Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham are the two decision-makers in the limelight for this Atlanta Falcons' new regime, but the major return was bringing back Matt Ryan as the president of football. No one was ever expecting to see the former MVP return to his old stomping grounds in this capacity.
And even though Matty Ice isn't suiting up for the Falcons on Sundays anymore, he still embodies the standard of what this franchise expects. Going back to his old broadcasting roots, Ryan stopped by during the Fox broadcast to discuss several topics, including what prompted him to return to Atlanta.
Ryan revealed that it all went back to his relationship with Arthur Blank, as he referred to the president of football as a "1 of 1 opportunity". And of course, he said that he wouldn't have done this anywhere else, which goes to show you how aware this franchise legend is of how much he means to this city.
Matt Ryan keeps proving why he's the perfect president of football in Atlanta
It would've been easy for Matt Ryan to continue golfing his way across the country and staying around the league as a media pundit for CBS Sports post-retirement. But The NFL Today and being a part-time broadcaster doesn't hold a candle to the opportunity he has with his old team currently.
The Dirty Birds haven't made the playoffs in eight years--since Ryan was a player. As the last person to accomplish it, he knows what winning football means to this fanbase. But he's someone Blank trusts to serve as a buffer between ownership and this new era. To be a QB you have to be very smart--no wonder he's been helping and throwing with the WRs during training camp too.
His thought process wasn't the only thing he discussed with DJ Shockley, Justin Kutcher, and Coy Wire though. He talked about how the energy in the first half was the standard this team expects, and how it was a sensational response after what was a pretty lifeless preseason opener against Denver.
Speaking of that turnaround, the Falcons mustered just seven points last week, were plagued by penalties, and were held under 200 yards. Right now, they're up 31-6 are at nearly 400 total yards, and they were firing on all cylinders after their preparation in the two joint practices with the Colts paid off.
When Ryan entered the booth to start the second half, Atlanta led 24-6, but it didn't stay that way for long. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand scored a 16-yard rushing touchdown, and he liked to see the youngster escape the pocket to take off for his second touchdown of the afternoon--even hyping him up for getting fired up and spiking the ball, which is the energy we love to see.
As if the Falcons needed anymore proof that the Matt Ryan hire was a stroke of genius, we got to see glimpses of his football IQ and personality during this brief segment. And hearing him talk about, the new regime's vision, some players, and why he returned to Flowery Branch felt like getting his stamp of approval for the way this team is supposed to look.
Add us as a preferred source on Google