After a disastrous 0-4 start of the 2020 NFL season, Atlanta Falcons cleaned house by firing general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn on Sunday. And, it might be safe to say that they are not done as Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank seems to be non-committal to longtime quarterback Matt Ryan.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, Blank said that he hopes Ryan will be part of the franchise’s future although he can’t guarantee it.
“Matt’s been a franchise leader for us, great quarterback; one of the leading quarterbacks in the last 13 years in the NFL,” said Blake. “I hope he’s going to be part of our plans going forward. But that will be a decision that I won’t make.”
According to Blank, the decision about Ryan will depend on the new coaching staff but the player himself.
“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,” he added. “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.”
Matt Ryan has three more years left on the five-year, $150 million extension he signed in 2018, so it would make sense from a financial standpoint for the Falcons to keep him around for at least a couple of more years. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, however, if the Falcons start looking for his successor soon. This will especially be a tempting option if they land a high draft pick and are in a position to select some of the top QB prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Ryan, who has an MVP award from 2016, joined Falcons as the third overall selection in 2008. Over the past 13 years, he threw for 52,432 yards and 328 touchdowns while completing 65.4 percent of his passes. He has four Pro Bowl nods and one All-Pro selection.
