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Former NFL quarterback turned CBS Sports analyst Matt Ryan officially announced his retirement from his playing career on Monday (April 22).
Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP, made his announcement in a video shared on the social media accounts of the Atlanta Falcons, his team for the first 14 of his 15 NFL seasons, having initially been selected by the franchise No. 3 overall in the 2008 NFL Draft.
"So today, 16 years after being drafted, my childhood dream has officially come to an end. I'm honored to retire as a Falcon," Ryan said in a message to Falcons fans.
"You have no control in this profession in where you start. I am so lucky that my start and my finish was here in Atlanta," he added.
Ryan announced his decision to join CBS Sports as a studio and game analyst last May, but noted that he never officially made retirement plans prior to Monday's announcement.
"Excited to join the @NFLonCBS family! Looking forward to breaking down the game this season. P.S. - this is not a retirement post," Ryan wrote on his X account at the time.
Ryan ranks in the top 10 among all NFL quarterbacks in career passing yards (62,792), touchdowns (381), completions (5,551) and attempts (8,464). The former Boston College standout led the Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance during his NFL MVP season in 2016 and six playoff berths during his 14 seasons with the franchise before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts in March 2022.
Ryan threw for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during his lone season in Indianapolis.