Matt Ryan named President of Football

ATLANTA – Atlanta Falcons Owner and Chairman Arthur M. Blank named former NFL MVP and CBS Sports Analyst Matt Ryan the team’s President of Football on Saturday morning.

Ryan assumes the role immediately and will oversee all aspects of Falcons football for the organization, reporting directly to Blank while collaborating with Falcons President and CEO Greg Beadles to ensure alignment of the entire business and football areas of the organization. Atlanta is currently engaged in searches for a new head coach and general manager. Both hires will report to Ryan.

“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.”

Ryan accepted the job early Saturday morning and will be fully involved in the search for the organization’s next head coach and general manager beginning immediately.

Following his 15-year playing career in the NFL, Ryan studied the league at both a micro and macro level as a game and studio analyst for CBS over the past three years. Ryan served as a game analyst alongside Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber and A.J. Ross in 2023 before transitioning to studio analyst on THE NFL TODAY with James Brown, Bill Cowher and Nate Burleson. With nearly two decades of experience in and around NFL football, Ryan has garnered an understanding of how sustainable, successful organizations are constructed and operated.

“Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost twenty years ago, and he’s done it again today,” said Ryan. “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. 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.”

Ryan spent 14 seasons in Atlanta, leading the Falcons to the postseason five times including two NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance. He set franchise records for career passing yards (59,735), attempts (8,003), completions (5,242), passing touchdowns (367), passer rating (94.6), completion percentage (65.5) and 300-yard games (73). Ryan also set a litany of single-game and single-season records during his time with the Falcons. He led Atlanta to a 120-102 (.541) regular season record and missed just three games over his career with the club.

Selected with the third-overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Boston College, Ryan was named offensive rookie of the year by both the Associated Press and the Pro Football Writers of America. He also garnered rookie of the year honors from The Sporting News.

Ryan’s best season came in 2016 when he earned first-team All-Pro honors after leading the Falcons to the club’s second NFC title and a Super Bowl appearance. He became the first player in team history to be selected as NFL MVP and was also named offensive player of the year by the Associated Press.

From 2011 to 2020, Ryan strung together 10 straight seasons with at least 4,000 passing yards. Ryan also threw at least 20 touchdowns in each of his final 13 seasons in Atlanta, the third-longest streak in league history. He finished his Falcons career with the eighth-most passing yards in NFL history and the most passing yards by a player in their first 14 seasons in league annals with 59,735.

“I know first-hand what a great foundation this organization has and I’m confident we can build on that and cement a culture of accountability, tenacity, resilience and winning,” said Ryan. “Setting clear expectations for every single person who walks into Flowery Branch or puts on a Falcons uniform, reinvigorating our approach with strategic thinking, and being disciplined about finding near-term wins to set us up for long-term success – these are all priorities and principles I will bring to this role.”

Ryan’s impact extended beyond the field as he was named the Falcons Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee in 2016 for his community service activities. Ryan developed a special bond with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta during his time with the Falcons raising funds for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center through his celebrity-am golf tournament and other activities. Ryan raised awareness for “Miracle Babies” at Atlanta’s Northside Hospital and the March of Dimes after he and his wife’s twin boys were born prematurely and spent extended time in the neonatal intensive care unit.

In 2020, Ryan and his wife, Sarah, launched ATL: Advance the Lives with a mission to alleviate structural barriers to Black youth success and combat systemic barriers Black youth face by partnering with out-of-school time programs and local organizations to build long-term community engagement. The Ryan’s raised $1.3 million through their initial GoFundMe campaign and continue to strive towards making meaningful and sustainable impact on the community. Ryan, Sarah, and their three sons reside in metro Atlanta.

“My history with this team speaks for itself, and I’m really grateful for it, and the great relationship I’ve been lucky to have with Arthur and his family,” said Ryan. “I also recognize this side of football is not where I’ve come up. I’ve played, I’ve commented, but I haven’t directly operated. I think I’m humble enough to recognize there will be some baptism by fire, but I’m ready for that. I know I’ve got great resources and partners throughout this organization and I’m fortunate to have mentors across the league. That said, I do understand the weight of a role like this – I’ve lived it. I have confidence in the perspective my years as a player and a team leader give me. This is not a new table; it’s just a new seat.”