From Unknown Recruit to NFL MVP: How Matt Ryan Became The Savior of the Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan has always held the trust of Falcon fans no matter the situation.

In the NFL there isn’t any easy way to securing a roster spot amongst some of the world’s greatest athletes matched with some of the game’s best coaches. Thousands of players who’ve come through the NFL were recognized across their respective state to be one of the best athletes coming from their respective schools, but that doesn’t separate the good from the elite.

Just over decade ago in the historical city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there was a young, selfless Matt Ryan who didn’t fill the mold for being the biggest or strongest athlete on any court or any sport, but was a fierce competitor in three different sports: Basketball, Baseball, and Football. All while attending one of the more prestigious charter schools in the United States of America.

Ryan, a three-year starter on the football team, earned a countless amount of first-team honors and district awards while in a triple-option offense, and was even given the ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage. A star-forward and team captain on not only the basketball court but also on the baseball field as an shortstop and pitcher, it seemed as though Ryan would have the credentials to be able to attend some of the major college programs in the country but that’s not how the world of football works.

After going through what Ryan called a “mildly” recruited high school career, the 6’4 190 pound quarterback decided to stay close to home and attend Boston College in 2003. Ryan red-shirted his first season but played sparingly due to injuries in 2004 until he was named the starting quarterback midway through the 2005 season, a position he held throughout the rest of his career even with the change of coaching staff in 2007.

"“He is not a good fit for a vertical passing attack, but for a team comfortable moving the chains with a mistake-free engineer at the helm, they could find a nice fit in Ryan during the draft’s first day.”"

Over his career at Boston College, Ryan recorded over 9,300 passing yards, 56 passing touchdowns, and a QBR rating of 126.3, but leading up towards the end of collegiate career and the NFL draft there were concerns surrounding whether he could be a franchise quarterback at the next level.

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Many analysts had concerns that his arm was too weak to challenge defenses downfield. Some thought that his footwork was too erratic and that he struggled with containing turnovers after he posted 37 interceptions at Boston College. While being featured in a quarterback that included others like Joe Flacco, Chad Henne, and Brian Bohmn, Ryan was still considered to be the best developmental talent amongst the group but not to be considered as a top-5 lock.

For those who remember at the time, the Atlanta Falcons were still affected from the incarceration of Michael Vick in 2007 and dealt with leaving the franchise in the hands of quarterbacks like Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, and Chris Redman which ultimately landed them the number three overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft after going 4-12 the previous season.

It had became clear that Atlanta needed to take a new direction as a whole within the organization after the decision was made to bring in Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith as the team’s new head coach and young, proven scouting guru in Thomas Dimitroff from New England as the new general manager.

Though it had seen as though the team was desperate for a true leader at the quarterback position to step into the new regime, speculations were surrounding around the anticipation of the Falcons selecting LSU defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey in the first round. It would to believe now but in 2008 Glenn Dorsey was considered to be the next dominant interior rusher to take the NFL by storm even which receiving comparisons to becoming the next Warren Sapp.

The decision choose between a more a promising defender over a talented but flawed quarterback from Boston College left many fans in limbo to wonder where the Falcons may decide to take the future.

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Stepping into a situation where one decision in your first move as general manager could affect a franchise for years to come wouldn’t put most in comfortable situations no matter how good their feelings are towards a player and Thomas Dimitroff felt every second of it. Leading up to the draft, it had seemed as though the pressure increased and the need to take a direction towards increased within each day leading up to draft night but Dimitroff felt as though the decision to take a quarterback with his first pick as GM was made a little more comfortable by being around the presence of already known star in the NFL, Tom Brady.

Dimitroff had once stated in interview with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated that, “When I started to watch Matt Ryan, it was a major similarity they have (Matt Ryan and Tom Brady). They can create and ad-lib in the pocket before they throw, and you combine that with an attitude I thought Matt had just watching from afar, and it was on my mind. The similarities sunk in for me on several levels”.

Now these aren’t exact words from Dimitroff in saying that he knew Matt Ryan would become as dominant as Tom Brady but it did show the correlation between the two when Dimitroff examined how much a valuable quarterback can be in leading a new brand of football for a franchise.

Head coach Mike Smith at the time was coming from a defensive background in the NFL after being apart of the legendary 2001 Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl team and have an infamous stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars before being signed but none of that proved to be sufficient enough to be able to find a new direction for the Falcons at the time. If Atlanta was going to build around a quarterback, who they gambling for on his success, then they would need to begin adding and moving building blocks for the future.

Smith and Dimitroff both led the dismissal of aging players like tight end Alge Crumpler, defensive tackle Rod Coleman, running back Warrick Dunn, and also traded cornerback DeAngelo Hall to the Oakland Raiders for a second-round pick in the 2008 draft. The duo also worked to bring in former San Diego running back Michael Turner and convinced him that he would be a centerpiece within their offense. Others like safety Erik Coleman, tight end Ben Heartsick, and kicker Jason Elam were all solid signings in hope of bringing in more talent for the future.

After dealing with the Michael Vick turmoil in 2007 and transition of power in the hands of Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff in 2008, the Falcons had finally found some closure with a new beginning by selecting Ryan with the their third overall pick and continued to build throughout the same draft by add other talented players like left tackle Sam Baker (1st round), linebacker Curtis Lofton (2nd round), wide receiver Harry Douglas (3rd round), safety Thomas Decoud (3rd round), and hybrid defender Kroy Biermann (5th round).

Of course many fans were still in doubt of their new quarterback because of their loyalty towards Michael Vick and going through the likes of other quarterbacks like Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, and Chris Redman, but this time it felt different when you saw the confidence of the young quarterback during training camp. Fans were able to actually see how Ryan took charge of the team and won over his teammates.

Now going into his 10th season as a 4-time Pro Bowl player, over 37,000 passing yards, 88 career wins, and the NFL MVP, I think it’s safe to ask: What were we really so worried about ?