Matt Ryan is an American athlete playing in the National Football League as the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. Ryan has a long career in the NFL over the course of 15 seasons and is considered one of the more seasoned football veterans of the league. He has earned a number of accolades and praise for his performance on the field. Moreover, his effectiveness as a starting quarterback is reflected in his career statistics which stand at over 8,400 passing attempts, more than 5,500 passing completions, and a completion percentage of approximately 65%.
Before becoming a professional football player, Ryan competed in college football at Boston College from 2003 until he graduated in 2007. During his senior year at Boston, Ryan won the Manning and Johnny Unitas Golden Arms Awards shortly before joining the NFL. During the 2008 NFL Draft, Ryan was picked by the Atlanta Falcons in the third overall during the first round. During his period with the Falcons, Ryan helped build his reputation as a dominant starting quarterback for 14 seasons.
Currently, Ryan still holds multiple franchise records in passing yards, touchdowns, and ratings. He started off his rookie year as the Falcon's starting quarterback and led them to the playoffs before winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008. Ryan also won other league awards, such as the NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in 2016. Ryan has received four Pro Bowl selections so far in his career.
Over the course of his time with the Falcons, the franchise was led to six playoff appearances and won three division titles. His most successful season occurred in 2016 when he led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI to compete against the New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady. The Patriots ended up defeating the Falcons by a score of 28-3 during overtime.
