What Went Wrong for Matt Ryan with Indianapolis Colts

Now-retired quarterback Matt Ryan ended his career on a low note with the Indianapolis Colts.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan (2) walks off the field after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Indianapolis Colts have been stuck in a never-ending quarterback carousel ever since the retirement of Andrew Luck just five years ago. Among those who had stints in Indianapolis is 2016 MVP award winner Matt Ryan, a veteran that was brought in to lead a young team who many thought was built for playoff football. 

Four consecutive losing seasons with the Atlanta Falcons made Ryan search for a change of scenery in 2022, meanwhile the Colts were looking for an answer after missing the playoffs the year before with Carson Wentz at the helm. Their two paths crossed after head coach Frank Reich pushed for another experienced quarterback in Indianapolis.

Heading into the 2022 campaign and set to earn nearly $25 million, Ryan was seen as the perfect bridge quarterback to give the Colts a chance at present success while still preparing for the future.

“I am so excited to see what can happen here,” said Ryan in his introductory Colts press conference. “There was only one spot I wanted to go.”

These words didn’t bode well for one of the league’s best players over the last two decades. From starting off his Colts career with a tie against the Houston Texans to being benched halfway through the season, it was “a s*** show of 18 months” according to the veteran quarterback (via The Athletic).

The Colts getting out of the Carson Wentz contract only to trade for Matt Ryan pic.twitter.com/KxxM6hB8ju

— paul williams (@paulwillFGP) October 24, 2022

Throwing for nine touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first seven games as a Colt, Ryan was sidelined by Reich. Claiming there was a “shoulder injury”, Ryan missed games for only the fourth and fifth times in his career. Just two weeks later, coach Reich was sent packing by owner Jim Irsay after a 3-5-1 start to the season. In a complete disaster for Indianapolis, the team was stuck between tanking for a draft pick or regrouping for a playoff push.

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Irsay only added fuel to the disaster, hiring former Super Bowl champion center Jeff Saturday to lead his team. Saturday had no more experience than your local high school coach, but was brought in regardless. Opting to play Ryan in the starting lineup again, the team headed west to face off against the Las Vegas Raiders in a shocking win that ultimately was the last victory of Ryan’s career.

To make things even harder for the veteran quarterback, Ryan’s new play caller, Parks Frazier, was seven years younger than him while simultaneously having no experience coaching any unit or position. With no time to mesh into a cohesive offense, Ryan’s new team struggled to find an identity in the final eight weeks of the season.

Loss after loss caused discrepancy within the organization, and sent Ryan’s career out in one of the worst ways imaginable. Already on the wrong side of the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, Ryan and the Colts allowed the largest comeback in NFL history against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15. Blowing away a 33-point lead in one half, Ryan’s career ended with one of the most embarrassing moments in the league’s history.

Nearly three months after his last game, Ryan was cut by general manager Chris Ballard in a move that saved the team $17 million in cap space. It was a rather unfortunate way to send out one of the league’s star players, and someone who continues to be in hall of fame discussions. 

On the bright side, Ryan was able to retire in Atlanta earlier this week. Ryan held the QB1 spot for over a decade with the Falcons and decided to hang his cleats where his heart is. Now, Ryan is following suit of many former players by heading to the booth and calling games as an analyst for CBS. 

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