Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank raised doubts about quarterback Matt Ryan’s future with the organization on Monday.
Blank said that he wouldn’t be making the decision on Ryan’s future, and while he praised the quarterback, he certainly left the door open to moving on.
“Matt’s been a franchise leader for us, great quarterback; one of the leading quarterbacks in the last 13 years in the NFL,” Blank said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN. “I hope he’s going to be part of our plans going forward. But that will be a decision that I won’t make.
“Matt has the ability to play at a very high level, even at this age. Whether that’s going to continue or not, I’m not sure. I appreciate his willingness to consider doing that and the level at what he’s played for us for 13 years, which has been incredible. So we’ll have to see. But then again, that’s going to be a decision, at the end of the day, that part of it will be up to the player; part of it will be up to the coaching staff. And whether or not Matt can keep himself together.”
Blank has typically been fond of using the phrase “Falcon for life” about Ryan. He didn’t use it here, which is also telling.
The 35-year-old Ryan still puts up numbers, but hasn’t won as much. Last season, he threw 26 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in 15 games, and went a modest 7-8 as the team’s starter. With a new front office on its way in, the prospect of a rebuild may be on the table, and Ryan simply may not be part of that rebuild.
