Reflecting on an incredible career with Matt Ryan

Former Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan joins Wes Durham and Dave Archer to take a look back through some of the moments that created the legacy of #2 in his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

00:00 – Intro
00:25 – 2008 NFL Draft
03:38 – Playing at Georgia Tech in ’07
05:34 – Joining the ’08 Falcons
10:30 – Matt Ryan’s Sound System
13:04 – Rookie Season – First NFL Pass/TD
17:30 – “You showed me something”
20:36 – Mindset for Game Winning Drives
25:43 – Pursuing Back to Back Winning Seasons
28:58 – 2012, First Playoff Win vs. Seattle
33:34 – Becoming a Veteran Leader
36:09 – The Toughness to Lineup Every Week
40:04 – 2016, Hosting GB for the NFC Title
48:10 – Family support in big moments
53:49 – Commitment to the Community
56:08 – Arch’s Rapid Fire
58:46 – Matt’s Career by the Numbers

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hi everybody it’s West Durham and
welcome to a special edition on the
Atlanta Falcons podcast Network great to
be with my partner Dave Archer and look
who’s here number two Matt Ryan joins us
for this special edition
um we’re going to have a conversation
here okay and since we can’t start for
when the earth cooled Arch let’s start
with oh I don’t know April 26 2008 that
was a good day that was Radio City Music
call New York City yeah
did you think you were going to be the
third pick so uh I I kind of had a
feeling my my agent Tom con these guys
are all kind of clued into to what’s
going on uh and I remember being up
there uh in New York which was it was
really cool at the time the draft is
much different uh now than it was then
when I was drafted but there were six of
us up there um in New York for the week
getting ready for it and so like maybe
Thursday or Friday uh Tom Conan said to
me he said I really don’t think you’ll
go past third he said I think that uh
the Falcons are going to take you at at
three if they’re there St Louis was
picking two at the time Miami took Jake
Long one uh and he said the only thing I
think that could happen is Baltimore
could trade to two uh to take you and so
I was kind of like all right I I don’t
really know you know and and looking
back on it he probably didn’t know
anything either he was probably just
telling me that make me feel good I I
don’t know how much uh validity there is
to it but you know you’re still nervous
even when three comes along you know
you’re not really sure you know what’s
going to happen then you get the phone
call and and Bam you know uh next thing
I knew I was I was in you know here at
Flowery Branch late that night M uh and
it was a whirlwind but it was it was a
crazy experience really really cool
experience and um you know part of me
Wishes the draft was always still there
for those guys at New York City at Radio
City Music Hall because it’s such a
iconic venue and special place but um it
was a whirlwind it was it was a crazy
start how much did you know about the
Falcons or how much had you followed and
obviously you were a fan of the National
Football League but Atlanta in
particular maybe even Baltimore had you
looked at those places and kind of
studied them a little bit I mean studied
a little but like you don’t know like I
knew the football teams I knew the
coaching staffs from from having met you
know with them during that draft process
but there’s so much more to it when you
get here you know what I mean that that
you have no idea about the the history
of the organization the guys who have
played you get to meet all those guys um
you know so I would say it was limited
you know what what I really knew about
uh the organization and then you know
city-wise I’d been to Atlanta twice in
my life right I I was here uh once when
I was recruited by Georgia Tech m uh I
came down for a visit with my dad and
then the second time was when I played
Geor which yeah that was it was a good
night for me not so much for Wes but thw
in a coke bottle all night long threw
for like 427 or something you know
better than I we threw for a lot we
threw for a lot but so th those were my
you know kind of two two visits to
Atlanta I honestly grew up hating
Atlanta because I was a Phillies fan and
the Braves basically dominated the
Phillies you know my entire existence so
uh it was it I didn’t know a ton um if
if I’m being completely honest when I
got down here and you know I haven’t
looked back since though all right there
was a legend that you had texted your
mom after the game at Georgia Tech in
September of’ 07 yeah saying I really
like this city I think I could see
myself living here I I said it to my I
wouldn’t have texted my mom uh because
my mom but did you say it or whatever
the story is was not you’re not correct
you picking up burn is not in well she’s
gotten better she’s gotten better but at
that time there was there’s no chance
yeah um but I do remember I I think she
might have been at the game or something
like that and so afterwards waiting for
the bus I was and and you know it
Georgia Tech stadium is so awesome right
you’re down night especially night game
down there you’ve got the skyline in the
background we had this unbelievable
night yeah I remember we stayed at the
Weston in Buckhead which was like the
nicest hotel we ever stayed at at Boston
College and like I’m like this is this
place is unbelievable right and so I
remember saying to my mom I’m like I
really like this city it’s a it’s you
know obviously we had a good experience
on the football field but it was a
beautiful September night like uh you
couldn’t have dialed up a better time of
the year so I recall saying something of
that my mom certainly you know recalls
me so Tuda couldn’t hold up the blitz
all night long he blitzed all night back
in couldn’t hire couldn’t hold up Ryan
through for a billion yards in bc1 for
remember he made a few plays out of the
pocket too which I don’t think weren’t
giving him credit for sneaky a by the
way side note Rich McKay was at the game
that night was he comes upstairs and I’m
still doing Georgia Tech obviously comes
in the radio Booth tells me hey I’m
going down I got to watch the Ryan kid
warm up and I’m like okay we’ll see you
at halftime he goes I’ll be gone by half
time so missed a show he did miss a show
he saw a show in the first half I guess
the warmup must have been pretty good
too then yeah the warm up must have been
really nice warm up yeah usually when
you warm up really well you don’t play
that’s what I was going to say usually
my bad warm-ups were the best
performances the good warmup youd go
into that locker room and be like oh God
this is not I concur with that um Matt
you were you signed really quickly for a
for a number one draft pick especially
in that era when the monies were still
negotiable yeah why why did you why did
that happen um well number one you know
looking back it was it’s so different it
was so different then than it is now
right like the changes in in kind of
slotting the the draft and what guys are
going to be paid and kind of
that that whole thing has changed and so
um the the going back to it the
narrative was that quarterbacks are
going to be hold outs because there’s
going to be this back and forth in
negotiations and I think I have to give
credit to both sides right I think both
sides felt like hey we don’t want that
you know we with all that had gone on
here in Atlanta prior to me getting here
I think it was let’s get this done uh
let’s figure out what works um you know
and and let’s not have any distractions
uh heading into training camp and that
was certainly what I wanted you know
from my end too uh was to you know I was
I was 22 when I got drafted like I just
all of it sounds good to me right like
the all of it I don’t know anything
about this negotiating but like the
first the first offer sounds great so uh
it was it was all exciting it was all
good and I wanted to get it done and
really you know much like the rest of my
career not really have those things be a
distraction ever and uh I was lucky you
know that that it it never really was
contracts were were never I’m so
fortunate to you know have had the
contracts that I had but both sides had
to be a part of it and uh it was always
great dealing you know with the
organization you came in here obviously
at a very volatile time you knew that
you were well aware of the scenario you
were involved in a quarterback
competition that went all the way
through the preseason up until like 10
days before the start of the regular
season as I recall um but yet you kind
of came in here and
and melted into the team chemistry
pretty well for a rookie Dave and I’ve
always talked about your ability to come
in here and adjust and be quickly
integrated into the professional rank I
thought was one of his one of your
biggest traits Matt yeah I mean I
think you know I grew up playing team
sports and I
think you know while it’s different at
the professional level when you’ve been
on teams your whole life you understand
what it is to be a teammate and and you
know you’ve you’ve got to be one of the
guys and you know you understand that
whatever role it is that you’re asked to
do you gota you got to play your role
well um and I you know I was always
comfortable you know with that and and
even at a young age kind of comfortable
in my own skin just being who I was and
I think that’s the key I mean AR you can
speak to it being in the locker room for
a long
time you know when guys are trying to be
something that they’re not it doesn’t
usually work out that well and so I
think you just have to be yourself and
that that’s what I tried to be uh listen
you know look at the guys who were doing
it the right way like I think back to
that locker room I walked into in 2008
Todd McClair I mean Falcons Ring of
Honor guy but maybe the best person on
the planet I mean just a good good human
being the ultimate guy to learn from um
you know Rody
white energy for days and I mean just
starting to scratch the surface of of
who he was as a as a player but I mean
competitor and and like not scared of
anything you see that then you see you
know John Abraham on the other side he
does it a completely different way but
knows how to produce you know week in
and week out you got Keith Brooking who
was here my rookie year Brook was you
know 10 plus years in the NFL he was
kind of you know one of the faces of
this organization for for the better
part of a decade uh wide receiver room
too you have Brian finer and old I love
uh he was old to me at the time now that
you know I I like you say old’s go it’s
old it’s old you know but him kind of
you know teaching me the ropes Michael
Jenkins a really mature you know fourth
or fifth year guy in that stage uh there
was so many good examples of what it
looked like to be a professional around
me so it was easy for me to say okay
I’ve got these examples I can lean on
them for advice in in different
situations and um and then also
like I’m here to be the guy you know and
and not sh shying away from that from
the start like I I respect that you guys
are in these spots in your career um but
we all know playing on football teams
they’re looking to you and um I was I
was confident myself probably you know
naively so but uh felt confident in my
ability and and felt confident in the
way that I interacted with my teammates
so let’s buy a sound system for the
locker room got talk us walk us through
the legend that is Matt Ryan’s sound
system for the for the offensive line
it’s still in there which yeah which
with all the changes to this building
the fact that that sound system is still
in there I am very proud of it was built
to last yeah uh and it cost enough to
last it should have lasted but so I
remember I remember I was it was OTAs or
something like that it was sometime uh
before we broke for that four or five
weeks you get off before training camp
and I walked into the locker room and I
was sitting at my locker which you guys
know in that old locker room I was right
on that you know where you walk in past
the equipment room and so I’m sitting
there it’s probably like 6:15 in the
morning and it’s dead silent in there
and lawyer Malloy oh the law dog walks
right past me and he’s like hey you hear
that and I’m
like no like hear what he’s like exactly
he’s like this place needs a sound
system and I was like oh okay didn’t
think anything of it whatever and so
then like the whole day I’m kind of
thinking about I’m like I think he’s
telling me to buy a sound system I think
that’s what he was saying so I kept my
mouth shut and we break uh after mini
camp and we’ve got that that stretch of
time off and I go to Brian bner uh who’s
the head equipment manager and I said
boyes like what do we got to do to get a
sound system can we get it done in the
four or five weeks you know while we’re
off and he said yeah we we can probably
do that and so I give credit to boy I
mean yes I paid for it but boes actually
did the work and you got got whatever
set up to to get it done so we come back
for training camp and I came come in
like a day or two early and I’m like can
I hear it and they like turn it on like
all right perfect this is good it’s good
sound system uh and so I’m sitting there
at my locker I’ll never forget it I’m
sitting there at my locker just waiting
for lawyer to walk in I cannot wait for
him to walk in yeah and he does and I’ve
got the whole equipment room keyed up to
to kind of turn it on as soon as he
comes in and they fire it up and the
bass is pumping and and we’ve got music
Blair and he just looks at me and he’s
like well done well done so it was it
was a cool thing but I mean you know
it’s changed a lot in the NFL but I
think some of that old school I wouldn’t
even say that was hazing there was more
of that like that that went on but that
old school like you’ve gota you got to
earn your stripes you gotta you got to
do some of those things um I always like
that kind of stuff and I I loved being
able to do in the position you know
being in the position to be able to do
it yeah no question about it um we get
to your rookie season yeah let’s talk
some football do you remember do you
remember the first pass of your senior
year at Boston College yeah pick six uh
Wake Forest Antoine Smith yes correct
and uh I’ll never forget so the day
before yeah Friday before Steve Logan
was our offensive coordinator who was
awesome and I’ll never forget he sat me
down after our walkthr on Friday and he
was like Hey man you’re the best player
in the country and he goes if I have to
throw the ball 80 times tomorrow we’re
going to throw it 80 times he’s like I
have so much faith in in what you’re
doing or whatever
and I then start off with a pick six
yeah uh on the first throw and I
remember coming to the sideline and he
goes you got 79 more to go and I was
like perfect let’s go let it rip yeah
100% you know and little stuff like that
uh as a player is is stuff that you’ll
never forget and so yeah I remember
throwing that Pi pick six and then I
remember throwing for like 450 four
touchdowns afterwards so so my question
is this given that the scope of first
pick first pass of your senior year to
the first pass of your rookie year yeah
today at the Georgia doome the Atlanta
Falcons start their 44th season in the
NFL fresh and new a new rookie
quarterback in Matt Ryan and a new
coaching Mike
Smith just
[Applause]
like Ryan going to throw first
professional pass caught Jenkins 30 25
20 15 10 5 he lives in Atlanta his first
professional pass is a 62 yd strike to
Michael Jenkins the way you throw your
first
passing that’s how you do it
[Music]
so Matt I mean um it sends chills down
my back I would assume it does you yeah
so take me through it yeah so on
this we talk about the pick six that I
threw to start so on Friday afternoons
my rookie year I would meet with Mike
Malarkey after practice and we would
talk through the first 15 place and I
was like Mike um you know first pass I’d
love to just get something I could get a
completion on right like give me a flat
route or or anything and so we had this
play up it was uh I think we called it
zero strong 62 Comet sync and so he was
like I’ve scouted Detroit on you know
first and 10 first made first downs
which I think that was right was we we
ran the ball twice we earned a first
down it was a first earned first down so
Mike had you know the numbers out and
he’s like they’re you know
97% cover six which is quarters to the
field and it’s half into the boundary so
we have this curl flat concept that’s
beat you know this designed to to beat
quarters on the front side he said I’m
going to give you I’m going to give you
curl flat to the field you’ve run it
since you were in eighth grade right you
can’t you can’t like I can’t give you
anything easier than this I’m like all
right that’s perfect he goes but like
the only other thing they play is kind
of this this cover three that they
rotate too late out of that look and if
we do that he’s like just alert the
skinny post backside if you throw an
incomp completion don’t worry about it
you know because skinny post like not
the easiest throw uh to come out of the
gate and I remember being under Center
and being like uh they’re rotating
down I think I got to throw this skinny
post and sure enough they did I trust it
what I I saw and that ball came out of
my hand and I mean it it hit Jank you
know right in stride and I remember
running and celebrating and then being
honest with you on that clip sitting on
the bench being exhausted from the
celebration cuz I’m screaming I’m
running around I don’t know what I’m
doing but uh it was crazy it it really
was and you know what gets lost in that
though is I think we only threw the ball
13 times after that we were like 11 of
14 in that game for a win well because
Michael Turner ran for six miles that’s
correct yeah times have changed set the
franchise record rushing that day I
think over 220 yards rushing and you did
only throw it 13 times in the game but
uh 62,700 yard later here we are sitting
it’s it’s unbelievable to think about
that
so from a rookie stand so you go from
that high high where you guys blow out
Detroit in that first game to the next
week you go to Tampa and they flat get
after you in I think I was like three of
17 or something in the first half the
those numbers may not be correct but
it’s it’s not far off right and I’ll
never for uh forget going back circling
back to lawyer Maloy you know on the
sideline I mean he is in my face and
he’s saying hey man in this league you
can’t be that guy last week and this guy
this week and I I’ll never forget
hearing that and being like God I got to
get it together the thing I remember
about that game though was We Came
storming back in the second half we gave
ourselves a chance in that game uh and
him coming up to me in the locker room
after the game we lost but he said okay
you showed me something and to me I was
like okay like I I’ve I’ve always known
that was me like I’m not going to I’m
not GNA back down I’m gonna keep
throwing it regardless of of what’s
going to happen but the validation from
a guy who had been a world champion who
had you know done those things yeah that
that meant a lot to me at that time I
think it’s one of the things Arch and I
always talk about in your career it felt
like you found guys and I know Dave
sometimes drew the analogy of of when he
got to Atlanta and started professional
football you find those connective guys
sounds like lawyer Malloy Todd McClure
they could have been those guys for you
in some respect oh no doubt you know and
lawyer just in a in a small way I mean
he was he was here a short uh time while
I was here but you know you talk about a
guy like Todd McClure I
mean I was lucky I played with two
centers for basically 10 years of my
career that were unbelievable uh in in
Todd and and Alex Mack and how much
those guys take off your plate at the
line of scrimmage both in the Run game
and in the pass
game it was a you know it helped me so
much but Todd specifically in that first
five years of my career you know like I
didn’t really have to do much at the
line of he was he was rarely wrong you
know and and it wasn’t probably until my
second or third year that I would say
hey Todd maybe you know uh I could get
to that point but it allowed me to
develop you know slowly but you know
there were guys like you mentioned you
know uh Todd McClure but then you know
my second year you talk about Tony
Gonzalez coming in you know we trade and
and Tony comes in and for me it’s like
wow I get to see I get to see what first
ballot Hall of Fame looks like every day
and I get to pick his brain and and you
know talk to him about different things
I think we’re all byproducts of of the
people you know that that we’re
surrounded by and and so um I was
incredibly fortunate to to walk into
that offense in 2008 that had Michael
Turner Rody white really tough offensive
line um you know Michael Jenkins on the
backside at RX draft it with Harry
Douglas who was a hell of a player here
for a long time
um there were a lot of really good
pieces you know a lot of really good
pieces and a coaching staff you know
that that that taught me how to be a
professional well yeah and it’s fine to
have guys around but and this is his
most I I had a chance to talk to this
guy three times a week exactly every
week he got tired of seeing me oh my God
here he comes again he’s gonna ask me
but there there is a the quarterback has
to be the most competitive guy on your
team which he is and he also has to be
the glue guy guy that can draw the
competitiveness out of guys that might
be not timid but a little bit less than
what lawyer Malloy were and that was
something you were able to pull out of
players um the game-winning drives thing
uh the nickname Matty Ice and all stuff
and I know that kind of was born in
college but um take us into the if you
can the mindset you had four game
leading drives your rookie year I mean
the play against Chicago or they get the
short kick and you find Jen on the bench
route to set up a game wining feel take
me through the mindset there of what you
need to do to make sure the other 10
guys are locked in yeah I think you know
to me it was
always you you just have to do your job
really well in these situations and it
was it was never like a hero play or
anything like that it was just you know
in every Situation’s different you
mentioned that Chicago play so I
remember coming from the sideline and we
were saying basically we’re going to try
and run this bench route I think we had
like 6 seconds I can’t remember exactly
what we had but I think yeah it wasn’t
it wasn’t much and so it was like five
or six seconds and really the coaching
point wasy if we get cover two which I
was shocked you know and you see
defenses now you wouldn’t see this they
they defend the sideline right the
defenses are different but they were
like if we get covered to try and hold
that cloud corner so the corner who’s
sitting there onto the flat route and
rip that bench if we get anything else
you’re going to have to throw it away
and we’re going to try and throw
something up at the end of the game like
a desperation type play so in my mindset
I’m out there I’m saying all right guys
this is exactly what we’re going to do
if we get covered two I’m going to rip
this bench to you on the sideline get
your feet down in enough time we’re
going to kick the field goal and we’re
going to win if not I’m going to throw
the ball away immediately and we’re
going to go to our end of end a game
desperation play so to me it was always
just it was very black and white you
know what I mean it was I’m GNA do this
you know and we’re going to do this
here’s exact and and that’s really the
way I would talk uh in the Huddle is
here’s exactly what we’re going to do if
we get this you’re going to catch us on
the sideline we’re going to do it we’re
going to kick this and then we’re going
to go win and I was always shocked that
it actually happened you know like uh
they come out they play that cover too
we have like a free run or two at my
legs and I put that thing on the
sideline Jen makes a great catch and
Jason elim goes out there and and knocks
it through the pipes and we get the win
but I thought it was the preparation so
it’s a roundabout way to get to I
thought it was about us being prepared
for those
situations and being comfortable uh
because of our preparation so we knew
what we were going to do here’s here’s
our plan let’s go execute it uh and not
be scared of the moment and I was
surrounded by guys that weren’t scared
of the moment either right they they
were not scared to be in critical
situations and to make the play it’s
critical though that you know that the
guy with the ball in his hands is not
scar that’s it so those guys are maybe
not scared at the moment but they are if
he is and so your ability to demonstrate
an ability to just immerse yourself in
the situation right then and not look at
the
ramifications notot a lot of people can
go there yeah I think you
know I I think as a quarterback you’re a
bit of a Salesman every play you know
what I mean every play call that comes
in the way you call it the way you talk
you know the way you get your guys to
the line of scrimmage you got to be
selling that this is this is what we’re
doing you got to sell it during the week
here’s why we’re doing it here’s you
know and your coaching staff has a lot
to do with that but the way that you
think about it right um and the way that
that you portray it I think comes across
I think body language comes across um
you know to to your teammates uh and
then I think the way you handle things
when it doesn’t go well right that yeah
we didn’t win it but we’re going to win
it the next time we get it I I truly
believe that you know I think that I
think that over time you know your
teammates you know start to to learn
that about you uh and and it makes a
difference um and it was something that
you know
honestly I grew up chasing my older
brother right like he was four years
older than me played all the same Sports
as me and it was I I was just constantly
chasing him and so there was a lot of
losing you know yep but if you were were
going to play with these older kids and
you were going to do all of this stuff
you were going to take your lumps but
you better get right back up get back in
their face and show that you weren’t
going to you know you weren’t going to
back down and and I really I think I
learned that from a young age and I just
I don’t think it ever went away I kept
looking at moments during your career
you know the touchdown pass your first
play and then trying to gather yourself
emotionally to get back in the game to
go win a football game getting thumped
in week two the you know game-winning
drives that you began to become
legendary four I think there were 46 of
them which is by the way sixth all time
in comeback wins in in NFL history which
begins to add up as we get through this
career of of what he’s done and and
there should be a gold jacket in the
closet at some point here for this guy
but the next Bridge was and I don’t
think you I didn’t know it yeah was that
the franchise had never had back-to-back
winning seasons and you go to the
playoffs your rookie year lose in
Arizona but took the team to the
playoffs here you come back in ‘ 09 and
they start talking about back-to-back
winning season I know I was like what
you know like how how can that be um and
it it was something and and so we go
through that year that second year uh
and we’re good football team you know we
we were a good football team kind of
right we were in the mix uh and I got
hurt um against Tampa I tore I I had
turf toe so I tore the LI ligaments in
my toe
uh and I think I missed two games Parts
really parts of three games and we went
0 and two while I was out um you know I
think we lost to the Eagles and and the
Saints uh I think I can’t remember
exactly but I think I think that’s who
we lost to uh and it kind of it it it it
it kind of eliminated us from playoff
contention but I remember there was that
last three- game stretch and so in order
to finish nine and seven we had to win
all three with little or nothing to play
for um as as you would see it from the
outside perspective uh and I came back
and and I remember we beat Buffalo we
beat the Jets and we beat Tampa um to
finish finish off that season and um Mr
blank I I do remember I I remember you
know his excitement you know and and I
know it doesn’t sound like the you know
sexiest thing of all time to have just
had you know your back-to-back winning
seasons for the first time but for him
taking over the organization I do think
it was something he was very proud of of
trying to get this going in the right
direction right uh to create uh
sustained success and and so uh that was
a big deal you know for for Mr blank
maybe not so much for the rest of the
players you know because we weren’t a
part of the you know 40 40 some years of
History up until that point but uh for
him it was and uh I’ll never forget that
well it also became that moment for me
as a former player here and part of the
problem why we didn’t have stop stop was
there’s a new Mark there’s a new
Benchmark that this organization is
supposed to reach and so Matt was a part
of that with all his teammates he’s
talking about but the ability to take
this to another level where the
expectation level is not just winning
seasons it’s going to the playoffs which
in 2010 we got that rectified yeah and I
think it’s it’s funny when we started
kind of piecing all this together I mean
without going Ralph Edwards this is your
life the whole way through I mean the
next line seems to be like
2012 um here you are you’ve been to the
playoffs a couple times it hadn’t
produced but to win in the postseason
yeah we were ow three at that point
postseason I mean you you you get to
2012 and then all of a sudden here’s
this Seattle game yeah right yeah and
it’s it’s a real thing I mean this is
like and yet all the things that had
happened really since’ 08 and the
building and adding Tony and going
through free agency and the the Cosmetic
change any team goes through in the
National Football League you get to 2012
and things just start out Gang Busters
in this game and then here’s Seattle
making this comeback and they take the
lead late and the next play We’re going
to run in this is a play that you guys
have come from deep in your own
territory late and then you make this
throw 19 seconds left Ryan in the gun
takes the snap Seattle bring him
pressure Matt’s going to throw Gonzalez
The Catch 35 Tony tackle 31 yd line
timeout Mike
[Applause]
Smith yeah come on I love it so this is
gun trips right deep 68 shell not you
remember no no no I mean Tony Tony
probably had 70 catches on this you know
during during his time with us maybe
maybe that’s an exaggeration but he had
a lot of catches you know on this play
the thing I love about that clip though
is you talk about it taking all 11 and
jaquis Rogers block you know coming from
the back side there’s pressure coming
from the right he’s got a scan Coast to
Coast we used to call it starting
looking on the left to make sure no
backers are coming from the left and
then scanning and coming back to the
right and coming across in front of my
face you know and stoning the backer
who’s coming from the right side giving
me just enough time for uh you know me
to push the ball down the field to get
to Tony but you know it was that was a
big deal and it was a huge deal and I’ll
never forget Tony after that ball game
you know because you know you talk about
our journey uh as an organization of you
know losing in ‘ 08 to uh to Arizona
losing in 10 to Green Bay who went on to
win the Super Bowl losing in 11 to New
York who went on to win the Super Bowl
you know was kind of that buildup and
Tony was in year I want to say 14 or 15
at this point and had never won a
playoff game correct and for him to make
that play to be a part of it Matt Bryant
to to make that kick going through after
it there there was a lot of really cool
you know pieces of that and it was the
first that was that was the label right
it was yeah you’re pretty good player
but you haven’t won any playoff games
all right so okay we can do it we can
come back and win a playoff game you
know and then can you do more and so
that was really you know the start of it
but it’s never going to be easy that’s
the thing I remember uh you know about
about my career too is that nothing you
know nothing is given nothing comes
easily right you got to earn Le every
every part of it it’s hard to do and
that’s why it makes making plays like
that so rewarding well again it hearkens
back to what you learned as a kid your
backyard yeah 100% let’s get the
culmination if we can let’s get let’s
finish this one
off no we were uh do we have the field
goal do we have have the field goal we
just have the green b anyway the field
goal and I was living vicariously
through you as was every fan that was in
the Georgia Dome and all those who are
watching at home because Wes makes a
great call um as Matt kicks it through
to win it and um I looked at I looked
over at Wes and I said Wes why do we
live this way that
was that was just organic it was just
that was because we had been so they
been so close why are we doing this to
ourselves but it was just it was just a
phenomenal moment that I think
everybody that will think back and and
hopefully you guys enjoy this with Matt
that you’ll feel what you felt at that
time because we all went yeah 100% 100%
we made it hard on ourselves in that
game to be you know Frank too but you
know what’s cool about that game you
know now seeing it from hindsight that
Seattle Team turned into that was the
beginning of that legion of boom and
that Russell Wilson run and you don’t
know that that’s going to be one of the
Premier teams you know in the NFC for
that stretch that was really the very
beginning of it right and for us to be
toe-to-toe and then go out there and
find a way to get it done um you know it
was special it was super special do you
feel like though in 12 it’s your team
you’re already the quote face of the
franchise I think that term gets kind of
loosely used sometimes when it’s not
applicable but do you feel like okay I’m
I’m kind of directly responsible
publicly for what this comes to be as a
player yeah I mean I I I probably felt
that prior to 12 you know I think that
um I always was cognizant of the fact
that being a quarterback in the NFL
being the starting quarterback for one
of these 32 franchises there’s a lot of
weight that comes with that and how you
conduct yourself every day right the the
way that you work the way that you are
for your teammates I never I never took
that part of it lightly like I didn’t
take that for granted and so I felt that
weight um constantly you know for for 14
years at times it was heavier than
others but you know for 14 years here I
always I always felt that way you know I
remember Mike Smith telling me listen
man wins and losses are attached to two
people’s names around here yours and
mine wow you know in year one and so
when you think about it that really is
his head coaching record is this this
quarterback’s record is this you don’t
hear it for a wide receiver you don’t
hear it for you know an offensive Lin
but there’s a there’s a a weight that
comes with it the thing
I don’t know why uh and it’s probably
the way I was brought up and and maybe
just the way I am I was always
comfortable with that you know what I
mean so to me that was one of the
reasons that allowed me to be successful
you know for a long time was that yes I
felt it I knew it was there and I was
comfortable with that I I was okay you
know being in that spot and in fact I
really liked it you know I I really like
that pressure I like that you know I
felt like that brought the best out in
me so I probably felt that way prior to
2012 but um I think my confidence was
probably in a you know a career high up
until that point uh during that 2012
season well there’s not a lot of guys
and and then we’re talking about a
select amount of guys a lot of those
guys are are enshrined in Canton that
can handle that kind of information when
you got a coach that comes to you and
you’re a 22y old kid and they say hey
this is attached to you and me you’ve
got to be careful about information that
you Tred to share with people cuz some
guys are a little bit more fragile than
others that was never ever fragile and
and anything like those type of words
was never associated with you I always
appreciated the the toughness part of
that toughness was your ability to line
up every weekend and I I get a chance
like I said see you three times a week
and and maybe more than that during
during the season the times I knew you
were beat up and couldn’t you probably
shouldn’t go there were a number of
times you shouldn’t have played and I
know you know that yeah tell me about
that and your mindset of needing to line
up every time with your guys well I
think it started
um I mean honestly it start I I’ll share
this so it starts from a young age um I
remember my uncle was a quarterback at
Boston College John locker and my uncle
broke his thumb at BC and Doug fluty
came in and became the quarterback at
Boston College
and my uncle wasn’t like bitter or
anything about it but you know maybe a
little bit maybe a little bit but just
just a sh a little bit but I remember
hearing the story as a kid right and
it’s the I don’t know why but it’s the
things I remember you know hearing
growing up and I was like oh that’s
that’s interesting you know if you can
play through it play through it right
don’t let somebody go out there and and
take your spot and so I remember then
getting to Boston College and so I kind
of it it didn’t happen quickly for me it
took some time I had to work my way up
and finally got a chance to play you
know in my red shirt sophomore year to
start in Earnest I kind
of I took over the team halfway through
so then my junior year I break my fifth
metat tarsel in my foot against Virginia
Tech and I finished the game it was
hurting whatever and I go in with the
doctors and I’m like okay so what can
you do for it and they’re like well
nothing it’s it’s a clean brake right in
half we’ll put a screw in it and I was
like well what happens if you play and
they were like well nothing really it’ll
probably calcify around we’ll just rebre
it and then put a screw in after the
season and I said all right that sounds
good to me let’s do that but somewhere
in the back of my mind it was that I
knew there was this kid Chris crane who
was behind me at Boston College who was
6’4 235 240 he ran like a 45 46 and he
could throw it and I was like I’m not
coming off the field like I I I and I’m
probably screwed up uh in that way but
that was the way my mind worked right
and so it was just this always I can be
out there I can do it I’ll figure out a
way to to get it done so then you get to
the NFL right and you’re going to be
playing through certain things and I
just felt like I talked about that
weight of of you know wins and losses
being attached to it and I also think
back to like to whom much is given much
is expected so I feel like I was given a
lot and I was expected to to do what I
could to to be out there and perform and
and try and help our team win wi um
so I had
many verbal confrontations with training
staff and stuff like that like no I’m
playing you know we we’ll bigger out way
you know I remember running in I I can’t
remember what I did but Marty lazone and
Danny long were were in the training
room and I couldn’t practice Wednesday I
probably didn’t practice Thursday but I
woke up Friday morning I was like this
feels a little better and I remember
walking in to the training room it’s
like 5:30 I’m the only one in there and
I yell at Marty and Danny I’m like don’t
change the mother effing game plan I’m
good to go and they’re like what you
know and and but just that was it you
know it was for me it was I’m G to find
a way to play uh no matter what and I’m
gonna you know try and be out there if
if at all possible yeah there were
special shoes there were shoulder
harnesses there were things back I mean
it was unbelievable how many different
ways they got this guy back on field
because he demanded to be on the field
um we get to 2016 Dan Quinn’s second
year you have gone through a transition
of GM and head coach Dave we were
talking before we started this about the
variety of offensive coordinators that
you five OC’s I five different OC’s yep
uh you get to 16 you’ve had a year with
DQ you kind of know what the plan is you
worked with Kyle for a year MH it clicks
in year two
uh a little bumpy in spots but it clicks
why how I think you work through it
right and so um you know
2015 2015 we started like six and two 5
and0 5 and0 and then I’m thinking
through that first half of the Season we
probably like six and two somewhere
around there and so we start out but I
even remember being like I don’t feel
like I I don’t feel that comfortable
though you know what I mean like we’re
winning and this is great
we’re kind of doing it with smoking
mirrors we’re kind of because you know
it right you know it as a player when
you’re really operating or you’re kind
of just you’re getting by and I think we
were all learning it it was really
different it was really new it wasn’t
just myself it was collectively right we
we had guys have been around for a long
time and had had been in the same system
we had different coordinators but we had
been in the same system for seven years
together so there were so many little
things you know we kind of had to rewire
our brains uh to operate differently so
I think it took us time um and then I
think having really candid honest
conversations that offseason too about
hey I’m in I’m all in I’m good you know
with where we’re going but we need to we
need a few things here and there too and
I think that that that mixing heading
into the 2016 season was really good and
then in fact I remember being seven and
I think we’re were seven and five MH mhm
so it wasn’t like I mean it was a it was
a great year but it wasn’t like we were
just railroading teams right from the
start right like it was there was some
back and forth and and some hard we had
the rocky lost to Kansas City here
remember yeah I do thre threw a pick on
a two-point conversion that went back
for two points uh yeah you know so so
there was some of that we had a tough
loss I remember against the Chargers
where we had a chance at the end we kind
of came screaming back we ended up
losing but none of them were blowouts
you know what I mean it was it was all
that it was tight we were right there
just need to tighten a few things up and
then boom I mean we we we we got into a
rhythm and we started rolling and and we
played you know some some really good
football uh you know down that stretch
and offens I mean offensively we were we
were a problem I mean we could it it it
was it felt like Every Time We Touch
touch the ball we were going to score a
touchdown and it wasn’t far off you know
it really wasn’t set records for points
that year yeah it was um that was a it
was a fun team to be a part of and
obviously you know a disappointment for
sure um you know but that’s part of it
um we’re going to run one more play here
um it’s it it maybe is I know it’s one
of daveid M’s favorite plays absolutely
uh you had beaten Seattle the week
before in the divisional round and again
always somehow Seattle shows up this
thing right yeah but then you had to
exercise one more demon and Green Bay
comes in here because they beat Dallas
yeah
I mean they go to they go and beat the
top seed right you got to go back to 11
when they came in and beat us here on
that Saturday night game they rolled us
yeah um so here’s the NFC title game and
this is second quarter uh plus territory
7 and A2 minutes left to
go Green Bay Rush is four Ryan steps up
in the pocket Matt PPS runs 10 five does
he score he does a rushing touch down
for Matt Ryan how bad does number two
want
[Applause]
it by the way former Falcon staffer
Michael Benford almost took one in the
Noggin on the spike yeah that was that
was clocked at 103 miles hour that was
the hardest I ever true well it it to me
it
typified really you and your career yeah
it was just it was a a moment in time
yeah it was and I I think I mean you
talk about the celebration and like what
I think of when I see that you know I
think I was 31 years old at the time
right somewhere around there I think
that’s season 30 31 somewhere somewhere
around there I started playing football
in second grade you know so like to me
that’s you’re talking 20 20 some years
of of of effort of work of you know to
try and be in that position to try and
to try and do it and and that’s why like
all of that stuff is coming out too you
know all of all of the good all of the
people along the way you know that you
were a part of like you feel all of that
you know and honestly I don’t even know
how to describe like what is running
through your body you know at that time
but it’s this is the hard part right
when when it’s over
is I love playing golf I never feel like
that playing golf
you know what I mean or get it you know
I think the nerves with kids become
similar to where you feel the emotions
that that you have for them and and that
part is really good or really cool but
like that is the stuff that that is hard
to replicate that that you know you’ll
never get back but like I think that is
a fair representation too like you said
like I really love to play and I like I
really love to compete and
um like I think that is that coming out
in in those type of situations it was to
me real quickly in watching it and
that’s why I said how bad is number two
want it is it was a collective feeling
not only for you and obviously huge
moment for you in your career to get get
the monkey off your back get to the big
game but the whole city was riding with
you yeah it was crazy I’ll never forget
so I mean this game was unbelievable
but first half we come out we explode in
the in the third quarter coming out too
we just did not take our foot off the
gas the entire game and we get to the
end and it’s the only time in my life
you know I’ve been on the
field totally consumed with what was
going on off the field and have
Goosebumps or whatever I feel like my
whole life I didn’t really you don’t
even hear it right you don’t even notice
it and
that Dome finishing up and that place
chanting MVP and me trying to get it
quiet because we’re snapping it like to
just run the clock out basically and my
Skin’s crawling off you know and I’m
shaking on the
inside I’ll never forget it like it was
um I miss that Dome you know I I I miss
I miss it for for for that reason
because you know you said it’s you know
70,000 people in that thing and five six
7 million people in our city you know
whatever the fan base
is um it’s happening to me and I was
like this is this is crazy this is
unbelievable can I want to I want to
share a couple things well first of all
I I remember there are two things that
happened that day that I remember
specifically late in the game Dave came
out of a we came out of a commercial
break and it’s evident you’re going to
win the game and Dave said isn’t it nice
we can just tip our hat walk up the 18th
Fairway here knowing that we’re going to
go someplace and play again because we
gone from why do we live like this to
you know now we’re going to do our cap
and walk up the 18 Fairway the second
part of this and and I wanted to touch
on this and we we were talking about
this kind of as we were working through
the process of talking to you
today there’s some constants you’ve
mentioned intermittently along the way
two things I remember about that one is
you and Sarah after the game that
captured by NFL films yeah and how proud
because she was a good athlete oh man
played women’s basketball at Georgia
Tech terrific in her own right and how
proud she was of you and how much that
meant to her that you got that done
that’s one yeah and then after the game
your dad ah
yeah I
mean yeah so I saw your dad and I was
just like I’ll start I’ll start with my
dad so I mean my dad is I see him after
the game and the cool thing you know
for oh man really the whole time at the
Dome because the I say this the parking
situation changed at Mercedes
so the whole time at the Dome we had
that parking lot that was underneath
right outside of the locker room and my
dad and I would drive home from every
game together nobody else and and so
Sarah you know would leave we’d all be
going back to the house or whatever she
would you know have the rest of my
family getting set up whatever it is
right but it was always it was always my
time with my dad for yeah you know 20 25
30 minutes whatever and and I loved that
you know and and so that was a special
you know ride back with him my dad you
know is a little bit old school in that
you know
it we weren’t told you know how great we
were all the time you know it was um it
was just a you know a different time and
and this is I you know never he
certainly loved us and and showed us
that all the time but you know it wasn’t
it’s just different and so
uh I remember that that car ride back
and him just being like I’m really proud
of you and I’m like damn man I have
never heard that like no no I felt it I
felt it but you know it’s just that
generation very different and So like um
Thrive you wanted his approval you
wanted to please your dad 100% so I
remember that and I always knew that but
sure it abolutely it was cool it was
cool on the ride home um and then Sarah
after the game I have a picture of me
leaning down and her kind of in that
spot uh in the house and I mean I look
excited but yeah my my and the picture
is like kind of from my like how I
remember it too and it’s just you’re
exactly right I mean for my entire
career you know she’s the one person
that got the honesty you know because AR
you know this showing up in the building
every day as a quarterback I mean there
are days when you don’t have it you
don’t feel good but you better fake it
you better come in and you better you
know be on it be a positive upbeat uh
dialed in all of those things and then
you kind of get in that car and you get
home and you’re like this is disaster
this is good you know like I’m not my
body’s messed up he’s not doing this or
you know she caught all of it you know
she she caught all of it that frankly
nobody else caught you know and um you
mentioned her being a great athlete
she’s I mean she’s also like the best
sports psychologist on the planet of
knowing what to say or what not to say
just seemingly perfect um you know
forever and so uh I mean I wouldn’t be I
wouldn’t have been the same player I was
without her I I know that for sure uh
and the
celebrations would not have been as fun
as they were without people that like
you mentioned my dad and and my wife who
were such a big part of it along the way
yeah just I I remember seeing your
parents and and I I talked to your pop I
don’t care was it at home or on the road
wherever it was I’d always keep calling
me over hey what do you what exactly I
said your kids got it man we we’re good
we’re good we’re good I it’s the love
and support that was there both from
from your immediate family with your
wife and and and with Sarah and then
your mom and dad um was so so evident
and it and it and I know it meant a lot
to you oh man it meant a ton you know
you guys knew it you know I would talk
to you after every game I would see you
after every game you know particularly
those Road games but my
dad my dad wouldn’t even say much you
know he’s not he’s not a big talker um
but he would be standing outside the
locker room win or lose every game on
the road I mean I think the guy missed
prior to co like two or three games my
entire career uh and would be standing
and out outside that locker room and it
was just we didn’t even really need to
talk you might get two minutes you know
before we were heading to the
bus but that meant you know that meant
the world to me just having that safe
whatever you want to call it safe space
or uh where you could let your guard
down for one minute talk about nothing
and you would finish with it you good
and I’m like I’m good man I’m I’m good
and that was it I mean honestly but for
whatever reason and that was the thing
that kind of okay all right I’m I’m yeah
I’m I’m back yeah exactly so that’s
awesome um without creating a minseries
of visit yeah sorry no no no it’s this
is all good we have talked since you
played in Indianapolis and now gotten
into television and we we’ll get a final
thought about that future um the
commitment that you and Sarah but the
that you’re making in this community the
thing why Atlanta is now important to
you why it’s home to you why it’s this
is a valued piece of what you are as
Matt Ryan how when when did that start I
mean I I could say sure you played here
14 years it’s easy to understand but
there’s a lot more to it than just
putting the black helmet on and we’re in
number two now to what Matt Ryan and
Atlanta are yeah I mean it’s well that
part is is hard right in this in this
profession you really have no control
over where you start you don’t and so um
I always feel like I was so lucky that
it was here not only for what happened
in my career but it’s a great I mean you
guys know it it’s a great it’s a really
good place to live uh and I always felt
like it was important to give back you
know early in my career whether that was
with choah or you know Boys and Girls
clubs around the city or later in my
career kind of starting this ATL
Foundation yep um to help kind of black
kids in the in the west side of Atlanta
I think you know it was always important
but it really came home when my kids
were born and you know you start to
think about like and I still kind of
scratch my head like my kids are from
the south what like like what like what
is going on you know like we took him up
my wife is from Portland Maine and so we
took him up to Maine this January and
and there was like there wasn’t even
snow on the ground just like you know
where it’s plowed off or whatever and my
kids are like there’s so much snow let’s
go sledding and I’m like you’re sledding
on grass like what what is wrong with
you they just don’t know you know so we
still kind of you know laugh and and
kind of pinch ourselves about that but
it really changed for us you know when
when my older two were born um and you
know you think about your life in a
different way when the kids come where
are we going to raise our children this
is a great place to raise our children
the people here have been incredibly
kind to me uh and Sarah you know through
throughout our career and and Beyond and
so uh special you know I I think we all
want to you know be a you know a
beneficial part of the communities and
and try and make them you know better
places and and that’s what we’re
committed to to trying to do all right I
got to ask you a couple just uh random
questions now off the top the rapid fire
this is
the all right favorite City to play in
other than Atlanta uh Green Bay why
Green Bay Lambo yeah I mean I I you
can’t even classify Green Bay as a city
but there is to me there is no no other
Stadium like that there’s no other
feeling like that in the NFL I always
loved playing up there I tell people all
the time I get asked that question and
dve and I’ve done games there where it’s
been four and games when it’s been 44
degrees Yeah I think it’s one of the few
places in the National Football League
that has a pure Collegiate feel to it
100% it feels different I think it feels
different from from any any other place
in the NFL I think anybody’s ever had a
chance to be up there just be in the
building but let alone play there I you
know and I’ve been fortunate enough to
be there as a player and as a broadcast
and you’re right Matt it’s a different
place least favorite place to go come
on come on is it is is it Cam Jordan is
it Cam Jordan New Orleans yeah okay good
just check just wanted to reaffirm a per
game yeah we just wanted to reaffirm
that you and Cam Jordan have had with
rekindled relationship I just want I
like cam I like I you know you get to
know players and and this kind of stuff
and the competitiveness is there but if
if I’m you know okay just check one it
was my favorite place to
win I just wanted to verify that cuz it
was my least favorite place I remember
one walk we had post game there one time
and you were like slow strolling the
entire field from the visitors locker
room yeah I’m going to enjoy this walk
right here it didn’t happen very often
but when it did it was good can you in
your
234 career games
starts uh which every time you played
you started so 234 times is there a
favorite game all time wow can you do
that how about that question huh
I mean yeah I think the the last clip we
showed you know close closing out that
uh the Georgia Dome that way that
game um that was that was probably the
most
special followed by one that was yeah
was difficult but uh that one yeah for
sure which is interesting about that
game and we have not talked about the
Super Bowl and it obviously didn’t go
the way we wanted it to go um by the way
uh Matt’s the fourth highest rated
passer m in Super Bowl history correct
and you can take all the winners all the
fourth rated game all time in rating
Phil Sims just like four percentage
points ahead and Phil Sims went 22 of 25
in that 86 Super Bowl when he beat the
Broncos just tells you how good a game
Matt had that day but I’m GNA throw some
numbers out at you 46 game winning Drive
sixth all time
um 76 career 300 yard games fourth all
time 6200
62,700 incredibly proud of it like I
still think I still think of playing
High School football at pen Charter and
if I threw for a thousand yards in a
season and had 10 touchdown passes that
was like an unbelievable year you know
and so to from a perspective you know
it’s it’s uh it’s hard to gauge that I
mean I feel like I never I never you
know took the blinders off while I was
playing um you know I was always kind of
aware because you’re answering questions
about that kind of stuff at different
times and you understand you know that
that things pile up and and turn into
something at the end but uh I honestly I
never I never worried about that stuff
you know uh and it wasn’t why I played
you know if I’m if I’m being honest it’s
nice that all of those things happen but
uh it wasn’t the reason you know I did
any of those things but now looking back
on it from from the lens where it’s
where it’s done and
like I’m like holy like how did that
happen you know that’s I I still think
like how how did it happen like how how
did all those yards how did all the
touchdowns you know I know the work I
put in but um it’s still it still feels
like a dream you know to me in in a lot
of ways and I know it it isn’t like it
really happened but uh still feels like
a dream well I know that’s why it
happened okay you can capsize it because
he’s that guy mhm he is that guy yeah I
guess well thank you yeah although I
would question hanging around us and
becoming a friend now you’re decided to
jump into this phras colleague yeah
colle media colleague is that what you
are now a colleague great that’s so I I
got introduced at something I was out at
Super Bowl this year and I got
introduced as an NFL analyst and I was
like
what is it funny how we we’ve always
tried to shy away from
media analy as good as a player as he
was he’s probably going to be that and
then some as an analyst I me get ready
because Matt Ryan’s going to be in your
in your homes over the next several
seasons as one of the best analysts you
talk about a guy can break the games
down you think he broke him down as a
player what do you hear him break him
down as an analyst it’s gonna be a lot
of fun thanks thank you guys appr
honestly I want to say it before we’re
done you guys were a big part of it too
along for every you know step of the way
and um I appreciate having having seen
it from a different lens now and knowing
how difficult it is to do what you guys
do uh and how good you are to the
players and to the coaches and
respectful to the families and all those
things I really appreciate you know both
of you and I’m thankful that you guys
were along for at least you know my
portion of the journey and it made me
sound a lot better than I was had a lot
of cool calls on there and and different
things like that but uh you two are the
best and uh I really you know appreciate
uh the time today and you know all you
did for me and the the 14 Seasons here
appreciate you it’s a pleasure thank you
guys pleasure uh thanks for joining us
on this special edition on the Atlanta
Falcons podcast Network