COLTS LANDS MATT RYAN

NFL / Football

Written by Joel Lefevre

The Indianapolis Colts have found their new starting quarterback, acquiring Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons.

In return, the Falcons will receive a third-round draft choice.

Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

This news comes less than a week after the club dealt Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders for a second and third-round pick in this year’s draft, along with a conditional third-round choice in 2023.

Ryan has been the starter in Atlanta since being chosen #3 overall in the 2008 draft, and he is also a four-time Pro Bowler, who was named league MVP in 2016.

The veteran pivot led this franchise to Super Bowl LI, where his team had a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots before a late collapse saw the Pats come out on top 34-28 in overtime.

He turns 37 in May and is coming off a 2021 campaign in which Atlanta was 7-10, as he reached the 5,000-completion mark for his career and surpassed Eli Manning for eighth all-time in career passing yards.

Statistically speaking Ryan is the greatest QB in Falcons history, with the most quarterback wins and the fewest interceptions in a season by an Atlanta pivot, throwing only seven picks in 2016 and 2018 in 16 starts both times.

Atlanta was the perceived front runner in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes before the Cleveland Browns swooped in.

The Falcons agreed to defer a $7.5 million bonus which was due this past Friday to Tuesday in an effort to facilitate a deal for Watson, but unfortunately, the move was too little too late.

For his NFL career, the man nicknamed “Ice” has thrown for 59,735 yards with 367 touchdowns and 170 interceptions.