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Former Buccaneers NFC South Quarterback Rival Officially Announces Retirement
Quarterback Matt Ryan officially retired as a member of the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.
One of Tampa Bay's longtime rivals in their division is officially calling it quits.
Former Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan announced Tuesday that he is officially retiring from the NFL. Ryan did spend one year with the Colts, but he appears to have signed something akin to a one-day contract to retire with the Falcons.
Buccaneers fans know Ryan well. He'd been a thorn in Tampa Bay's side since he entered the league in 2008, putting up a 94.7 passer rating, 7,509 yards and 43 touchdowns against the Bucs during his career. He also has a winning record against the team, going 16-12 against them in the 28 games he's played against Tampa Bay.
Ryan left the Falcons in 2022, which made way for quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder is now gone in Atlanta, and he'll be replaced by Kirk Cousins, who the Bucs will have to contend with on the road to another NFC South title. Ryan had one unsuccessful stint with the Indianapolis Colts before taking a job as a commentator with CBS for the 2023 season. Ryan could not officially announce his retirement, as the Colts still owed him money, but that official announcement comes now.
Even though it's somewhat delayed, Bucs fans are probably happy not to be bothered by Ryan in the future. That being said, with Cousins in Atlanta, Tampa Bay still has to remain on guard even in the absence of Matty Ice.
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