Is Matt Ryan A Future Hall Of Famer? Analyzing Ryan's Career After Retirement Announcement

Now that longtime Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has officially retired from the NFL, what will be his legacy? Aidin Ebrahimi takes a look at Ryan's chances to make the Hall of Fame.

After spending the 2023 NFL season as an analyst, former league MVP Matt Ryan has officially announced his retirement. Ryan signed a one-day contract with the Atlanta Falcons to retire as a member of the team that drafted him with the third overall pick in 2008.

Ryan spent 14 incredible seasons in Atlanta, becoming the franchise's all-time leading passer in just 94 games. In all, Ryan finished with 59,735 passing yards as a Falcon, 2.5 times more than the franchise's second all-time passing leader. However, Ryan's infamous blown leads and the fact that he never won a Super Bowl are bad stains on his resume.

Will Matt Ryan make the Hall of Fame one day? Let's dive in.

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The Case for Matt Ryan Making the Hall of Fame

Matt Ryan isn't just the best QB in Falcons history, he's also easily the best player in franchise history. If you're the best player an NFL team has ever had, you'll likely have a gold jacket waiting for you when you retire, right?

Ryan was also responsible for six playoff seasons, made four Pro Bowls, and had one of the greatest statistical seasons in NFL history in 2016, winning NFL MVP while carrying one of the worst defenses in the league.

Before Matt Ryan discourse gets crazy today, just remember, he played with ONE top 10 defense his entire career pic.twitter.com/szwDMLhvGd

— The Hood Therapist (@OhhMar24) April 22, 2024

The 2016 Falcons were one of the best offenses of all time, as they still rank in the top 10 of most total points scored by a team in a season. Ryan's 2016 postseason was also one of the greatest playoff runs ever by a quarterback, as he threw for 1,014 yards and nine touchdowns to no interceptions with a sparkling 135.3 passer rating.

Ryan's longevity also has to be applauded, as he lasted 15 years in the league as a starter despite never having the strongest arm. He also had a streak of 154 consecutive regular-season starts, which is fifth all time among quarterbacks.

The Case for Matt Ryan Not Making the Hall of Fame

The largest blown lead in an international game (21-0 lead to a 22-21 loss). The largest blown lead in an NFC Championship Game (17-0 lead to a 28-24 loss). The largest blown lead in a regular-season game (33-0 lead to a 39-36 loss). And of course, the largest blown lead in the Super Bowl and arguably the most infamous blown lead in sports history (28-3 lead to a 34-28 loss).

Matt Ryan is a generational choker. pic.twitter.com/C9IPAVoycE

— Toasted (@Toasted_6) December 17, 2022

These four choke jobs will forever haunt Ryan's legacy and are why many analysts don't think he'll ever make the Hall of Fame. Also, he fell off once he turned 33, never having a winning record in his last five seasons.

The Verdict

Statistically, Matt Ryan is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. However, he will always be remembered for his blown leads, especially 28-3. NFL fans fail to realize that Ryan carried so many terrible defenses and at times was his team's only hope alongside Julio Jones.

I asked Matt Ryan if he should be a Hall of Famer: "I do. ... The numbers speak for themselves. The consistency speaks for itself. I hope it's something that happens one day."

Full interview coming on @The33rdTeamFB.pic.twitter.com/6613zJnhj0

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 8, 2024

Now that players like Devin Hester are making the Hall of Fame, it wouldn't be shocking to see Ryan in the Hall of Fame one day. If it were up to me, Ryan would be in Canton.

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