© Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Falcons Legend Matt Ryan Announces Retirement from NFL
Matt Ryan spent 14 seasons in Atlanta before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts.
After a 15-year NFL career, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has officially hung up the cleats.
Ryan, in partnership with the Falcons, released a three-minute video on X formally announcing his retirement from the NFL.
“Sixteen years after being drafted, my childhood dream has officially come to an end,” Ryan said. “I’m honored to retire as a Falcon. Thank you Falcons fans for the continued support. Through the highs and the lows, I always felt your passion. Every day, I felt the responsibility to give you the best version of myself.”
The 38-year-old Ryan finishes his NFL career with 62,792 passing yards and 381 touchdowns, each ranking top-10 in league history. He completed 65.6 percent of his passes across 234 games, all starts, and finished with a record of 124-109-1.
Drafted No. 3 overall in 2008, Ryan earned four Pro Bowl nods and won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2016, guiding the Falcons to Super Bowl LI.
Ryan spent the first 14 years of his career in Atlanta before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 for a third-round pick, which turned into outside linebacker DeAngelo Malone.
A staple in the community who continues to make his mark through his non-profit company ‘Advance the Lives,’ Ryan isn’t saying goodbye to Atlanta – but he’s officially played his final snap on the gridiron.
“While we didn’t accomplish everything we had hoped, I am proud of what we did,” Ryan said. “And I know I gave everything I could to be the best I possibly could. You have no control in this profession of where you start. I am so lucky that my start – and now my finish – is here in Atlanta.”
Ryan began broadcasting as an analyst for CBS in 2023 and figures to remain in the role moving forward. And so, while his playing days are done, he’ll still be on televisions in Atlanta come this fall.
