Matt Ryan clarifies comments about Kyle Shanahan’s Super Bowl playcalling

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan tried to calm things down after he was perceived to have criticized former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s Super Bowl playcalling.

Ryan said in a recent interview with Pete Prisco of CBS Sports that Shanahan’s habit of taking a long time to call plays led to difficulty late in the Super Bowl, a game in which Atlanta blew a 28-3 lead.

On Sunday, Ryan tried to clarify, saying it wasn’t an excuse and was how the team operated all season long.

“I think sometimes the headlines of articles can be misleading,” Ryan said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN. “In that situation, it was just a reference to how we operated all year. It wasn’t coming in too late or anything. That’s just the way it came in. I thought Kyle did a great job for us last year.

“I think everybody is reading a little bit too much into it, and it is what it is. But we’ve moved on. We’re on to this year. And we’re focused on trying to become the best football team that this team can be.”

Shanahan was heavily criticized for what many felt was overly aggressive playcalling as the New England Patriots stormed back into the game, and there were whispers that Falcons players were dissatisfied as well. Still, this is not a discussion Ryan wants to be having at the start of training camp, particularly in public.