Broadcast or Keep Playing? Falcons Ex QB Matt Ryan 'Very Interested'

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, currently with the Indianapolis Colts, has seemingly begun to start thinking about his life after retirement.
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It's been a whirlwind 12 months for quarterback Matt Ryan.

The 2016 league MVP and Atlanta Falcons all-time leading passer watched as his 14-year tenure came to a close last March, with the Falcons opting to pursue now-Cleveland Browns signal caller Deshaun Watson.

As things unfolded, the Falcons didn't land Watson but the bridge with Ryan had already been burned and the four-time Pro Bowler was traded to the Indianapolis Colts.

Like the offseason, Ryan's campaign with the Colts didn't go as planned, as he started only 12 games and was benched twice while throwing just one more touchdown (14) than interceptions (13).

Indianapolis went 4-7-1 with Ryan under center and the two sides seem set to split this offseason, with the Colts hiring Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their new coach and likely going a different direction at quarterback.

So, where does this leave the 37-year-old Ryan?

According to the New York Post, Ryan is "very interested" in pursuing a career as a broadcaster should he not sign with another team this offseason.

Taking into account his age and recent on-field struggles, Ryan appears to be strongly considering retiring - and evidently already knows what he wants to do after hanging up the cleats.

Should this be the end of the line, Ryan will close his career with 62,792 passing yards, 381 touchdowns, 183 interceptions and a completion percentage of 65.6 percent. Ryan's yards and touchdowns each rank top-10 in NFL history and he'll certainly be considered on the Hall of Fame ballot in five years.

But for now, it's merely "interest" in post-career possibilities - and whether that becomes instant reality will depend on the "interest" Ryan draws from other teams this offseason.


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Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is an accredited NFL writer for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Daniel has provided boots-on-ground coverage at the NFL Combine and from the Atlanta Falcons' headquarters, among other destinations, and contributed to the annual Lindy's Sports Magazine ahead of the 2023 offseason. Daniel is a co-host on the 404TheFalcon podcast and previously wrote for the Around the Block Network and Georgia Sports Hospitality Media.