Matt Ryan

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Friday that he and Tom Brady have never had a discussion about the New England Patriots' come-from-behind win over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Ryan suggested that he still isn't ready to discuss the heartbreaking loss with the quarterback who beat him (beginning at the five-minute mark):

"He sent some text messages after that game," Ryan said. "I'm not sure I'm still in a good enough place to have a reasonable conversation with him about it. I'm not sure I'll ever be there."

The 35-year-old said the following about how it would likely go down if he and Brady ever do have that conversation: "I think you gotta rip the Band-Aid. I'm at a point in my life where I've found in these kind of things, I think you just gotta get it out there and throw it out there. I think if I were having a beer with him or playing golf or something like that I think it'd be like, 'Man, why'd you have to do that? Why'd you have to go there?'"

The Falcons held a 28-3 lead over the Patriots in Super Bowl LIV, but Brady led the Pats to the biggest comeback win in Super Bowl history, as they scored 31 unanswered points in the final two quarters and overtime to win 34-28.

Since that 2017 loss, the Falcons have been the constant subject of "28-3" jokes, and they have never really recovered, as they were eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs the following year and have gone 7-9 each of the past two years.

Now that Brady has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after spending the first 20 years of his career in New England, Ryan is set to see Brady twice a year as a NFC South opponent for the next two seasons at least.

It is unlikely that anything can ever erase the sting of not winning a Super Bowl after having such a commanding lead, but with Ryan now getting to play Brady twice per season, perhaps he can get some level of satisfaction moving forward.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan jumped on the PFT PM show with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and discussed a number of subjects ranging from new Falcons running back Todd Gurley, the NFL Top 100 rankings, offseason preparations amid the COVID-19 pandemic and more.

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution transcribed the Wednesday interview, which came one day after most players around the NFL reported to team headquarters for COVID-19 testing.

The Falcons' most prominent offseason addition is Gurley, the former Los Angeles Rams running back who was named the Associated Press' Offensive Player of the Year in 2017.

Regarding his new teammate, Ryan said:

"He's been one of the most dynamic players when he's on the field in our league. (He's) certainly a game-changer. I had the opportunity to work out with him a little bit and spend just a little bit of time with him. He seems to be in a really good place. He looked great on the field. Has been working extremely hard to get himself in position to be ready to go. I'm excited we have him. I think he adds a lot to what we can do."

The ex-Georgia Bulldog dominated over a two-year stretch from 2017 to 2018, amassing 3,924 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns for a dynamic Rams team that made the playoffs twice and Super Bowl once.

Gurley struggled in 2019, rushing for just 3.8 yards per carry, but he still managed to eclipse 1,000 scrimmage yards for the fifth straight season and scored 14 touchdowns.

The Rams released the 25-year-old after the season, but it didn't take long for the running back to find a new home in Atlanta, who also opted for a backfield change and released former starter Devonta Freeman.

Ryan and the Falcons are looking to improve upon a 7-9 season that started poorly with a 1-7 first half. The ex-Boston College star led the league with 408 pass completions and connected on 66.2 percent of his passes for 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, but the 2016 NFL MVP did not find his way onto the recently released NFL Top 100, a player-selected list of the best 100 players in the game today.

"That kind of stuff doesn't change my day," Ryan said when asked about the omission.

"It's never been...bulletin board material (for me) or anything like that. I know what I can do. I know what I'm capable of doing. I feel like every week I gave our team a great chance to win. If we get the ball late in the game, I know I have what it takes to finish it out. I don't worry about that stuff. I just focus on trying to do the job the best I can."

Three Falcons made the list: wide receiver Julio Jones (No. 11), Gurley (No. 51) and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (No. 91).

Like every other team, Atlanta is preparing for this season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already caused plenty of changes in the football calendar. Of note, training camps across the country are opening with COVID-19 tests as opposed to typical meetings and practices.

The NFL has also eliminated preseason games, and Ryan spoke about that decision:

"It will be different. I kind of like the (exhibition) season games to be able to get out there and knock some of the rust off ... and be able to go through it. Go through your routine. Make sure that you're doing the things you need to do and make sure you have things ironed out. We're not going to have that luxury. But I think (Falcons coach) Dan Quinn is putting together a really good schedule to try and simulate as much as we can on our own what that experience is going to be like.

"For a guy like me, I'm in Year 13. I think it's going to be easier for a guy like myself having been through so many different situations, so many years, so many games played and feeling comfortable in those. But for our rookies and young guys who have not had that experience, I think we've got to have to help them out as much as we can and try and make them feel as comfortable as possible. Because when we kick it off against Seattle Week 1, that game is just as important as Week 17. It means just as much."

When Week 1 starts, Ryan and the Falcons will look to topple a tough division that includes the defending NFC South champion New Orleans Saints, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a Carolina Panthers team featuring All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey and a new head coach and quarterback in Matt Rhule and Teddy Bridgewater, respectively.

The Saints and Bucs are receiving Super Bowl hype, but Ryan is ignoring the noise as he looks to prep his own team.

"It's one of those things, who cares about anybody else. We have to care of our own business...It doesn't bother me that other people are talked about...I don't worry about it too much. I try and make sure that we are focused on taking care of our own business."

The Falcons' first organized game will now be Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks at home at 1 p.m. ET.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Wednesday the team's offensive talent is on par with the star-studded group that helped lead the organization to the 2012 NFC Championship Game.

Ryan discussed the current weapons at this disposal, led by one of the NFL's best wide receiver duos in Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, compared to that 2012 roster during an appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast (via Will McFadden of the Falcons' official website):

"We had a pretty good unit in 2012 with Roddy White, Julio Jones, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez—those guys were all pretty good. I've got to imagine that this is right up there with them.

"You're talking about Julio in his prime, Calvin Ridley going into year three coming into his own. You've got Todd Gurley, who is hungry who wants to prove it this year. Hayden Hurst, another guy, first-round draft pick who just ended up in a spot where, the way they were running the football, it was no fault of his own [that he didn't have the stats]."

Atlanta is coming off a disappointing 2019 season that saw the club miss the playoffs with a 7-9 record.

The offense remained effective, however, ranking fifth in yards per game (379.7) and third in passing yards (294.6) thanks in large part to the trio of Ryan, Jones and Ridley.

Devonta Freeman was the team's leading rusher at 656 yards, though. So the front office signed Gurley, the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, with the hope he could bounce back after lingering knee issues plagued his final few years with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Falcons acquired Hurst in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens to replace Austin Hooper, who signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in free agency.

A full-strength Gurley is an upgrade over Turner, who earned two Pro Bowl selections but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry during the 2012 season. That said, Hurst can't quite match Gonzalez, who posted 93 catches for 930 yards and eight touchdowns in the penultimate season of his career.

All told, it's a fair overall comparison, though Ridley is still on a proving ground compared to White, a member of the team's Ring of Honor.

"It's got to be right up there, I think so," Ryan told Long about the current Falcons offense. "I've been lucky, I've had some great guys that I've played with."

Atlanta's outlook is still dependent on improvement on the other side of the ball, though. It ranked 20th in total defense (355.8 yards allowed per game) during the 2019 campaign.

The Falcons used their first two draft picks on defensive players, selecting Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell and Auburn defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, and signed defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency.

Their high-powered offense paired with the upgrades on defense give them a great chance to post a bounce-back season, though playing in the stacked NFC South may limit their record's upside.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Wednesday and discussed a number of topics related to the ongoing social justice movement in the United States against systemic racism and police brutality:

Noah brought up the NFL's recent support of Black Lives Matter and ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been out of the league for three years after protesting systemic racism and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in the 2016 NFL season. 

He asked Ryan where he wanted to see the league "going forward from here":

"Of course, we would have liked for this to have taken place much sooner than it has, but we can't really change what has happened up until this point. We can only control the change that we can have moving forward.

"And I think within the last couple of weeks you have seen positive steps in the right direction, but we need to continue to take those steps, and we need to continue to push forward.

"I feel like I can no longer sit on the sidelines and just kind of let it happen the way other people want it to happen. I think it's our responsibility as leaders and as players in this league who have a platform to be able to speak to continue to push the narrative forward and to make the change that we want to make."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently released a video lending his support for Black Lives Matter and apologizing for how the league handled kneeling protests. He also publicly expressed that he hoped a team would sign the 33-year-old Kaepernick. 

We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv

— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2020

Noah also asked about Ryan's experiences given events that have occurred in Atlanta and Georgia at-large, including the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks:

"Well it's been difficult to see everything going on in our city and in our state. Your heart goes out to their families and their loved ones because it's just deaths that shouldn't have happened. That's been part of me wanting to speak out, help out in ways that I can.

"You mentioned I don't have these other ties to my professional life right now. We have this time, we have this opportunity to be able to put our energy and effort into that, and I think it's an important thing to be able to do that right now because we need to make a change. The way things have operated and the way things have gone up until this point isn't good enough. My hope is to be able to use the platform that I have to create awareness and help in ways that I can help."

Ryan released a statement following the death of Brooks, a 27-year-old black man who was shot twice in the back by police after they were called to a drive-thru in Atlanta where Brooks had fallen asleep in his car on June 12. The police officer, Garrett Rolfe, has been fired and charged with felony murder and 10 other charges, per CNN.com.

Noah also asked about how and why Ryan decided to use his platform to speak out and create change:

"Well No. 1, this was something that my friends and my teammates were saying. As I was listening, some of the comments that were made were that we appreciate you guys having our back and telling us that you support us, but I think it will help more if you did it publicly and you were able to go out and use the platform that you have to encourage change.

"So that was one of the parts, just as a friend and listening to my friends and my teammates, it just seemed like that was the next step that needed to happen because what we had been doing up until this point hadn't really worked. So, if you continue to try and do the same things you've done up until this point, you're going to continue to get the same results.

"So for whatever reason, the timing, I felt like I had to do it because I regretted not doing that up until this point. I regretted just staying on the sidelines and not helping out in the ways that I could, so it really stemmed from conversations that I've had with my friends about what can I do to make a difference."

Ryan started a GoFundMe called Advancing The Lives (ATL) Of The Black Community. The 12-year veteran donated $500,000 to kickstart the cause, which has raised $1.26 million toward its $2 million goal as of 12 a.m. ET on Thursday. All proceeds will go toward supporting the black community in Atlanta.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan issued a statement Monday after an Atlanta police officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks on Friday. 

"I spent the weekend trying to wrap my head around the killing of Rayshard Brooks," Ryan said. "To be completely honest, I can't. Rayshard Brooks should be alive—end of story. We cannot continue to lose lives due to police brutality."

#RayshardBrooks pic.twitter.com/2P7KrYouyt

— Matt Ryan (@M_Ryan02) June 15, 2020

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said police arrived at a Wendy's restaurant after receiving a report about a man asleep in a parked car in the drive-thru, per CNN.

The officers said Brooks failed a field sobriety test. He then resisted arrested, and witnesses said he took one officer's taser. Brooks began running away when one officer fired three shots in his direction.

The Fulton County, Georgia, Medical Examiner's Office said Brooks was shot twice in the back and ruled his death a homicide.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard questioned the officer's decision to fire his gun at Brooks.

"He did not seem to present any kind of threat to anyone, and so the fact that it would escalate to his death just seems unreasonable," Howard said to CNN's Fredricka Whitfield. "It just seems like this is not the kind of conversation and incident that should have led to someone's death."

Brooks' killing comes amid nationwide protests across the United States against systemic racism and police brutality.

Ryan donated $500,000 to start a GoFundMe called Advancing the Lives (ATL) of the Black Community, with the money eventually going toward local social justice initiatives.

The San Francisco 49ers are the reigning NFC champions, and they look even stronger on paper this summer. 

The New Orleans Saints have won three consecutive NFC South crowns and are the winningest team in football dating back to 2017. 

The Seattle Seahawks haven't endured a losing season in nearly a decade and are always a contender with quarterback Russell Wilson. 

The Los Angeles Rams are 16 months removed from a Super Bowl run, the Philadelphia Eagles' roster remains loaded with championship pedigree, the Minnesota Vikings are coming off a playoff run of their own, the Green Bay Packers can't be counted out as long as they have Aaron Rodgers, the star-stacked Dallas Cowboys aren't flying under anyone's radar, and the retooled Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals are both, in the words of Mugatu, "so hot right now."

None of those 10 teams won more games during the second half of the 2019 NFL season than the Atlanta Falcons, and yet none have lower Super Bowl odds than an Atlanta team that is listed as a 25-1 shot to win the NFC in 2020. 

Those odds suggest the public is viewing Atlanta similarly to the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and New York Giants, which is a tremendous oversight considering those teams won a combined 15 games last year.

The Falcons are the conference's Rodney Dangerfield this offseason. They deserve more respect and attention after winning six of their last eight games and outscoring the competition by the second-highest margin in the conference during that stretch. 

I understand there's probably a fear that finish was fool's gold. I get that the Falcons might seem untrustworthy considering their lack of consistency ever since losing Super Bowl LI in horrific fashion. They've been stumbling as a result of that, and they've often been ravaged by injuries in recent years. 

But last year's shocking late-season run—which included thrilling road victories over the Super Bowl-bound 49ers and the juggernaut Saints—might be an indication the Falcons have finally recovered from that demoralizing blow. 

The prospect has to be intriguing to those who are hoping the team has another run in it with a core similar to the one that averaged an absurd 33.8 points per game in 2016. Who's to say the Falcons can't rediscover that groove with 2016 MVP quarterback Matt Ryan and superstar receiver Julio Jones leading the way?

Throw in six-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, and the three players whom Pro-Football-Reference deemed to be the most valuable from that 2016 team remain on the roster. The Falcons also still have head coach Dan Quinn, left tackle Jake Matthews and key defenders Grady Jarrett, Deion Jones and Keanu Neal. 

But because the Falcons were technically 7-9 in 2019, and because their offseason has been boring relative to the splashy Buccaneers and Cardinals, nobody's really talking about Ryan, Quinn and Co. right now. 

Still, considering their salary-cap constraints, there was a lot to like about the Falcons' offseason.

After only one team registered fewer sacks last year, they upgraded the pass rush by essentially swapping out the disappointing 27-year-old Vic Beasley Jr. (18 sacks the last three years) for high-ceiling 25-year-old Dante Fowler Jr. (9.5 sacks in his last 10 games). They also added 2018 first-team All-Pro running back Todd Gurley on a low-risk deal. And while they could miss departed Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper, replacement Hayden Hurst was a first-round pick just two years ago. 

The 26-year-old former Baltimore Raven became expendable due to the presence of Mark Andrews, but he was one of just five qualified tight ends to average at least 11.0 yards per reception and catch at least 75.0 percent of the passes thrown his way last year.

Ryan is fired up about him. 

"I've been incredibly impressed with Hayden's work ethic," the 35-year-old quarterback said this week, per Kelsey Conway of the team's official website. "He's got great speed, great athleticism. Wants to be a great player … the effort, the attitude all of that stuff is there. He fits in well with the group of guys we have."

Hurst has star potential, Ryan has borderline Hall of Fame credentials, Jones is a seven-time Pro Bowler, and 2018 first-round pick Calvin Ridley has gone over 800 yards in each of his first two seasons, compiling 17 touchdown receptions in the process. Toss in Gurley's exceptional skill set as a rusher and receiver, and you have a skill-position group that could do significant damage. 

Protection and continuity along the offensive line have been issues in recent years, but 2019 first-round picks Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary flashed down the stretch as rookies and look primed to take off in support of Mack and Matthews. 

The defense might still be viewed as a liability, but they surrendered only 18.6 points per game during that hot second half last year. Fowler should help up front, Jarrett is excellent, and there's still hope for 2017 first-round defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley. Jones looks to be back on track after a foot injury derailed his 2018 campaign, and Neal should be on pace to return from an Achilles injury. 

They've also been hit particularly hard by injuries on that side of the ball the last couple years, and the law of averages will eventually favor them in that realm. It could also help that they used their top two draft picks on defensive players A.J. Terrell and Marlon Davidson. 

The Falcons might have more potential flaws than some of the NFC's so-called elite teams, but they also have a scary, overlooked combination of playoff pedigree and balanced talent. Ruling them out would be foolish.

     

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012. Follow him on Twitter: @Brad_Gagnon. 

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was complimentary of tight end Hayden Hurst during a Tuesday Zoom call with reporters. 

"He is for sure one of the fastest and most athletic tight ends I've ever played with," Ryan said (h/t Kelsey Conway of the team's official website). "He's a mismatch problem. He's going to create separation and win in different ways than those guys did."

The 35-year-old All-Pro added: "I've been incredibly impressed with Hayden's work ethic. He's got great speed, great athleticism. Wants to be a great player ... the effort, the attitude all of that stuff is there. He fits in well with the group of guys we have."

The Falcons traded with the Baltimore Ravens for Hurst when the new league year began in mid-March:

Ravens trade TE Hayden Hurst and 2020 4th-round pick to Falcons for 2020 2nd-round pick and 2020 5th-round pick. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/7qCzqQjCHE

— NFL (@NFL) March 16, 2020

Hurst was selected 25th overall by the Ravens in the 2018 NFL draft. The 26-year-old tallied 512 yards and three touchdowns on 43 receptions across 28 games (four starts) in Baltimore.

The Falcons lost two-time Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper, who signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in free agency.

Hooper was Atlanta's third-most productive receiver last season with 787 yards and six touchdowns on 75 catches. All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley were first and second respectively.

The Falcons also signed All-Pro running back Todd Gurley on a one-year, $5.5 million deal. 

Atlanta finished 7-9 for a second straight season in 2019.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan thinks Colin Kaepernick should get a chance to play in the NFL again. 

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Ryan said Kaepernick "should have every opportunity to have a job and have a spot in this league."

Ryan also acknowledged to wishing he spoke out earlier but is now intent on "not (sitting) on the sidelines...silence isn't good enough."

Kaepernick's name has frequently been mentioned in relation to bringing greater attention to police brutality and systemic racism, especially in the wake of George Floyd's killing by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did address concerns voiced by some players, releasing a video last Friday in which he condemned the systemic oppression of black people and encouraged players to peacefully protest:   

We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv

— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2020

Some players have called for the league to give Kaepernick a fair shot to play in the NFL to prove it's serious about committing to change.

"I think the NFL can start by signing Kap back," Seattle Seahawks running back Carlos Hyde, who was Kaepernick's teammate with the San Francisco 49ers from 2014 to 2016, told reporters Monday. "I think if they sign Kap back, that'll show that they're really trying to move in a different direction."

Kaepernick has gone unsigned since becoming a free agent in March 2017. The 32-year-old last played for the 49ers during the 2016 season when he protested police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem before games. He threw for 2,241 yards and 16 touchdowns in 11 starts that season.

A fundraiser set up by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has raised more than $1 million to support the city's black community. 

Ryan announced on Twitter that more than 1,700 people have contributed to the fundraiser he initially set up June 5:

https://t.co/4hn6uy9ffq pic.twitter.com/1CkZBC2Ldd

— Matt Ryan (@M_Ryan02) June 9, 2020

When Ryan first established the fundraiser, he wrote on Instagram he was pledging an initial contribution of $500,000 and committed to listening to members of Atlanta's black community how best to use the money to uplift businesses and organizations in the city:

"Last week I made a commitment to listening and learning, and one of the messages that hit home for me was the difference between reacting to a situation and responding to a situation. For far too long I have reacted to social injustice with empathy and silent support but failed to follow through with active support. I feel the time has come to RESPOND. For ALL of us to respond.

[...]

"Over the next few weeks/months I’ll be really listening to the needs of the community and working with black business leaders, sports figures, activists and local grassroots organizations to get guidance on how these donations can be most impactful."

In addition to Ryan's contribution, the Falcons announced general manager Thomas Dimitroff, head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and CEO Rich McKay also made donations ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. 

Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley has already made a strong impression on arguably the most important person in his new club: quarterback Matt Ryan.

The two stars have trained together in Southern California on several occasions already this offseason with Ryan getting the impression the tailback will be an "awesome fit" in Atlanta. 

"I've gotten to work with Todd, and he's awesome,'' Ryan told ESPN's Vaughn McClure. "Really, really good guy. A hard worker. He's super-smart. The stuff I was telling him one day, the next day he had it done. I was really impressed with his ability to retain information. You don't have to tell him twice. He's on it.''

Gurley agreed to sign with the Falcons on a one-year, $6 million deal earlier this offseason after the Los Angeles Rams unceremoniously cut him following a 2019 season in which his carries sharply decreased. 

After getting 279 handoffs in 2017 and 256 in 2018—both years in which Gurley was named first-team All Pro—the running back saw just 223 carries in 2019, finishing with fewer than 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns for the first time since his sophomore season in 2016.

The apparent mismanagement of Gurley's touches left plenty across the NFL confused by LA's game plan. The excuse came down to knee issues—Gurley entered the NFL fresh off knee surgery and has dealt with arthritis in his joint. 

Atlanta's offensive coordinator, Dirk Koetter, acknowledged the knee issues to ESPN, saying the team has little to worry about when it comes to Gurley's abilities. Instead, Koetter said, it's about how healthy Gurley remains and how consistently he can run. 

None of those concerns seem to faze Ryan at the moment. 

"I think he's going to be an awesome fit for us," Ryan said. "And I'm glad we have him."

Ryan's offseason workouts have also reportedly included teammates Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Hayden Hurst. 

In what's more or less a "prove it" year for Gurley, the 25-year-old tailback is looking to prove his abilities to more than just his new teammates. After falling out of favor in Los Angeles, there's still the potential to sign a new long-term contract after the 2020 season.

At least as far as the offense is concerned, Ryan believes Atlanta is the spot where Gurley can make it happen.