Atlanta Falcons now have the active passing yards leader

With Tom Brady’s retirement, the Atlanta Falcons now have the active passing yards leader in Matt Ryan. Ryan sits ahead of Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers with the 8th highest passing yards off all-time with 59,735-yards so far in his career.

Brady will retire in first place all-time with 84,520 a nearly untouchable number for any active quarterback. While Ryan doesn’t have a chance at catching Brady he certainly could find his way into the top five if he is able to play three more seasons.

An average season next year would land him in 6th place vaulting him ahead of Phillip Rivers and Dan Marino.  Regardless of where on the list he ends his career, Ryan will be the active all-time passing yards leader next season speaking to his longevity and consistent production.

Despite not winning it all for the Atlanta Falcons Ryan will end what should be a Hall of Fame career as a top-five passer

Championships are often what we look for when determining sports legacies. A championship is the one thing that Ryan lacks unable to win in the one now-infamous Super Bowl he appeared in. However, Ryan’s impact and ability have long been underrated and his status as the active passing yards leader speaks to that fact.

An Atlanta Falcons franchise that has long been laughable and unable to find any success has consistently been in contention during Matt Ryan’s tenure. Despite the fact it hasn’t paid off in the championship the city so badly wants Ryan’s success and numbers speak to his greatness and what he has done for the city of Atlanta.

No Ryan isn’t going to be considered with Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady as the best of his peers. However, for Ryan, the fact his name can now be mentioned right behind these greats speaks to what he has done in the league.

Often Ryan has been put on bad teams, never has he been given the dominant defenses that Brady and Manning enjoyed more than once. His statistical success and playoff performances are reminders that Ryan is deserving of the Hall of Fame whenever he does decide to end his career.

A career that will likely end with Ryan in the all-time top five in passing yards and inside the top ten in nearly every major passing category.  Perhaps with Brady retired and a capable coach in Arthur Smith Ryan will begin to receive the recognition his career has earned.