Atlanta Club Throwing Matt Ryan 'Going Away' Party After Trade to Colts
For over a decade, Matt Ryan was the face of the Atlanta Falcons. But that all changed Monday when the Falcons sent Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick.
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It's been a long time since someone other than Ryan was quarterbacking the Falcons. In his first start in 2008, George W. Bush was president and Atlanta-born artist T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" was the No. 1 song in the country.
And one local business is choosing to celebrate his tenure in Atlanta with a "going away party."
Trade talks for Ryan began last week when Atlanta reached out to the Houston Texans on the status of quarterback Deshaun Watson. A native of Gainesville, Falcons' owner Arthur Blank and general manager Terry Fontenot met with the three-time Pro Bowler in Atlanta and felt content that a deal would be reached.
All that changed when the Cleveland Browns offered Watson a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed extension. The trade didn't stop Colts' GM Chris Ballard from calling about adding Ryan for the 2022 season.
Ryan, 36, is coming off a down season in which he threw for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His 90.1 passer rating was the lowest of his career since 2015, and Atlanta finished 7-10, missing the postseason for the fourth consecutive time.
Drafted No. 3 overall in 2008, Ryan finishes his time with the Falcons posting a 120-102 record, the most for a quarterback in franchise history. In 14 seasons, he threw for 59,735 yards and 367 touchdowns against 170 interceptions.
