Falcons trade Matt Ryan to the Colts

For the fifth straight season, the Indianapolis Colts will have a different starting quarterback. On Monday, the Colts acquired Matt Ryan of Exton, Pennsylvania for a third round pick in the 2022 National Football League Draft according to Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report.

The Colts had Andrew Luck as their starting quarterback in 2018. After Luck shocked the football world with his retirement right before the 2019 season at age 29, the Colts have gone with Jacoby Brissett (2019), Philip Rivers (2020), and Carson Wentz (2021). Like Luck, Rivers retired as a Colt, while Wentz was traded earlier this month to the Washington Commanders.

In 2021, Ryan completed 370 passes in 560 attempts for 3968 yards. He also had 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and 40 rushes for 82 yards and another major score.

Ryan had spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Falcons before joining the Colts. Rivers meanwhile spent 16 seasons with the Chargers before joining the Colts in 2020.

You could argue that Ryan has put together a Hall of Fame career with the Falcons. He has completed 5242 passes for 59735 yards, and had 367 touchdowns, and 170 interceptions. A Pro Bowler in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016, Ryan led the NFL with 408 completions in 2019, and 407 completions in 2020. Ryan also led the NFL with a 68.6 completion percentage in 2012.

Even though Ryan put together great statistics in Atlanta, one game during his time with the Falcons will stand out over all the rest. That was Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017. In this game, the Falcons had a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots, but a horrendous fourth quarter allowed New England to tie the game at 28, and win it overtime 34-28.

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