The Atlanta Falcons have officially brought back their legendary former quarterback, Matt Ryan, to lead the franchise in a brand-new executive role after serving his three-year tenure at CBS. On Saturday, Jan. 10, team owner Arthur Blank announced that Ryan has been hired as the President of Football. Speaking about his new role, Matt said,

“Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost twenty years ago, and he’s done it again today. While I appreciate the time I had with the Colts and with CBS, I’ve always been a Falcon. It feels great to be home.”

He further expressed his excitement, saying, “ I could not be more excited, grateful, or humbled by this new opportunity. I began my career with a singular goal: to do right by the Blank family, the Falcons organization, the City of Atlanta, and especially our fans. My commitment to the success of this franchise has not changed. I’m beyond ready to help write a new chapter of excellence.”

As per reports by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, this position was created specifically with Ryan in mind, giving him the highest level of authority within the organization’s football operations. In this new role, Ryan has been given the final say on all major team decisions. 

Matt Ryan’s first and most important task will be leading the search for a new leadership team. He is now responsible for hiring a new general manager and a new head coach following the recent firing of Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris.

People might wonder how a TV analyst can suddenly become a team president. The truth is, Ryan’s recent media work gives him a major advantage. Instead of just watching from the sidelines, his job required him to study the game from every angle.

By spending time in deep conversation with the NFL’s top players, coaches, and executives, Ryan has gained a high-level understanding of how the league works today. This expert perspective builds on his legendary career as the team’s quarterback, where he put up massive numbers. Over his playing career, he recorded 62,792 passing yards and 381 touchdowns against 183 interceptions.

Ryan, along with Arthur Blank have made big differences in the past, and the duo hopes that they can do the same as they venture into the new chapter of their football career.

Check out what Arthur Blank has to say about Matt Ryan being the perfect fit for the Falcons president position 

Talks about Matt Ryan becoming the president of the Atlanta Falcons had been circulating for quite some time, but a final decision wasn’t reached until Saturday morning. The move marks a major turning point for the franchise, placing a legendary figure at the helm of its football operations. 

During the process, team owner Arthur Blank was vocal about why he believed Ryan was the perfect fit for the position. Blank emphasized that the organization has maintained a long-term relationship with Ryan, as he said,

“Matt is somebody we’ve had a long relationship with, we’ve continued to talk with,” Blank said. “He is one of the candidates we’ll be interviewing. My response to that would be 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.” He didn’t stop there just yet and added, “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, great community leader, and the kind of person you certainly would want to consider in that position.”

Now, everyone is curious to see how Ryan will perform in the “uncharted waters” of a front-office executive. While the transition from the field to the office is a significant jump, it is not entirely unprecedented in the NFL. 

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The most common comparison is John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers. Like Ryan, Lynch had a Hall of Fame playing career followed by a stint as a broadcaster before becoming a high-level executive without traditional prior experience.

Within three seasons, Lynch was named Executive of the Year, and the Falcons believe that with Ryan’s on-field and in-office experience, the organization will be able to reach new heights.