The Atlanta Falcons are officially entering a new era, and their sweeping changes start and end with the hire of Matt Ryan as the president of football. It's a bold play hiring someone with no prior executive experience to serve as your lead decision-maker, but the Falcons should have no regrets.
Atlanta's front office reunion with their former franchise legend has gone far better than anyone could have expected. His experience as a former player has translated seamlessly to the front office. He understands team-building better than most, but he's also played a role in working with the roster.
The main way that Matty Ice has vindicated the Falcons for hiring him has been through his presence on the practice field. He was seen helping out during OTAs and mandatory minicamp on a consistent basis, and that his vested interest on what goes down in practice should continue in training camp.
Matt Ryan has still been seen quarterbacking during Falcons practices
While going over every team's most interesting summer story, The Athletic's Josh Kendall labeled the former NFL MVP's new role in Atlanta as the Dirty Birds' most interesting storyline of the offseason, especially since he hasn't just been watching practice: he's taken the chance to throw a little bit too.
"Matt Ryan won’t stay out of practice drills," Kendall wrote. "The Falcons hired their all-time leading passer and the ostensibly retired Ryan as their new royally titled President of Football. He has the final say on all things related to the on-field product in Atlanta, but his most noticeable role this offseason was as an extra throwing arm in practice."
Ryan has said that when he retired, he didn't think his shoulders could handle much more throwing, which is part of why he had to hang up his cleats. But now that it's no longer in his job description to throw 30 times a game for 17 straight Sundays, he can handle smaller doses of tossing the pigskin.
It's not like he's throwing his hat in the ring amid the Falcons' QB battle between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. either. This is just the best signal-caller in franchise history adding a fun element to practices since he can help the quarterbacks work on their mechanics or throw with the receivers.
It's been plenty fun to see the culture change in Atlanta this offseason, and Matt Ryan's presence both on and off the field is a big reason for it. Arthur Blank knew what he was doing by bringing him back, and while throwing a few passes in practice doesn't feel major, it's big for locker room morale.
The Falcons are sitting one of the biggest jackpots in the NFL with this hire, and seeing him with this much investment in the on-field product (and going out of his way to witness it) is a welcomed sight. They've been proven right for bringing Matt Ryan multiple times, but this is the tip of the iceberg.
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