, landing the Eagles at the Clemson two-yard line early in the fourth. James McCluskey finished the job from there, running it in to even the score at 10-apiece. Shortly thereafter, a Clemson turnover resulted in a Boston College field goal and a 13–10 lead for the Eagles.[36] On November 24, against ACC rival Miami, Ryan surpassed Doug Flutie for the most passing touchdowns in a single season by an Eagle quarterback with 28 touchdowns, ultimately ending the season with 31.[37] Despite these records, he struggled with throwing interceptions throughout the year, and finished with 19 (second most among college quarterbacks). His five touchdown passes in the 2007 Wake Forest game are one shy of the school record of six, held by Flutie in 1984 against North Carolina. For Boston College, it was their first 10-win regular season since 1940 and the first time they had achieved back-to-back 10-overall-win seasons in program history. He led the Eagles to extend the nation's longest bowl winning streak to eight with a 24–21 victory over Michigan State Spartans in the Champs Sports Bowl on December 28, Ryan threw three touchdown passes, two to Rich Gunnell and one to Jon Loyte.[38][39][40] He finished the season with a conference-leading 4,507 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions.[41][42]

Ryan earned various accolades for the 2007 season. He was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and the ACC Player of the Year.[43][44] He was awarded the 2007 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually in the United States to the nation's most outstanding college football senior quarterback. The other finalists for the 2007 award were Hawaii's Colt Brennan, Louisville's Brian Brohm, Oregon's Dennis Dixon, and Kentucky's Andre' Woodson (all of whom were drafted at the 2008 NFL draft).[45] He was selected to play in the 2008 Senior Bowl. He also won the 2007 Manning Award[46] awarded to the nation's top quarterback, beating out eventual Heisman winner Tim Tebow and eight other finalists for that year's award: Erik Ainge (Tennessee), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Colt Brennan (Hawai'i), Chase Daniel (Missouri), Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), Pat White (West Virginia), and Andre Woodson (Kentucky). He was named "Eagle of the Year" alongside Boston College's first ever individual champion Kasey Hill.[47] He finished in seventh place in the Heisman Trophy voting that year.[48]

He was featured as the cover athlete for the PS3 version of NCAA Football 09.[49] In 2016, Boston College retired his jersey.[50]

Awards and honors

[edit]

College statistics

[edit]
Season Team Passing Rushing
Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD
2003 Boston College Redshirt Redshirt
2004 Boston College 35 71 49.3 350 4.9 2 3 91.5 12 −3 −0.3 0
2005 Boston College 121 195 62.1 1,514 7.8 8 5 135.7 37 94 2.5 5
2006 Boston College 263 427 61.6 2,942 6.9 15 10 126.4 51 −35 −0.7 4
2007 Boston College 388 654 59.3 4,507 6.9 31 19 127.0 68 2 0.0 2
Career 807 1,347 59.9 9,313 6.9 56 37 126.2 168 58 0.3 11

Professional career

[edit]

Atlanta Falcons

[edit]
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Wonderlic
6 ft 4+34 in
(1.95 m)
228 lb
(103 kg)
32+58 in
(0.83 m)
9+12 in
(0.24 m)
4.89 s 1.67 s 2.86 s 4.51 s 7.40 s 32
All values from NFL Combine[51][52][53][54][55][56]
External images
image icon Matt Ryan at the 2008 Boston College Pro Day
image icon Ryan introduced as the 3rd overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft

Ryan scored a 32 on the Wonderlic exam, tying Louisville's Brian Brohm for the highest score by a quarterback in the 2008 Draft class.[57][58][59]

He was selected third overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL draft.[60][61] He was the second first-round pick of the draft to sign when he agreed to a six-year, $72 million contract on May 20, 2008; the contract contained $34.75 million in guaranteed money.[62] The contract made Ryan the fourth highest paid quarterback in the NFL behind Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Carson Palmer, despite never having played a professional game.[63] This helped fuel the discussion regarding whether salaries for first-round draftees in the NFL were too high.[64] In addition, Ryan had signed endorsement deals with Nike[65] and AirTran.[66]

2008

[edit]
Ryan takes a snap against the Raiders on November 2.

On August 24, 2008, Ryan was named the starting quarterback for the September 7 regular season opener against the Detroit Lions.[67][68] Ryan became the first rookie quarterback to start a season for the Falcons since Michael Vick in 2001.[69] In the game, Ryan completed his first NFL pass for a 62-yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins,[70] becoming the first quarterback to throw a touchdown on his first career NFL pass since Michael Bishop of the New England Patriots in 2000.[71] Ryan was sacked for the first time by Lions defensive player Dewayne White in his first win.[72] The second game of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers marked Ryan's first interception by rookie cornerback Aqib Talib and also by Sabby Piscitelli.[73]

In Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he completed the then-longest touchdown pass in his career for 70 yards to Roddy White. The 70-yard touchdown pass to White was the longest pass completion for the Falcons since December 23, 2007, when Chris Redman threw a 74-yard touchdown pass. In the same game, Ryan completed passes to 6 different players.[74] The following week, he threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers. His touchdown passes went to Roddy White and tight end Justin Peelle.[75] The following week against the Chicago Bears, Ryan led the Falcons to a comeback win. With six seconds left he completed a 26-yard strike to Michael Jenkins that set Jason Elam up for the game-winning field goal as time expired. Ryan finished the game 22-of-30 for a then career-high 301 passing yards.[76] He also had a key fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Roddy White. On Atlanta's first offensive drive, Ryan completed all five of his pass attempts for 57 yards en route to a Falcons field goal and a 3–0 lead. Ryan was named Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week for his performance.[77]

Ryan created an activity named "Folleyball" for NFL Play 60 at NFL Rush.com, published in October of that year.[78]

External videos
video icon Matt Ryan's 1st NFL pass, and touchdown

On October 30, Ryan was honored as the NFC Rookie of the Month for October following an impressive string of games in which he led the Falcons to a 2–1 record. Ryan became the first player in Falcons franchise history to be awarded this honor[79][80] In Week 8 against the Oakland Raiders, Ryan finished with the highest completion percentage of his career (77.3). He threw for 220 yards, two touchdowns, and posted a quarterback rating of 138.4. He also completed passes to eight different receivers and the game was his third multiple touchdown game (Green Bay, Philadelphia).[81][82] His first half passing yardage, completion percentage (81.3) and passer rating (154.2) are all career highs for a half and his two touchdowns tie a first half high, Ryan's final completion percentage of 77.3 is a career-high along with his passer rating of 138.4. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against the Raiders.[83][84][85][86] He scored his first rushing career touchdown against the New Orleans Saints on December 7 with a 12-yard touchdown scramble, Ryan also achieved 3,000+ passing yards in the 2008 season being only the 2nd rookie to do so. Peyton Manning was the first.[87][88]

Ryan became the first Falcons rookie quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season after finishing with 206 yards against Tampa Bay. Ryan's passing total also makes him only the 10th quarterback in club annals to hit the 3,000-yard mark and the first since 1998 when Chris Chandler threw 3,154.[89] It was also his first overtime win as a starter. He was named the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for games played after his performance by the second time in his career.[90][91] Ryan finished second amongst rookies in fan Pro Bowl voting (416,468 votes), behind only Titans running back Chris Johnson.[92] Ryan threw for a season-low 134 yards in Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, ending a streak of nine straight games with at least 200 yards passing, he finished 13-of-24 passing, throwing an 8-yard touchdown passes to Jerious Norwood in the second quarter; however, with this win Ryan led the Falcons to their first playoff berth since 2004.[93]

He finished the season with 3,440 passing yards, 17 touchdowns (one rushing), and 11 interceptions.[94] He and fellow rookie Joe Flacco were the first rookie quarterbacks to lead their teams to the playoffs after starting all 16 games of the season. He is one of twelve rookie quarterbacks to throw for over 3,000 yards (2,743 m) in their rookie season. On December 31, Ryan was named the AP NFL Rookie of the Year.[95][96] In addition, he was named to the All-Rookie Team for the 2008 season, joining Steve Bartkowski (1975) and Doug Johnson (2000) as the only Falcons quarterbacks to ever claim this award.[97]

Ryan made his first playoff start in the Wild Card Round against the Arizona Cardinals on January 3, 2009. He was 15 years younger than opposing quarterback Kurt Warner, the third-largest age discrepancy between playoff quarterbacks. His first attempted playoff pass was an interception. Ryan completed 26 of 40 passing attempts for 199 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. He threw his first touchdown in a playoff contest to Justin Peelle.[98] Atlanta lost, 30–24.[99][98] Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith and Ryan became the first rookie head coach and rookie quarterback to coach and compete in a playoff game since the Cleveland Rams accomplished the feat with coach Adam Walsh and quarterback Bob Waterfield in 1945 (the feat was repeated the next day when Ravens Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh did so.)[98] During the game, Ryan set an NFL playoff rookie record with 26 completions in a single postseason game.[98]

2009

[edit]
Ryan being introduced before the Falcons' 2009 regular season opener on September 13

Ryan was voted by his teammates as Offensive Captain alongside offensive lineman Todd McClure at the end of the 2008 season.[100]

In 2009, Ryan started off the season fast as he threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions as he led the Falcons to a 19–7 win against the Miami Dolphins in the 2009 NFL season opener.[101] In Week 2, Ryan led the Falcons past the Carolina Panthers. Ryan had a career-high in touchdown passes (3), completion percentage (78%) and touchdown passes in a half (3). He finished the game 21–28 with 220 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.[102] In Week 3, Ryan and the Falcons lost to the New England Patriots. Ryan completed 17–28 for 199 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the 26–10 loss.[103]

In the Week 5 game against the San Francisco 49ers, he completed 15 of 21 passes for 258 yards in the first half, setting a new career-high for the first half of play.[104][105] Ryan finished the 45–10 victory having completed 22 of 32 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns for a 110.0 passer rating. Ryan tossed a 31-yard strike to Roddy White, and he connected to White again in the second quarter with a 90-yard touchdown.[106] The pass and reception for Ryan and White set new career highs. The pass and reception also mark the third longest in franchise history and the longest pass play since 2001.[105] The game was his third-career 300-yard passing outing as the second-year quarterback set a new career-high in total passing yards with 329 in a single game.[105][107]

In Weeks 6 through 9, Ryan generally struggled, throwing more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6), was sacked 10 times, and had an average passer rating of 65.5. Still, he led the Falcons to two victories in the four games, in part thanks to Michael Turner having some strong performances.[108][109][110][111]

In Week 12, Ryan suffered a turf toe injury during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[112] Chris Redman stepped in and managed to win the game by connecting to Roddy White for a five-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.[113] Following this victory, however, the effect of Ryan's absence was compounded by injury to starting running back Michael Turner, and the Falcons suffered a 34–17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and a 26–23 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Weeks 13 and 14.[114][115] In Week 15, Ryan returned, despite not yet having fully recovered from his injury, and led Atlanta to a 10–7 upset win against the New York Jets.[116]

In Week 16, the Falcons defeated the Buffalo Bills in a 31–3 win. Ryan threw for 250 yards with three touchdowns, two of them to Roddy White.[117] In the last game of the season, the Falcons defeated the Buccaneers by a score of 20–10. In the win, Ryan had 223 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.[118] With a record of 9–7, the Falcons attained back to back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history.[119]

Ryan finished the season throwing for 2,916 yards with 22 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 80.9. Ryan also rushed for 49 yards and one touchdown.[120]

2010

[edit]

In the 2010 season, Ryan led the Falcons to an NFC best 13–3 record, second in the NFL behind the 14–2 New England Patriots.[121]

Ryan's 2010 season started off slow in a 15–9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was 27-of-44 for 252 yards and an interception.[122] He bounced back in the next game against the Arizona Cardinals. In the 41–7 victory, he was 21-of-32 for 225 yards and three touchdowns.[123] In Week 7, he had his most efficient game of the season in the 39–32 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He was 24-of-33 for 299 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception for a season-high 118.1 passer rating.[124] The victory over the Bengals was the start of an eight-game winning streak for Ryan and the Falcons.[125] In Week 10, against the Baltimore Ravens, he passed for 316 yards and three touchdowns in the 26–21 win.[126] After falling to the New Orleans Saints in Week 16, Ryan closed out the regular season with a 31–10 victory over the Carolina Panthers with 236 passing yards and two touchdowns.[127][128]

On the season, Ryan set career highs in touchdowns (28), completion percentage (62.5), and yards (3,705) while tossing nine interceptions. Ryan set the single-season franchise records, as well as career highs, in attempts (571), completions (357), and wins in a season (13).[129] Ryan led the NFL in fourth-quarter comebacks for a quarterback in the 2010 season, with six.[130]

In the Divisional Round, the Falcons were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl XLV champions, the Green Bay Packers, by a score of 48–21. In the loss, Ryan passed for 186 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.[131]

Ryan was invited to the 2011 Pro Bowl, for the first time of his career.[132] He threw two touchdowns in the Pro Bowl, one to Tony Gonzalez and the other to Larry Fitzgerald.[133] He was named as the 52nd best player in the league on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[134]

2011

[edit]

In the 2011 season, Ryan led the Falcons to a 10–6 record, passing for 4,177 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.[135]

In the season opener against the Chicago Bears, Ryan was 31-of-47 for 319 yards and an interception in the 30–12 loss.[136] However, in the next game, the Falcons bounced back with a 35–31 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Ryan was 17-of-28 for 195 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.[137] In Weeks 10 and 11, he recorded consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards in games against the New Orleans Saints and the Tennessee Titans.[138][139] In Week 14, against the Carolina Panthers, he was 22-of-38 for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the 31–23 victory to his second career NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor.[140][141] Ryan finished the 2011 season with 4,177 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.[142]

The Falcons' regular-season mark of 10–6 qualified them for the playoffs. However, they were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants in the Wild Card Round by a score of 24–2, marking the fewest points in a postseason game in Falcons' history.[143] In the loss, Ryan was 24-of-41 passing for 199 yards.[144]

2012

[edit]

In 2012, Ryan led the Falcons to their franchise best start of the season, starting 8–0.[145] Ryan set personal records in completions (422), completion percentage (68.6), yards (4,719), and touchdowns (32).[146]

In the 8–0 start, Ryan posted four games with three touchdown passes and three games going over the 300-yard passing mark. The first loss of the season for the Falcons came in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints. Ryan was 34-of-52 for a then career-high 411 yards and three touchdowns and one interception as the Falcons fell by a score of 31–27.[147] In the next game against the Arizona Cardinals, Ryan threw for 301 yards but had a career-worst five interceptions.[148] Despite the turnovers, the Falcons won by a score of 23–19.[149] In the penultimate game of the regular season, he was 25-of-32 for 279 yards and four touchdowns in a 31–18 victory over the Detroit Lions to his third career NFC Offensive Player of the Week nod.[150][151]

The Falcons finished the regular season 13–3, with the first seed in the NFC. Ryan, who was 0–3 in the postseason coming into the playoffs, won his first postseason game in the Divisional Round against the Seattle Seahawks, with Ryan orchestrating the final scoring drive that led to Matt Bryant's game-winning 49-yard field goal. Ryan finished with 250 passing yards, 68.6% completion percentage, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 30–28 victory.[152] In the NFC Championship against the San Francisco 49ers, Ryan threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns, but also committed two turnovers in crucial portions of the game, and later sprained the AC joint to his non-throwing shoulder as the Falcons lost 28–24.[153][154] He did not require surgical procedure to repair his shoulder and would have been able to play in Super Bowl XLVII if the Falcons had advanced. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career, but declined due to the shoulder injury.[155][156] He was ranked #17 by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.[157]

2013

[edit]

On July 25, 2013, Ryan agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $103.75 million with the Falcons.[158] On December 30, Ryan surpassed Steve Bartkowski for the all-time franchise leader in passing yards.[159]

The Falcons had a down year, where they recorded a 4–12 record due to multiple injuries and losing key players on both sides of the ball.[160] Ryan did record some impressive individual performances in the down season. In Week 2, against the St. Louis Rams, he had 374 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 31–24 victory.[161] Against the New England Patriots in Week 4, he was 34-of-54 for a then career-high 421 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the 30–23 loss.[162] In his performance against the Patriots, Ryan became the first quarterback in franchise history to have multiple games with at least 400 passing yards.[163] Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7, he was 20-of-26 for 273 yards and three touchdowns for a 148.4 passer rating in the 31–23 victory to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.[164][165] After the victory, the Falcons were 2–4 with all the losses being by a combined 19 points. However, the rest of the season collapsed starting with five consecutive losses, which the team never recovered from.[166] In Week 8, against the Arizona Cardinals, he had a career-high 61 pass attempts for 301 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions in the 27–13 loss.[167]

Overall, on the season, Ryan passed for 4,515 yards, which ranked fourth in the league, with 26 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.[168][169]

2014

[edit]
Ryan against the Ravens in 2014

Ryan led the Falcons to a 6–10 record in 2014. He threw for 4,694 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, and had a quarterback rating of 93.9.[170]

The season did start off promising with a 37–34 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints. Ryan was 31-of-43 for a then career-high 448 yards and three touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.[171][172] After a 24–10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 56–14.[173] In the victory, Ryan was 21-of-24 for a career-high single-game completion percentage of 87.50% and had 286 yards and three touchdowns for a career-high 155.9 passer rating. He earned another NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for his effort against the Buccaneers.[174][175] The Falcons went on to lose six of their next eight games. After a much-needed 29–18 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13, the Falcons faced off against the Green Bay Packers[176] and lost 43–37 as Ryan had 375 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.[177] After a 27–20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and a 30–14 victory over the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons had a 6–9 record. Despite the struggles of the 2014 season, the Falcons still had a chance to make the playoffs with a Week 17 victory due to the weakness of the entire NFC South division.[178] However, the Falcons missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season after losing 34–3 to their divisional rival, Carolina Panthers, in Week 17.[179] For the third time in his career, Ryan was named to the Pro Bowl.[180] He was ranked as the 77th best player in the league among his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.[181]

2015

[edit]

The 2015 season was an inconsistent one for Ryan and the Falcons. In the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, he was 23-of-34 for 298 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the 26–24 victory.[182] In the next game against the New York Giants, he was 30-of-46 for 363 yards and a touchdown in the 24–20 victory.[183] The Falcons won the next three games for a 5–0 start.[184] Their first loss came in the sixth game with a 31–21 setback against the New Orleans Saints, where Ryan was 30-of-44 for 295 yards and two touchdowns.[185] After a 10–7 victory over the Tennessee Titans, the Falcons dropped their next six games to send their season plummeting.[186] In the losing streak, Ryan had a season-high 397 passing yards for two touchdowns and an interception in a 23–20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8 on November 1.[187] Ryan led the Falcons to an 8–8 record in 2015, good for second in the NFC South, but not enough to reach the playoffs.[188]

Ryan finished the 2015 season with 21 touchdown passes, the second-lowest of his career, as well as 16 interceptions, the second-highest of his career. Additionally Ryan fumbled a career-high 12 times, losing five of them, which was also a career-high.[189]

2016: MVP season

[edit]
Ryan's #2 jersey worn in the Super Bowl LI at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

The 2016 season was one of historically significant individual and team performance for Ryan and the Falcons.[190][191] Ryan started off the 2016 season with 334 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 31–24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[192] The next game, a 35–28 victory over the Oakland Raiders, he passed for 396 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.[193] In Week 4, Ryan threw for a team-record 503 yards and four touchdowns while teammate Julio Jones caught 12 passes for a team-record 300 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Carolina Panthers.[194] Ryan and Jones were the first quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history to combine for at least 500 passing yards and 300 receiving yards in the same game.[195] In October 2016, he set an NFL record for most consecutive games with at least 200 passing yards with 46 straight games.[196] In Week 9, in the 43–28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had 344 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.[197] In Week 17, in a 38–32 victory over the New Orleans Saints, he had 331 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.[198][199] Ryan improved greatly from the previous season. He threw for a career-high 4,944 yards on just 373 completions and 534 attempts, second in the league, and a career-high 38 touchdowns and a career-low seven interceptions, also second in the league. Ryan's 9.3 yards per attempt and 5.0 air yards per attempt ranked No. 1 among NFL quarterbacks in 2016.[200] He threw a touchdown pass in all 16 games for the first time in his career and was the only quarterback to do so for the 2016 season. In the season, he threw a pass to an NFL-record 13 different receivers.[201] Ryan was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and was named First-team All Pro.[202] Following the regular season, he was recognized as the NFL Most Valuable Player by the Pro Football Writers Association.[203] Ryan was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and the NFL Most Valuable Player for the 2016 season.[204][205] He earned the Bert Bell Award for the 2016 season.[206] He was ranked tenth by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.[207]

As the #2-seed in the NFC Playoffs, Ryan led the 11–5 Falcons to a 36–20 home victory over the #3-seed Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round.[208] Ryan passed for over 300 yards and had three touchdowns.[209] In the NFC Championship, Ryan led the Falcons to a 44–21 home victory over the Green Bay Packers. Ryan threw for 392 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also ran for a fifth touchdown, just the fourth player to do so in a post-season game,[210] as the Falcons earned a trip to Super Bowl LI. The game against the Packers was the last one ever played at the Georgia Dome.[211] During Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots, Ryan finished with 284 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a lost fumble. Although the Falcons led the game 28–3 midway through the third quarter, they suffered one of the most historic collapses in sports history and lost in overtime, 34–28.[212][213] Ryan became the first quarterback in franchise history to pass for over 1,000 yards in a single postseason. Of the quarterbacks to achieve the feat, he achieved the highest passer rating, 135.3, and joined Joe Flacco as the only ones to not throw a single interception.[214]

2017

[edit]

On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 23–17 victory over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, Ryan connected with tight end Austin Hooper for an 88-yard touchdown, which was the second-longest touchdown pass of Ryan's career. In the game, Ryan was 21-of-30 for 321 yards and the one touchdown.[215][216] In Week 2, Ryan and the Falcons had their first home game at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Against the Green Bay Packers, Ryan was 19-of-28 for 252 yards and a touchdown, which was thrown to running back Tevin Coleman and the first touchdown ever thrown in the new stadium. The Falcons won by a score of 34–23.[217] In Week 7, in a Super Bowl LI rematch against the New England Patriots, Ryan passed for 233 yards and a passing touchdown to go along with a career-high 37 rushing yards in the 23–7 loss.[218] In Week 10, during a 27–7 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Ryan became the fastest quarterback to throw for over 40,000 passing yards. This was done in 151 games breaking Drew Brees' record which was done in 152 games.[219] In Week 17, after clinching a spot in the playoffs by beating the Carolina Panthers 22–10, Ryan set the record for most passing yards through 10 seasons with 41,796, breaking the record held by Peyton Manning, who had 41,626.[220] Ryan led the Falcons to a road victory against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round by a score of 26–13.[221] A week later, Ryan passed for 210 yards and one touchdown as the Falcons were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles 15–10 in the NFC Divisional Round.[222] Ryan was ranked 29th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.[223]

2018

[edit]
Ryan and his teammates in a game against the Washington Redskins

On May 3, 2018, Ryan signed a five-year, $150 million contract with the Falcons with $100 million guaranteed, making him the first player to average at least $30 million per year.[224][225] In Week 2, a 31–24 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Ryan recorded two rushing touchdowns, a one-yard score in the third quarter and an eight-yard score in the fourth quarter, in a single game for the first time in his professional career. In addition, he had 272 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and an interception in the win.[226] In Week 3, in a 43–37 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints, Ryan passed for 374 yards and a career-high five touchdowns.[227] In Week 4, against the Cincinnati Bengals, he had 419 passing yards and three touchdowns in a tough 37–36 loss where the Bengals scored a go-ahead touchdown with seven seconds remaining.[228] In Week 7, against the New York Giants, he had 379 passing yards and one passing touchdown in the 23–20 victory.[229] In Week 10, against the Cleveland Browns, he had a career-high 38 completions on 52 attempts for 330 yards and two touchdowns in the 28–16 loss.[230] In Week 12, against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving, he had 377 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 31–17 loss.[231] In a Week 14 34–20 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Ryan eclipsed 4,000 yards, becoming the third quarterback in NFL history to reach 4,000 in at least eight consecutive seasons, joining Drew Brees (2006–2017) and Peyton Manning (2006–2014).[232] In Week 15, a 40–14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Ryan recorded two passing touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown, giving him a career-high three rushing touchdowns for the season. In addition, this victory gave Ryan 100 regular season wins, and made Ryan and Thomas Dimitroff only the sixth quarterback-general manager duo to record at least 100 wins together.[233][234] In Week 17, a 34–32 victory of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in addition to passing for 378 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, Ryan recorded his first career reception on a five-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Mohamed Sanu.[235] With the touchdown reception, Ryan set an NFL record for most passing yards in a game while recording a receiving touchdown.[236]

Ryan finished the 2018 season with 35 passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown, giving him a career-high 39 total touchdowns on the season. In addition, the seven interceptions thrown by Ryan are tied for his career best.[237][238] Despite a losing 7–9 record, Ryan finished with the third most passing yards, tied for the third most passing touchdowns, fourth in completion percentage, and fourth in passer rating.[239] Ryan was named a Pro Bowl alternate for the season, although Ryan declined the invitation upon being selected.[240][241] He was ranked 69th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.[242]

2019

[edit]
Ryan speaking to Defense Secretary Mark Esper in 2019

On March 12, the Falcons restructured Ryan's contract by converting $8.75 million of his base salary into a signing bonus.[243]

In Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Ryan completed 33-of-46 passes for 304 yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 28–12 loss.[244] In Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Ryan threw for 320 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions as the Falcons won 24–20. On fourth down with two minutes left in the game, Ryan threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones that ended giving the Falcons the late go-ahead score.[245] In Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts, Ryan threw for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception as the Falcons lost 27–24.[246] In Week 4, in a 24–10 loss to the Tennessee Titans, Ryan passed for 397 yards.[247] In Week 5 against the Houston Texans, Ryan threw for 330 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception while adding a rushing touchdown in the 53–32 loss.[248] Ryan became the first Falcons quarterback since Chris Miller in 1990 to pass for over 300 yards and have three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the same game.[249] In Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, he passed for 356 yards and four touchdowns in a 34–33 loss.[250] In Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams, Ryan suffered an ankle injury. Without Ryan, the Falcons lost 37–10.[251]

Ryan was ruled out with an ankle injury in Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks, ending Ryan's streak of 154 consecutive regular season games started. The streak was fifth all-time for quarterbacks.[252] Ryan returned from injury in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints and threw for 182 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 26–9 upset win.[253] In Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers, Ryan threw for 311 yards and a touchdown in the 29–3 win. In the game, Ryan surpassed Warren Moon for the 10th all time passing yards in NFL history.[254][255] In Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers, Ryan threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns, including a career long 93-yard touchdown to Olamide Zaccheaus in the 40–20 win. In the game, Ryan became the 10th quarterback in NFL history to reach 50,000 career passing yards.[256] In Week 15, against the heavily favored San Francisco 49ers, Ryan helped lead a 29–22 upset victory. In the last moments of the game, Ryan threw a five-yard pass to Julio Jones to go ahead before a defensive score put the game away for good.[257] In Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ryan passed for 384 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in the 24–12 victory.[258] In Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ryan threw for 313 yards and a touchdown during the 28–22 overtime win.[259] Ryan finished the 2019 season with 4,466 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions as the Falcons finished with a 7–9 record.[260][261] Ryan's 408 pass completions led the NFL.[262]

2020

[edit]

In Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, Ryan completed 37-of-52 for 450 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the 25–38 loss.[263] In the game, Ryan surpassed John Elway for the 9th most all time passing yards in NFL history.[264] In the loss, Ryan helped lead three different wide receivers (Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Russell Gage) to surpass 100 receiving yards. It was the first time in franchise history that three different wide receivers hit the mark in the same game.[265] In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, Ryan threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns during the 40–39 loss. At one point during the game, Ryan and the Falcons had a 20-point lead, but they still managed to lose the game.[266] The Falcons dropped their next three games to start 0–5 for the first time since 1997.[267] In Week 6 against the Minnesota Vikings, he had 371 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in the 40–23 victory, the Falcons' first of the 2020 season.[268] Ryan was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 6.[269] Following the Vikings game, Ryan recorded three games with at least 300 passing yards the rest of the season. The Falcons showed positive signs winning three of four from Weeks 6–9, but they closed out the season on a separate five-game losing streak.[270] Overall, Ryan finished the 2020 season with 4,581 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions as the team went 4–12.[271] He led the league in both passes completed on passes attempts going 407-of-626.[272]

2021

[edit]
Ryan in 2021

With the departure of longtime teammate Julio Jones, Ryan struggled to find consistency in his first year with new head coach Arthur Smith.[273][274] Ryan and Falcons started the season with a 1–3 mark.[275] In Week 5 against the New York Jets, Ryan became the seventh quarterback in NFL history to reach 5,000 career completions. In the same game, Ryan surpassed Eli Manning for the 8th most all-time passing yards in NFL history.[276] Following the victory over the Jets, the Falcons reached .500 with a win in their next game over the Miami Dolphins, with Ryan passing for 336 yards and two touchdowns.[277] In Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, Ryan had 343 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown in the 27–25 victory.[278] Ryan was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.[279] The Falcons offense would be anemic in the next two games, as they were held to a field goal against the Dallas Cowboys and then were shut out by the New England Patriots, with Ryan held to less than 200 yards in both games. The Falcons alternated wins and losses going into Week 17.[275]

During the Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills, Ryan was called for a taunting penalty after seemingly scoring a rushing touchdown, but after further review, he was ruled down at the 1-yard line, and the resulting 15-yard penalty put Atlanta back at the 16-yard-line instead of being enforced on the ensuing kickoff. The Falcons failed to score from that distance on the next two plays, all but sealing a 29–15 loss that eliminated the team from the playoffs.[280] Ryan finished the 2021 season with 3,968 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.[275]

Indianapolis Colts

[edit]

On March 21, 2022, the Falcons traded Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.[281]

In his first game with the Colts in Week 1 against the Houston Texans, Ryan finished with 352 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception as the game ended in a 20–20 tie.[282] He surpassed 60,000 passing yards, becoming the second fastest to ever do so.[283] In Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ryan finished with 389 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 34–27 victory, including throwing the game-winning touchdown to Alec Pierce with 17 seconds remaining.[284] In the game, he passed Dan Marino for seventh all-time in passing yards.[285] Following a Week 7 loss to the Tennessee Titans, head coach Frank Reich announced Ryan had a shoulder injury and Sam Ehlinger would be the Colts' starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2022 season.[286] However two weeks later, Reich was fired and interim coach Jeff Saturday announced Ryan would return as the team's starter.[287] In a 25–20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Ryan threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Parris Campbell with five minutes remaining, on a drive which included a career-best 39-yard run by Ryan to convert a third down.[288] In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, Ryan and the Colts jumped to a 33–0 lead at halftime before having a historic collapse, allowing the Vikings to make the largest comeback in NFL history and win 39–36 in overtime.[289] Ryan finished with 182 yards and a touchdown in the game.[290] Following this loss, Saturday announced that Nick Foles would be the starting quarterback for the last three games of the season and that Ehlinger would be his backup, placing Ryan on the third line.[291] Ryan appeared in 12 games in the 2022 season. He finished with 3,057 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.[292] Ryan's 14 passing touchdowns marked a career-low for a single season.[293]

Following the season, on March 15, 2023, Ryan was released by the Colts.[294]

Retirement

[edit]

For the 2023 season, the Colts still owed Ryan over $12 million as part of the agreed terms of the trade made the previous year, as Ryan had opted not to officially announce his retirement.[295] Following the 2023 season, on April 22, 2024, Ryan officially announced his retirement and signed a one-day contract with Atlanta to retire as a Falcon.[296] Ryan was later inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor at halftime during a Falcons' home game on October 3, 2024.[297]

NFL career statistics

[edit]
Legend
AP NFL MVP & OPOTY
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team Games Passing Rushing Sacks Fumbles
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A Lng TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg Lng TD Sck Yds Fum Lost
2008 ATL 16 16 11–5 265 434 61.1 3,440 7.9 70 16 11 87.7 55 104 1.9 17 1 17 104 6 1
2009 ATL 14 14 9–5 263 451 58.3 2,916 6.5 90 22 14 80.9 30 49 1.6 7 1 19 92 5 2
2010 ATL 16 16 13–3 357 571 62.5 3,705 6.5 46 28 9 91.0 46 122 2.7 20 0 23 158 4 3
2011 ATL 16 16 10–6 347 566 61.3 4,177 7.4 80 29 12 92.2 37 84 2.3 12 2 26 173 5 3
2012 ATL 16 16 13–3 422 615 68.6 4,719 7.7 80 32 14 99.1 34 141 4.1 16 1 28 210 3 2
2013 ATL 16 16 4–12 439 651 67.4 4,515 6.9 81 26 17 89.6 17 55 3.2 17 0 44 298 5 4
2014 ATL 16 16 6–10 415 628 66.1 4,694 7.5 79 28 14 93.9 29 145 5.0 15 0 31 205 5 2
2015 ATL 16 16 8–8 407 614 66.3 4,591 7.5 70 21 16 89.0 36 63 1.8 18 0 30 203 12 5
2016 ATL 16 16 11–5 373 534 69.9 4,944 9.3 76 38 7 117.1 35 117 3.3 18 0 37 235 4 2
2017 ATL 16 16 10–6 342 529 64.7 4,095 7.7 88 20 12 91.4 32 143 4.5 16 0 24 156 4 3
2018 ATL 16 16 7–9 422 608 69.4 4,924 8.1 75 35 7 108.1 33 125 3.8 15 3 42 296 10 5
2019 ATL 15 15 7–8 408 616 66.2 4,466 7.3 93 26 14 92.1 34 147 4.3 12 1 48 316 9 5
2020 ATL 16 16 4–12 407 626 65.0 4,581 7.3 63 26 11 93.3 29 92 3.2 16 2 41 257 6 3
2021 ATL 17 17 7–10 375 560 67.0 3,968 7.1 64 20 12 90.4 40 82 2.1 17 1 40 274 11 4
2022 IND 12 12 4–7–1 309 461 67.0 3,057 6.6 45 14 13 83.9 27 70 2.6 39 1 38 287 15 5
Career 234 234 124−109−1 5,551 8,464 65.6 62,792 7.4 93 381 183 93.6 514 1,539 3.0 39 13 488 3,264 104 49

Postseason

[edit]
Year Team Games Passing Rushing Sacks Fumbles
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A Lng TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg Lng TD Sck Yds Fum Lost
2008 ATL 1 1 0–1 26 40 65.0 199 5.0 28 2 2 72.8 4 6 1.5 2 0 3 9 1 1
2010 ATL 1 1 0–1 20 29 69.0 186 6.4 22 1 2 69.0 1 0 0.0 0 0 5 37 1 1
2011 ATL 1 1 0–1 24 41 58.5 199 4.9 21 0 0 71.1 3 3 1.0 3 0 2 16 0 0
2012 ATL 2 2 1–1 54 77 70.1 646 8.4 47 6 3 105.2 3 9 3.0 6 0 1 0 1 1
2016 ATL 3 3 2–1 70 98 71.4 1,014 10.3 73 9 0 135.3 6 20 3.3 14 1 8 59 3 1
2017 ATL 2 2 1–1 43 66 65.2 428 6.5 52 2 0 93.5 6 5 0.8 4 0 6 35 0 0
Career 10 10 4–6 237 351 67.5 2,672 7.6 73 20 7 100.8 23 43 1.9 14 1 25 156 6 4

Awards and honors

[edit]

NFL records

[edit]
  • Most regular season wins by a quarterback in his first five seasons: 56 (tied with Russell Wilson)[309]
  • Consecutive NFL games with at least 200 passing yards (64 games)[310][311]
  • Most passing yards in first 10 years in NFL history (41,796)[220][312]
  • Most passing yards in first 11 years in NFL history (46,720)[313]
  • Most passing yards in first 12 years in NFL history (51,186)[314]
  • Most passing yards in first 13 years in NFL history (55,767)[315]
  • Most passing yards in first 14 years in NFL history (59,735)[316]
  • Most pass completions in first 7 years in NFL history (2,508)[317]
  • Most pass completions in first 8 years in NFL history (2,915)[318]
  • Most pass completions in first 9 years in NFL history (3,288)[319]
  • Most pass completions in first 10 years in NFL history (3,630)[320]
  • Most pass completions in first 11 years in NFL history (4,052)[321]
  • Most pass completions in first 12 years in NFL history (4,460)[322]
  • Most pass completions in first 13 years in NFL history (4,867)[323]
  • Most pass completions in first 14 years in NFL history (5,242)[324]
  • Most pass completions in first 15 years in NFL history (5,551)[325]

Falcons franchise records

[edit]
  • Only Falcons quarterback to lead the team to an 8–0 start[326]
  • Most wins in a regular season by a starting quarterback: 13 (2010 and 2012)[327]
  • Fewest interceptions in a regular season by starting quarterback – 7 (2016 and 2018) (16 starts)[327]
  • Most comeback wins in a single season: 5 (2010) (tied with Steve Bartkowski in 1979)[327][328]
  • Most career quarterback wins: 120 (2008–2021)[329]
  • Completions: career (5,242),[327] season (439 in 2013),[330] game (37 on November 1, 2015, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers),[331] playoffs (194),[332] playoff season (70 in 2016),[333] playoff game (30 on January 20, 2013, against the San Francisco 49ers),[334] rookie season (265 in 2008)[335]
  • Pass Attempts: career (8,464),[327] season (651 in 2013),[330] playoffs (285),[332] playoff season (98 in 2016),[333] rookie season (434 in 2008)[335]
  • Passing Yards: career (59,735),[327] season (4,944 in 2016),[330] playoffs (2,244),[332] playoff season (1,014 in 2016),[333] playoff game (396 on January 20, 2013, against the San Francisco 49ers),[334] rookie season (3,440 in 2008)[335]
  • Passing TDs: career (367),[327] season (38 in 2016),[330] playoffs (18),[332] playoff season (9 in 2016),[333] playoff game (4 on January 22, 2017, against the Green Bay Packers),[334] rookie season (16 in 2008)[335]
  • Passer Rating: career (93.7),[327] season (117.1 in 2016),[330] playoffs (102.4),[332] playoff season (135.3 in 2016),[333] playoff game (144.1 on February 5, 2017, against the New England Patriots),[334] rookie season (87.7 in 2008),[335] rookie game (138.4 on November 2, 2008, against the Oakland Raiders)[336]
  • Sacked: playoffs (19),[332] playoff game (5 on February 5, 2017, against the New England Patriots)[334]
  • Yds/Pass Att: playoffs (7.87),[332] playoff season (10.35 in 2016),[333] playoff game (12.35 on February 5, 2017, against the New England Patriots),[334] rookie season (7.93 in 2008)[335]
  • Pass Yds/Game: career (269.1),[327] season (309 in 2016),[330] rookie season (215 in 2008)[335]
  • 300+ yard passing games: career (45),[337] season (8 in 2012 & 2016),[338] playoffs (3),[339] rookie season (2 in 2008)[340]
  • 4,000+ passing yard seasons: career (10)[341]

Personal life

[edit]

Ryan, the third of four siblings, was born to Michael and Bernice Ryan. They are of Irish descent and were raised as Catholics.[342] One of Ryan's uncles, John Loughery, played quarterback at Boston College from 1979 to 1982.[2] Ryan is an avid golfer and has participated in such tournaments as the American Century Celebrity Golf Classic.[343] His cousin, Mike McGlinchey, played college football at Notre Dame and was later drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2018.[344]

He is part of the Falcons' online reading program, "Read with a Falcon," and grew up a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.[345]

On November 21, 2017, Ryan announced on social media that he and his wife Sarah were expecting twins.[346] In 2018, Sarah announced the birth of their twin boys.[347][348] Ryan and his wife quietly welcomed their third son Cal Patrick Ryan on April 1, 2023.[349][350]

On January 9, 2019, Ryan made a cameo appearance on the series premiere of ABC's Schooled, and his high school athletic career is also explored in the series.[351]

In June 2020, Ryan donated $500,000 to a GoFundMe that he started to help advance the lives of people in the black community of Atlanta.[352]

On May 15, 2023, Ryan was hired by CBS as a football analyst.[353][354] He joined the network's The NFL Today pre-game show for the 2024 season.[355]

References

[edit]
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