Matt Ryan

Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich told reporters Monday that he hasn't spoken to Matt Ryan about the possibility of a trade before Tuesday's deadline.

Last week, Reich announced that the team planned to roll out Sam Ehlinger as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.

"We are going to make a significant change to the starting lineup," Reich told reporters last week. "We are going to elevate Sam to be the starting quarterback. Extremely difficult decision, obviously, given the respect and admiration we have for Matt Ryan and what he's done and what he's brought here. He's a pro's pro. This guy is special, special, special."

Ryan had been dealing with a Grade 2 shoulder separation and was already scheduled to be out for Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Washington Commanders. But Reich confirmed that the decision to move Ehlinger to the starting role wasn't a temporary one.

"Just feel like, at this point, that's the best decision for our team going forward," Reich said.

Because the Colts also have veteran Nick Foles on the roster as a capable backup if Ehlinger gets hurt, Ryan is expendable for the Colts and would make sense as a potential trade chip if an interested team comes calling.

Granted, Ryan's 2022 season hasn't gone to plan. The 37-year-old has been poor, throwing for 2,008 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions in seven games, completing 68.4 percent of his passes. The team went 3-3-1 in his starts, but his turnover issues had become untenable.

"Our poor production on offense is not on one person—it's not on Matt Ryan—but we also know, as Matt and I talked it through, as head coach and quarterback," Reich told reporters last week. "As head coach, ultimately it doesn't matter, I'm judged on wins and losses. Quarterback's judged on points and production and turnovers. We understand that's how it is in this league."

Given his play, it's hard to imagine a vibrant market developing for his services, though teams in need of a veteran backup might have interest. For now, however, it appears as though he'll remain in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan spoke with reporters two days after the team revealed he would be benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger, noting that he was "disappointed" on a personal level but that he would "move forward" and would be "here for the team."

#Colts QB Matt Ryan on being benched:

“Individually, personally, disappointed. As a player, competitor, you want to be out there.” pic.twitter.com/oBv7yGgoWp

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) October 26, 2022

Matt Ryan: “Part of the deal in this league is we gotta produce and you gotta go out there and play. Frustrated that we weren't able to do that. But, you know, you move forward in life, in this league. It’s week to week and the production has to be there.”

— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 26, 2022

Ryan also told reporters that he has no plans to request a trade.

Ryan is currently dealing with a Grade 2 shoulder sprain, per head coach Frank Reich to reporters. Nick Foles will be the team's backup quarterback Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Ehlinger previously jumped over Foles to QB2 on the depth chart earlier this year.

Despite the Ryan injury, though, Reich said that "right now the move is for Sam to be the starter for the rest of the season."

The Colts acquired Ryan via trade from the Atlanta Falcons during the offseason to replace outgoing starter Carson Wentz, who was dealt to the Washington Commanders.

The 2016 NFL MVP and four-time Pro Bowler enjoyed a great 14-year career in Atlanta, but the magic didn't translate to Indianapolis.

Correction: 19 fumbles, 5 lost. https://t.co/SNgugRXYNM

— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 26, 2022

For the season, Ryan completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 2,008 yards, nine touchdowns and a league-high nine interceptions.

Now it is the 24-year-old Ehlinger's turn to take the reins. The former Texas star notably dominated during the preseason as he completed 24-of-29 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns (no interceptions). He rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown on six carries as well.

Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It's reportedly a "real possibility" Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan has played his final NFL down after being benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano reported Wednesday it's unlikely Ryan plays again for the Colts this season because an injury would put the team at risk of owing him an additional $17 million in 2023, and the $12 million he's already guaranteed next year could send him toward a "quasi-retirement."

Indianapolis acquired Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons, where he'd spent the first 14 years of his NFL career, in March with the hope he could reignite an offense that faded down the stretch in 2021.

Instead, the 37-year-old Boston College product struggled. He'd thrown nine touchdowns and nine interceptions while playing all seven games during the team's 3-3-1 start before suffering a shoulder injury in Sunday's loss to the Tennessee Titans.

While the injury was a factor in the Colts' quarterback change, Graziano noted there were already discussions behind the scenes, led by team owner Jim Irsay, about the possibility of switching to Ehlinger in the continued search for an offensive spark.

Now, with the various financial dynamics in play, it's possible Ryan's decorated career comes to a quiet end.

The Pennsylvania native was the ACC Player of the Year at B.C. in 2007 before getting selected by the Atlanta Falcons as the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft.

He earned 2008 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and peaked in 2016, when he was voted the league's Most Valuable Player after throwing for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns.

The quarterback's numbers have dipped over the past handful of seasons, however, and "scouts have lamented Ryan's physical deterioration for a few years now," per Fowler.

It'll take several weeks to determine whether the switch to Ehlinger will help the Colts' playoff chances, but head coach Frank Reich said at some point changes are needed.

"At some point as a head coach you have to make hard decisions," Reich told reporters Monday. "You have to work through these things, and they are not easy."

Indianapolis is back in action Sunday when it hosts the Washington Commanders at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Indianapolis Colts have most of the pieces in place to be a championship-caliber team, but their glaring lack of a franchise quarterback is holding them back from truly contending.

Ever since Andrew Luck shockingly retired following the 2018 campaign, the Colts have been trying shortcuts to unearth a viable replacement by bringing in well-worn veterans.

The team gave Jacoby Brissett an unsuccessful crack at starting in 2019 and even made the playoffs with Philip Rivers at the helm in 2020 before the Los Angeles Chargers legend hung up his cleats after a Wild Card Round loss.

The club was desperate in wake of that decision, eventually coughing up a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-rounder for Carson Wentz after he lost his starting gig with the Philadelphia Eagles.

While 2021 wasn’t a complete disaster, Wentz’ inability to step up when the team needed him most ultimately cost the Colts a postseason berth. Indianapolis came up a game short despite boasting an offense led by rushing champion Jonathan Taylor and a tough defense that gave up only 21.5 points per game.

The Colts realized they weren’t much more than a fringe playoff contender at best with Wentz at the helm and jettisoned him to the Washington Commanders. While the organization recouped some draft capital for the struggling quarterback, it was once again left without a viable starter.

Rather than planning to use a Day 2 pick on a quarterback prospect like Malik Willis, the Colts instead opted to go back to the well and bring in another shaky veteran option.

Indianapolis negotiated a deal to bring Matt Ryan over from the Atlanta Falcons, giving up a third-round selection to get the 37-year-old in mid-March.

Considering the Falcons were willing to take a late Day 2 pick for the greatest quarterback in their franchise’s history—a player who had started for them for 14 consecutive years—there should have been some doubts about how much Ryan had left in the tank.

With the draft coming and going following the Ryan trade and Indianapolis once again punting on the opportunity to take a signal-caller early—its only quarterback selections since Luck announced his retirement have been Jacob Eason (No. 122 in 2020) and Sam Ehlinger (No. 218 in 2021)—it was obvious that the Colts were, once again, leaning on a declining veteran QB.

That decision, once again, has failed to pan out. Ryan has fared poorly for the Colts this season despite a semi-respectable 3-3-1 record heading into Week 8.

He has completed 68.3 percent of his passing attempts but is averaging just 6.8 yards per throw (his worst mark since 2010) and has nine touchdowns in seven starts. He has been responsible for a league-worst nine interceptions and has taken a concerning 24 sacks.

The Colts offense has gone from inconsistent under Wentz to a full-blown disaster with Ryan. The team managed to score 26.5 points per game last year—tying for the ninth-best mark in the league—but is mustering a meager 16.1 points per game in 2022, a mark only a pair of offensively challenged squads (the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers) can’t top.

Things hit a new low on Sunday when the Colts sputtered to a 19-10 defeat against the rival Tennessee Titans, who took a clear lead in the AFC South with the victory. Ryan was abysmal in the contest, completing 33 of 44 passes for 243 yards and a score while throwing a pair of costly interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

The Colts did some soul-searching following the brutal defeat and ultimately decided to bench Ryan and forge ahead with Ehlinger as the new starter. While the move corresponded with a shoulder injury Ryan suffered in the contest, head coach Frank Reich made it clear that Ehlinger will remain the QB1 for the remainder of the campaign.

While Reich praised Ehlinger’s development—he was only recently promoted to the primary backup job, sending veteran Nick Foles down to the No. 3 spot—it will be surprising if Indy isn’t seeking a starter again come the offseason.

The Colts will have a few options to fill that void.

They could, once again, go back to the well and try to trade for a veteran who has fallen out of favor. It’s doubtful they’ll make that same mistake for a third straight year, but there’s a chance they go down that road given their recent history.

The team could dip into the free-agency pool, but the choices there are limited. Tom Brady is the gem of the 2023 class, but it’s far from guaranteed the future Hall of Famer will even play next year. It’s even less likely he would want to go to Indianapolis after the season Ryan has had.

The Colts could give Dallas Cowboys backup Cooper Rush a chance as a starter after his excellent month of filling in for an injured Dak Prescott. Those types of performances rarely translate to full-time success, though. For every Kirk Cousins-type success story, there’s a few Brock Osweilers or Matt Flynns getting paid and never performing at a high level again.

Considering only four quarterbacks—Peyton Manning, Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford—since the 2010 season have started a Super Bowl with a team that didn’t draft them, these free-agent moves rarely lead to success.

Perhaps the front office will stop trying to find a shortcut to sustained success and finally consider the draft as its most realistic option for getting a true franchise talent. If any team should understand the value of drafting the position, it's the Colts, as Manning and Luck are their last two first-round quarterbacks.

General manager Chris Ballard deserves much of the blame for ignoring the successful path his predecessors took to find quarterbacks. Since taking the reins ahead of the 2017 campaign, Ballard has overseen just one playoff win while churning through what will soon be nine starting quarterbacks when Ehlinger takes the field in Week 9.

That instability at the most crucial position is only hurting this franchise. Had Ballard worked on drafting a replacement to develop and lead the offense following Luck's retirement, he could have found someone special by now.

Even if Indy didn't wish to trade the farm to move up and get a top prospect over the last few years, a talent like Jalen Hurts was just sitting there waiting to be selected while Ballard passed on him twice during the second round of the 2020 draft.

As well regarded as Ehlinger is in some circles—the Colts made an uncharacteristic decision to retain three quarterbacks on the active roster this year as they likely believed he would have been claimed off waivers if he were sent to the practice squad—the second-year signal-caller out of Texas probably isn’t going to win many games.

The Colts are technically in the playoff hunt now, but they decided to take a path that will likely lead to a high draft pick in April.

The team will have a bevy of targets if it ends up with an early first-round pick.

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is the top-rated quarterback on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s big board this year, followed closely by Alabama’s Bryce Young and Kentucky’s Will Levis. All three could come off the board inside the top 10, a silver lining to what will likely be a down year in Indianapolis.

While the franchise can afford one poor season if it results in a prized quarterback prospect, the window for this roster to contend won’t stay open forever. These Colts are too talented on both sides of the ball to continue missing the playoffs and have to land their quarterback of the future in the draft to right the ship.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay offered immense praise for starting quarterback Matt Ryan last week, going so far as to compare his leadership attributes to franchise legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

"I'll tell you, he is a steely-eyed missile man," Irsay told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport at the Fall League Meeting in New York.

"I've been around a lot of leaders, and I'd put him right up there with Peyton Manning. A really outstanding, tough guy who doesn't back down. Often the best in [the] fourth quarter, and you don't ever want to count out Matt Ryan. He's a winner, he's a fighter, and our team is taking on that temperament around him, which is exciting. More will be revealed, no question about it. But we're encouraged, we really are."

The Colts acquired Ryan, who spent the first 14 seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, via trade in the offseason.

Ryan and the Colts offense struggled through the first five weeks of the season, with the 15-year veteran committing a league-high 10 turnovers (seven interceptions, three fumbles).

However, the Colts turned things around in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars thanks largely to the 2016 NFL MVP, who threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-27 comeback win. He notably hit wide receiver Alec Pierce for a 32-yard game-winning touchdown with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.

Irsay's reported feelings on Ryan are a far cry from how the organization reportedly felt about his signal-calling predecessor, Carson Wentz.

Per Zak Keefer of The Athletic, Indianapolis was frustrated with his "lack of leadership, resistance to hard coaching and reckless style of play."

In addition, some within the organization were reportedly "finished" with Wentz even before the season ended with back-to-back losses and a 9-8 campaign that landed the Colts outside the playoffs.

That apparently isn't an issue with Ryan given Irsay's public comments. Despite the tough start, Indianapolis has gutted out a winning record of 3-2-1 to begin its 2022 campaign.

All three victories have occurred in comeback fashion. Ryan hit tight end Jelani Woods for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 20-17. He also led the Colts on game-tying (and game-winning drives) in a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos.

The Jags matchup serves as another example of Ryan's late-game abilities, which has helped give Indianapolis a winning record despite some injuries to star players this year (e.g. linebacker Shaquille Leonard, running back Jonathan Taylor).

Indianapolis now has a big matchup Sunday in a road game with the Tennessee Titans. The winner will take sole possession of first place in the AFC South through seven weeks.

We finally saw a touchdown on Thursday Night Football, but the 12-7 game between the Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears was yet another example of how far some teams are from the world of elite quarterback play.

In the NFL there are haves and have-nots at the quarterback position, and the disparity is glaring. This is precisely why the Bears were willing to trade up to get Fields in the 2021 draft. It's why the Commanders were willing to take a chance on Wentz following his disappointing campaign with the Indianapolis Colts.

The desired results didn't show up often on Thursday night.

Wentz finished the game with a paltry line of 12-of-22 for 99 yards. Washington managed to win, but it isn't going to win many games with that sort of performance.

On the other side, it's fair to give Fields a bit of a pass for his inconsistent performance. Fields went 14-of-27 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception, showing moments of brilliance and plays that he'll want back. The 23-year-old has just 16 starts on his resume, and he's playing on a team that isn't exactly loaded with offensive talent.

Chicago's line isn't good, and Fields lacks reliable receiving targets outside of perhaps Darnell Mooney. Even Mooney, who was a 1,000-yard receiver last season, came up short on Thursday night. He double-clutched Fields' final pass and fell out of the end zone before gaining possession on what would have been a go-ahead touchdown.

BEARS WERE THAT CLOSE 😳

Did the refs make the right call?

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/rpWin2MdJV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 14, 2022

Play-calling by offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has also been problematic. Fields can be dangerous—both as a runner and a passer—when he's out in space. Chicago has far too often asked him to win from the pocket.

Still, his numbers this season leave plenty to be desired.

Justin Fields this season:

— 32nd in completions
— 31st in pass yards
— 29th in touchdowns

Predict his statline tonight. pic.twitter.com/Td2L3mmqE7

— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 13, 2022

Poor quarterback play isn't always the quarterback's fault, but that's what Chicago is getting out of Fields right now.

Wentz, meanwhile, has been around for a while. Drafted in 2016, he was a Pro Bowler with the Philadelphia Eagles a year later, was traded to Indianapolis last offseason and dealt to Washington this season.

Fields has untapped potential—as evidenced by his 88 rushing yards and a 40-yard touchdown strike to Dante Pettis.

At this point, Wentz is who he's going to be, an average signal-caller who won't carry an offense.

Justin Fields with a DIME to Dante Pettis for the score🔥

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/LzoCCfRker

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 14, 2022

Arguably Wentz's biggest contribution on Thursday was laying out Roquan Smith with a block for running back Brian Robinson.

CARSON WENTZ!!! pic.twitter.com/u1g0dmObsr

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 14, 2022

Wentz came into Thursday's game with a passer rating of only 86.0. Washington knows that this isn't good enough, which is precisely why head coach Ron Rivera was willing to point to his team's quarterback struggles earlier this week.

Ron Rivera was asked why the other three teams in the NFC East are better than the Washington Commanders right now.

His answer: "Quarterback."

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) October 10, 2022

Naturally, not everyone was thrilled with Rivera's blunt take on the situation. Former Washington quarterback and Monday Night Football analyst Alex Smith—who played for Rivera in 2020—was vocal about his displeasure.

"I had a really hard time watching that," Smith said on ESPN (h/t Yahoo Sports' Jason Owens). "When I heard it, I couldn't believe it. I'm not here to defend Carson Wentz. He’s had—you know—a career of ups and downs. But this is a defensive head coach that is absolutely driving the bus over his quarterback."

Rivera later noted that he had apologized to Wentz for making the comment. However, disagreement from former players and a public apology don't make Rivera wrong. Bad quarterback play has plagued Washington and Chicago, and these are far from the only teams affected.

The reality is that while we've seen a surge in young star quarterbacks—from Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes to Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert—and still have guys like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers doing their thing, there is a lot of bad quarterback play going on in the NFL.

This was on full display last Thursday night too, as Matt Ryan and the Colts stumbled to a 12-9 victory over Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos.

Before Chicago's third-quarter touchdown, we saw six Thursday night quarters plus an overtime without a touchdown. The quarterback play during that stretch was largely unwatchable.

According to The Athletic, the stretch involved 41 drives, 20 punts, eight field goals, five turnovers and more than 102 minutes of game time.

Yikes.

And a lot of bad quarterback play hasn't been nationally televised. Fourteen quarterbacks have started at least three games this season and posted a quarterback rating below the 86.0 Wentz had coming in. Eight quarterbacks—Matt Ryan, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco, Mac Jones, Mitch Trubisky, Baker Mayfield and Fields—posted ratings below 80.0 through the first five weeks.

This means that close to half of the NFL is seeing subpar quarterback play. That leads directly to the sort of ugly games we've seen over the past two Thursdays.

As we examined last week, trading for a quarterback is rarely a quick fix. However, teams will continue to trade for a signal-caller (or trade up for one in the draft) because there just aren't enough quality quarterbacks to fill all 32 starting jobs.

This isn't a new problem in the NFL, but it's an issue the league has to find a way to rectify, especially if it wants to continue expanding its slate of standalone games. Fans won't be racing to stream games on Amazon when turnovers and field goals are a game's biggest selling point.

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution short of further skewing the rules to favor the offense. We have what appears to be a good 2023 quarterback class—headlined by C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young—on the horizon, but players like Brady and Rodgers will eventually age out.

Players like Wilson and Ryan will continue to decline, and young quarterbacks on bad teams—like Fields—will continue to struggle. There may never be enough true franchise signal-callers to go around, and a large portion of the league will always be left finding ways to win without one.

For Washington, that means taking the ball out of Wentz's hands by running the ball and also playing good defense. For Chicago, that should mean allowing Fields to do what he does best—taking deep shots, throwing on the move and scrambling.

More often than not, though, finding sustained success without good quarterback play isn't going to happen. That's why quarterbacks will be such a hot topic as draft season approaches and why games like Thursday's aren't going away.

NFL referee Shawn Smith provided some insight into why he flagged Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones for unsportsmanlike conduct during what turned out to be the game-winning drive for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3.

According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, Smith noted in the game report that Jones used "disturbing language" toward Colts quarterback Matt Ryan and that it has "no place in professional football."

The penalty helped extend Indy's drive, as the Chiefs had stopped the Colts on third down and likely would have forced a punt. Ryan went on to throw the go-ahead touchdown pass to rookie tight end Jelani Woods with 24 seconds left in a 20-17 upset.

Smith did not provide any specifics regarding what Jones said, nor did Jones divulge the particulars of the incident.

Per NFL Network's James Palmer, Jones took responsibility for the penalty while speaking to the media after the game but said he was "clearly surprised" the call was made. He said he was having a "conversation" with Ryan.

The Chiefs still had ample opportunities to stop the Colts after that, but Ryan and Co. methodically marched down the field, taking 8:14 off the clock during a 16-play, 76-yard drive.

Kansas City is known for doing some miraculous things with little time left on the clock, and while quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to get the Chiefs down to the Colts' 46-yard line in mere seconds, he was picked off with two seconds remaining to win the game.

That gave the Colts their first win of the season in dramatic fashion, moving them to 1-1-1, while the Chiefs lost for the first time in 2022 and fell to 2-1.

While Jones' penalty cost the Chiefs on Sunday, he remains one of their best and most impactful players.

The 28-year-old veteran is in the midst of his seventh NFL season with the Chiefs and is a three-time Pro Bowler. That includes last season, when he matched the second-highest sack total of his career with nine.

Jones has long been one of the league's best interior pass-rushers, as his 51.5 career sacks can attest to, and he will continue to be a key cog in the Chiefs' success regardless of what happened against the Colts.

The Indianapolis Colts have gotten off to a disappointing start to the 2022 season largely because of the lackluster play by quarterback Matt Ryan, but head coach Frank Reich isn't panicking just yet.

Per Pro Football Talk's Myles Simmons, Reich said on Monday that he has not lost confidence in Ryan at all.

"What I love about Matt is that he takes responsibility. He's the leader. I could not be happier that he's our quarterback," Reich said. "He's an elite leader and I really believe he can be an elite player in this offense."

Ryan went 16-of-30 for 195 yards and three interceptions in Sunday's 24-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which dropped Indianapolis to 0-1-1. The 37-year-old was sacked five times and coughed up a fumble that the Colts managed to recover.

Despite his immense struggles against a team Indianapolis was favored to beat, Reich said the loss didn't fall solely on Ryan's shoulders.

"I mean the protection yesterday wasn't our best effort. He was under duress a number of times," Reich said. "There's still mistakes that he made, that we all make, but I think overall—listen, I understand how the quarterback position is. You're really dependent on everybody else on there, but you're at the center of it so you have to make it work."

Through the first two weeks of the season, Ryan has thrown for 547 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions while completing 60 percent of his passes. He's been sacked seven times and he's fumbled the ball five times, though only one was lost. That level of production is well below what was expected of the 2016 NFL MVP when the Colts acquired him from the Atlanta Falcons.

While Ryan obviously needs to improve, Reich said it's up to the entire team to address their deficiencies if they hope to turn their season around.

"We've all got to pull it together. We all have got to carry our own weight, each one of us, including him and everybody on that offense," he said.

The Colts have a tough matchup in Week 3 as they will welcome the Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) to Lucas Oil Stadium for their home opener.

Even when Matt Ryan is being recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is still the butt of the joke.

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback topped 60,000 career passing yards on Sunday, making the game-used ball a piece of memorabilia as the eighth player to reach the milestone.

🗣 New to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

This past weekend, @Colts QB @M_Ryan02 became only the eighth QB in NFL history to reach 60,000 career passing yards.

The ball with which he passed this milestone is now in display in Canton. pic.twitter.com/gZmhdCLk68

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) September 14, 2022

The problem is the football was numbered "283," causing many to recall the 28-3 lead Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons had before losing to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

Matt Ryan's 60,000 career passing yards ball is now on display in Canton.

Can't escape it 😅 @BRGridiron

(via @ProFootballHOF) pic.twitter.com/FiJd6eHUME

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 15, 2022

The ball number is 283 hahahahaha https://t.co/MoLFIrr1bH

— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) September 15, 2022

Fitting https://t.co/w8cANmeEQY pic.twitter.com/T9kyFMTIVd

— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) September 15, 2022

Matt Ryan seeing the number pic.twitter.com/07uUERmsDo

— 🇸🇴🐍🗡️ (@aykeepitabuck) September 15, 2022

You can take him out of Atlanta.
You can't take the Atlanta from him.
That is such an unfortunate number. https://t.co/rfhm3DfAuk

— Jack Patterson (@JPattersonTV) September 15, 2022

Matt Ryan getting torched by the HOF with that ball number is the amusement I needed today. https://t.co/xrxXo3TMDC

— Dave Worlin (@daveworlin) September 15, 2022

It's unlikely this was an intentional troll job by the Hall of Fame, but fans on social media won't let a moment like this pass without getting in their jokes.

Ryan has four Pro Bowl selections, an MVP award in 2016 and is in the top 10 of NFL history in both passing yards (60,087) and passing touchdowns (368), but he likely won't be able to live down his team's epic Super Bowl collapse.