Falcons Owner Arthur Blank Releases Statement On Matt Ryan

Following Atlanta’s trade of Matt Ryan, Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a statement on their former franchise quarterback.

In a move that would have been surprising last week but not today, the Atlanta Falcons have traded quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts and the team’s owner, Arthur Blank, has released a statement on the departure of the face of the franchise.

“Matt Ryan has been the epitome of a franchise quarterback during his time here in Atlanta,” owner Arthur Blank said. “He has represented this organization with great class, professionalism and leadership, both on and off the field, over the past 14 years. It is difficult to overstate what he has meant to me personally, our organization, his teammates and our fans. From his first day in the building, Matt has given his all in the pursuit of winning a championship for Atlanta. His arrival in 2008 instantly made us a contender in the NFC, and he’s been our quarterback through the most successful era in Falcons history. Matt . . . is without question one of the greatest players in Falcons history. He will one day be added to our Ring of Honor, and it is my belief that a bust in Canton will follow in short order. This business is not without its difficult decisions, and while this is one of the most difficult decisions we have faced as a club, we feel it is in the best long-term interests of both the Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan.”

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The deal came together quickly after the Falcons failed to trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson. At that point, there seems to be no reason for Ryan to want to stay in Atlanta. That would have been a problem for the Falcons on top of the issues they already have.

Despite Matt Ryan not being in Atlanta anymore, the Falcons will be paying a heavy price for letting him go. #DirtyBirds #FPC #NFL #NFLTwitter pic.twitter.com/toRjXB1rRF

— Full Press NFL (@FullPressNFL) March 21, 2022

Let’s face it, this problem was 100 percent caused by the Falcons and the Falcons alone. Had they not so publicly pursued Watson, Ryan likely has no problem playing out the rest of his career with a team that likely wouldn’t be contending for a Super Bowl. Now, they must fall back on Marcus Mariota as Ryan pursues a good opportunity with the Colts.