Matt Ryan retires | QB retires with Atlanta Falcons [Video]

ATLANTA — It wasn’t long ago that the Atlanta Falcons drafted a bright-eyed, young quarterback out of Boston College who would go on to change the franchise’s trajectory for years to come — at least it doesn’t feel that long ago.

But fast forward 16 years and longtime Falcons QB Matt Ryan is officially hanging up his helmet for good. But better yet, the man known to Atlanta sports fans as “Matty Ice” is retiring as a Falcon after spending 14 years with the franchise from 2008-2021.

Ryan was selected third overall by the Falcons in the 2008 NFL Draft. He took over the reigns at the quarterback position in a time when the franchise desperately needed it.

At the time, the Falcons were just one year removed from Michael Vick’s dogfighting investigation that changed the course of history for the franchise. With …