Atlanta Falcons Officially Tap Matt Ryan As President of Football

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons have officially hired former quarterback Matt Ryan to take on the role of president of football within the organization. This announcement comes just days after Arthur Blank opted to move on from both Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot following another disappointing season.

These were just a few of the moves made earlier in the week, but hiring Ryan is the first of several dominoes set to fall.

The Falcons Podcast: Spotify | Apple Pods | WATCH

"Throughout his remarkable 14-year career in Atlanta, Matt's leadership, attention to detail, knowledge of the game and unrelenting drive to win made him the most successful player in our franchise's history," said Blank. "I am confident those same qualities will be a tremendous benefit to our organization as he steps into this new role. From his playing days to his time as an analyst at CBS, Matt has always been a student of the game, and he brings an astute understanding of today's NFL, as well as unique knowledge of our organization and this market. I have full confidence and trust in Matt as we strive to deliver a championship caliber team for Atlanta and Falcons fans everywhere."

Blank has gotten a front-row seat to Ryan's development in the NFL.

"Matt Ryan came into the league as a rookie in 2008, ended up leading a locker room of 53 for 14 years, leading in a huddle, being a great player, leading players, supporting coaches, etc," Blank said in his end-of-season press conference on Thursday. "His EQ and IQ when it comes to football is extraordinarily high. I've known Matt personally since 2008, and his family, and he's an outstanding individual, a great community leader, and the kind of person you certainly would want to consider in that position."

The city was frustrated with continued shortcomings through the NFL’s second-longest playoff drought. Blank heard the message and has effectively scrapped the ‘collaborative approach’ that had been pushed at Flowery Branch over the last several years.

According to Blank in his penned letter from Monday morning, and then with further confirmation on Thursday, Ryan will now have final decision-making authority in football decisions, and he will be “fully involved” in the hiring of the new head coach and general manager.

Ryan was the third overall pick in the 2008 draft and went on to throw for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns, and won 120 games over his 15 years. He received four Pro Bowl nods and won the MVP award for his standout 2016 season in which he led the Falcons to their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

The former Falcon was traded in 2022, but left the franchise as its all-time leader in nearly every major statistical category. He retired in 2023 and is currently working as a television analyst with CBS, but has maintained a healthy relationship with the Falcons. Ryan was enshrined in the Falcons’ Ring of Honor in 2024.

What happens next for the Atlanta Falcons? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Falcons news delivered to your inbox daily!

“I know we have fallen short of the standard you expect and we as an organization have for ourselves. That responsibility rests with me,” Blank wrote on Monday. “When results do not match expectations over time, as the owner, accountability cannot be shared or softened. I believe this team should be competing at a higher level than it has, and I share your deep frustration.”

Now, Ryan returns to the team that drafted him and hopes to lead them out of the depths of struggles, just like he did in 2008.