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It doesn’t get anymore professional than Matt Ryan at quarterback in the NFL. Whether on the field or in front of the media, he’s the ultimate pro.
But in his first interview on The Pat McAfee Show, his mood seemed a little different. He was more open and made quite a few funny remarks. Ryan even gave his hosts beers before beginning the interview while also drinking one himself.
In addition to beer, Ryan shared two hilarious stories, including one about his first introduction to the Indianapolis Colts.
According to Ryan, the Colts brass unintentionally kept the quarterback waiting for his first introductory interview with the team for more than five hours.
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Matt Ryan Says He Waits Hours for Colts to Call
With two years remaining on Ryan’s contract this offseason, his first conversation with the Colts wasn’t as easy as just bringing him to Indianapolis for a visit.
In the days following the Deshaun Watson trade on March 18, Ryan says the Colts organization tried scheduling a Zoom call with him. Ryan told McAfee that the Colts wanted to meet via Zoom on Saturday, March 19.
But Ryan had another very important obligation that day.
“I had tee-ball,” Ryan said. “I’ve got twin boys, and we’ve got the tee-ball opening day parade, and I was supposed to go at one. So I’m like, ‘Guys, I’m free anytime after one o’clock.”
The Colts agreed to call Ryan after 1 pm. But they called well after that time.
“Then whatever hoops they have to jump through, I’m sitting there from one until 6:30 waiting to get a call,” Ryan said. “This is a Saturday afternoon.”
The veteran quarterback made it clear to McAfee that it wasn’t the Colts’ fault because there was a lot of moving parts in what the quarterback and team were trying to accomplish. And fortunately, Ryan and the Colts did finally meet via Zoom, and that’s all that really counts to the quarterback at this point.
“It doesn’t matter how it went down. I’m not going to pin myself in that corner,” Ryan said. “But it worked out.”
Ryan also shared that the Zoom conversation lasted more than two hours. When it concluded, Ryan said he told his wife that he was ready to move from the Atlanta Falcons to the Colts.
Matt Ryan Continued Joking with Pat McAfee
Ryan kept the fun going on The Pat McAfee Show as his interview continued. Ryan and McAfee covered the quarterback’s nutrition and then the conversation dived into Super Bowl LI.
“I want us to have a great relationship, you and me,” McAfee said. “But I have to bring something up that is terrible, and I have terrible memories in my sports career, and they are awful. You have one that gets referenced all the f****** time. It has to be…”
Ryan decided to interrupt.
“I’m going to take a big sip of this,” the quarterback responded while holding up his beer can.
Afterwards, Ryan grew more serious and spoke about how motivating the loss to the New England Patriots in the 2017 Super Bowl still is for him.
Ryan referred to the experience as a scar that gives you a callus. The quarterback added that those types of experiences are essential to winning a Super Bowl.
“In order to win playoff games, in order to win championships, it takes a hard mindset. It takes a callous team.”
Colts head coach Frank Reich seems to agree. Ryan said Reich brought up the team’s two losses at the end of the 2021 season to begin a team meeting in April. Those two defeats knocked Indianapolis out of the playoffs.
“Can’t change it, wouldn’t change it because it’s brought us to the point where we’re at,” Ryan said Reich preached to the team.
Ryan added that Reich wasn’t wrong, but the jovial veteran added another joke.
“In my head, I’m like, ‘Well, there are some things I’d like to change.’ You know, just one small thing.”
