Getty Patriots owner Robert Kraft had plenty to be relieved by his team staged a comeback from 28-3 down against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 Super Bowl.
The New England Patriots likely won’t get a shot at former MVP and recent Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan this season as he heads to the broadcast studio for CBS Sports.
Ryan, 37, once enjoyed a 28-3 lead over the Patriots in the 2017 Super Bowl before quarterback Tom Brady rallied New England to a 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The 2016 MVP, Ryan played for the Falcons from 2008 to 2021 followed by a stint with the Colts in 2022 before a release in March. New England faces the Colts in November.
“Excited to join the NFL on CBS family,” Ryan tweeted on Monday, May 15. “Looking forward to breaking down the game this season. P.S. – this is not a retirement post.”
Ryan remains a free agent and not retired, but no team has taken him on as a starter or backup. His play declined with the Colts last season as he got benched twice. He completed 67% of his passes amid 3,057 yards and 14 touchdowns versus 13 interceptions.
Ryan managed to eclipse his 28-3 blown lead against the Patriots last season. That happened when the Colts blew a 33-0 lead against the Minnesota Vikings and lost 39-36 in December 2022.
February 5, 2017: The Falcons blow a 28-3 lead, and the Patriots win Super Bowl LI 34-28 in overtime in Houston.
Things never worked out for Ryan when facing the Patriots besides the Super Bowl collapse. He went 0-3 in regular season meetings against the Patriots for his career.
A former No. 3 pick out of Boston College in 2008, Ryan had a decorated career with the Falcons. He made All-Pro once and four Pro Bowl appearances. Ryan has 62,792 yards for 381 touchdowns versus 183 interceptions in his career. That puts Ryan in the top-10 all-time for passing yards.
“It is truly an honor to join this exceptional team at CBS Sports,” Ryan said via CBS Sports’ press release. “I have been blessed to have incredible teammates throughout my career and I am fortunate that will continue here working with and learning from the very best in the industry.”
CBS Excited to Bring Matt Ryan Aboard
CBS Sports executive Harold Bryant expressed his excitement about Ryan joining the broadcast team. Ryan notably earned a bachelor’s degree in communication at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.
“As one of the NFL’s marquee quarterbacks for the past 15 years, we’re thrilled to add Matt to our talented roster of NFL analysts,” Bryant said. “He has played the game at the highest level, including winning an MVP award and taking his team to the Super Bowl, and will bring a fresh perspective to CBS Sports. We look forward to Matt sharing his knowledge, insight and opinions with our viewers and bolstering our NFL coverage.”
Tom Brady Owned Matt Ryan & Falcons
Brady plans to jump into NFL broadcasting soon, too, but in 2024 for FOX.
While Brady got to face Ryan twice a year for two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ryan couldn’t find a way to lead the Falcons past the Brady-led Bucs. That included a Brady-led comeback from 17-0 down to beat the Falcons 31-27 in December 2020.
Brady finished his career in 2022 with a perfect 10-0 in full-game starts against the Falcons. However, he took one blemish to his record in January when the Bucs fell to the Falcons, but he only played in the first half of that game.