Atlanta Falcons Roundtable: One Last Thank You to Matt Ryan

Saivion Mixson

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Hunter Thompson

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Kenny Gritz

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Ronnie Nunn

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Atlanta Falcons Roundtable: One Last Thank You to Matt Ryan image

On April 22nd, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan retired from the NFL where it all began, in Atlanta. Ryan played for Atlanta for 14 consecutive seasons, setting the standard for excellence at the quarterback position. Ryan holds most, if not all the passing records for the Falcons by a wide margin and brought stability to the position that many franchises only dream of. Before pivoting back to the NFL Draft, we wanted to honor Ryan one more time by going around the room and sharing our favorite Matt Ryan moment. Just one last thank you to the greatest Atlanta Falcon of all time. 

Hunter Thompson

The Matt Ryan era in Atlanta had many magical moments, the 2016 run, the first playoff win in 2012, the first pass TD to Jenkins, and all of the memories of touchdowns to Julio, Roddy, and Tony Gonzalez.

Absolutely nothing brought me more joy than watching our statue of a Quarterback tuck the ball and take off for a huge gain or a touchdown. There was just something so uplifting watching a man who ran like my grandmother would if she were on stilts scramble in for a touchdown.

Thanks Matt, for bringing me joy on so many different levels and through so many different mediums. 

Kenny Gritz

It was 2012 and the Atlanta Falcons were coming off a stellar regular season where they went 13-3, locking up the number one seed and home field advantage in the NFC playoffs. And yet, nobody cares. Matt Ryan was labeled as a playoff choke artist (0-3 playoff record at the time), and nobody respected the Falcons. The Seattle’s legion of boom was coming to town, and media pundits labeled them as significant favorites.

Atlanta came out swinging, jumping to an early 20-0 lead. Jacquizz Rodgers trucked Earl Thomas, Tony Gonzalez found the end zone. Roddy White burnt Richard Sherman for a deep touchdown and taunted him after. You couldn’t imagine a better start. And yet, the Falcons somehow blew that lead. An 0-4 playoff record was staying Matt Ryan in the face.

With 34 seconds remaining, Ryan orchestrated one of the premier drives of his career. Finding Gonzalez and Harry Douglas for big gains. He drove the team into field goal range, and Matt Bryant kicked a 49 yard game winner. It wasn’t a perfect performance from Ryan, but it was clutch. It was gutsy. It finally earned him his first playoff win, and earned the Falcons the respect they deserved. It’ll always be my favorite moment of Matt Ryan’s career. The day he lived up to the name “Matt Ice.”

Ronnie Nunn

Falcons/Packers NFC Championship game. The final game that would be played in the beloved Georgia Dome. 2nd quarter, 7:30 left until halftime.

Matt Ryan takes the snap out of shotgun. He scans the field, but can’t seem to locate an open target. After an MVP regular season, Matt Ryan created a moment unlike any other, during that year. He scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown, putting the Falcons on top of the Packers 16-0, pending extra point.

A moment that I will never forget. This felt like the high point of his career.

This was the franchise savior finally taking his team to the promised land. This was who Matt Ryan was born to be, in this very moment.

Special.

Saivion Mixson

38 fourth-quarter comebacks (4th-most in NFL history) to choose from and I instead reference the one game that he’s most infamous for not pulling it out. February 5th, 2017. Super Bowl LI. There were less than five minutes to go and it was 2nd and 8. Ryan dropped back and at the top of his drop was flushed out by the New England pass rush. He stepped up in the pocket and threw the most perfect pass to the alien that is Quintorris Lopez Jones, better known as Julio Jones.

I bring this bittersweet memory up not to open a wound that will never heal nor to bring attention to the result of this fateful day. I bring it up because this single moment, this 27-yard pass that brought the Falcons to the Patriots 22, well in the range of kicker Matt Bryant, was the single greatest moment of my Falcons fandom. If I could freeze time and salvage the emotion of any moment in Ryan’s career, it would be that moment.

The result afterward does not matter to me. As a Falcons fan, it can’t. What matters to me is that when I needed Ryan to make a play, he did. He found Julio on that sideline and together they made a highlight that should have gone down in history. Instead, it is just a memory of what could have been. But today, we all can get a chance to freeze time and think about all the great times we had with Ryan.

Thank you, Matt Ryan and please enjoy your retirement. You have earned it.

Saivion Mixson

Saivion Mixson Photo

Saivion Mixson is a graduate of the University of North Florida’s Sports Management program. He was previously a staff writer/content creator for LastWordonSports, Around The Block Network, Fansided’s Blogging Dirty and USA Today’s Vikings Wire. Mixson resides in the Charlotte Metro area and is an avid Atlanta Falcons fan. You can find him on Twitter/X @MixsonS_NFL.

Hunter Thompson

Hunter Thompson Photo

Hunter Thompson is a lifelong Atlanta Falcons fan with an unrelenting passion for football. Thompson has experience writing and creating content for Neptune Scouting and is one of five members of the New Millennium Falcons Podcast. He currently is a Defensive Student Assistant coach for the Kennesaw State Owls. You can follow Thompson on Twitter/X @hthompsonFB

Kenny Gritz

Kenny Gritz Photo

Kenny Gritz is a long-time Falcons fan, formerly of Neptune Scouting and the Falcons Nest Podcast, where he specialized in Atlanta Falcons and NFL Draft-related content. Kenny works in education, including coaching youth sports. He resides in Tampa Bay Florida, with his wife and two daughters. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Gritz_Blitz

 

Ronnie Nunn

Ronnie Nunn Photo

Ronnie Nunn has covered the Atlanta Falcons for the ATB network and New Millennium Falcons podcast, bringing a fresh perspective on the game he’s always loved. Follow him on Twitter/X @Ronrikoszn.