ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons have named Matt Ryan as the team’s new president of football, a role recently added to the organization’s structure. Team owner Arthur Blank addressed questions about Ryan’s qualifications during his end-of-season press conference, noting that although Ryan lacks traditional front office experience, his background in football leadership is significant.
“I think,” Blank said, “the second part of your question has to do with Matt Ryan.”
Blank continued: “Matt is somebody we’ve had a long relationship with, we’ve continued to talk with. He is one of the candidates we’ll be interviewing. My response to that would be Matt Ryan came into the league as a rookie in 2008, ended up leading a locker room of 53 for 14 years, leading in a huddle, being a great player, leading players, supporting coaches, etc.”
“His EQ and IQ when it comes to football is extraordinarily high. I’ve known Matt personally since 2008 and his family, and he’s an outstanding individual, great community leader and the kind of person you certainly would want to consider in that position.”
Ryan will oversee all football decisions for the franchise. The team’s new head coach and general manager will report directly to him; he will report directly to Blank.
Ryan played for the Falcons from 2008 through 2021 and holds several franchise records. He led the team during playoff runs and their appearance in Super Bowl LI in 2017. The Falcons are based in Atlanta, Georgia and compete in the National Football League’s NFC South Division. They began as an expansion team in 1965 and have participated in two Super Bowls—in 1998 and 2016—according to their official website.
Ryan has remained involved with the organization after his playing career ended, offering advice at practices and engaging with current players such as Michael Penix Jr.
In recent years, Ryan worked as an analyst and commentator across various NFL platforms. This experience allowed him to interact with coaches, executives, and players throughout the league.
Other former players have made successful transitions into executive roles. John Lynch became general manager of the San Francisco 49ers after a Hall of Fame playing career followed by eight years as an analyst. Three seasons later he was named Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America.
“Having already helped lead a team to a Super Bowl title as a player, John is equipped with tremendous insight into what it takes to creative a culture that breeds sustained success,” said Jed York upon Lynch’s hire as general manager. “Having spent the last eight seasons as an analyst with FOX, he has honed his skills as a talented communicator while also developing valuable relationships around the league and a vast knowledge of the NFL that will be beneficial to our team.”
Other examples include John Elway’s tenure leading football operations for the Denver Broncos—which resulted in multiple division titles—and Troy Vincent Sr.’s work growing girls flag football at an executive level within the NFL.
Blank expressed confidence that this organizational change could benefit Atlanta: “make a big difference.” He noted Ryan’s impact on both field performance and community engagement during his time with Atlanta.
The Falcons hope this new chapter under Ryan’s leadership will bring positive results similar to those seen by other franchises who have taken this approach.
