Atlanta Falcons Name New President Of Football

ATLANTA, GA — Matt Ryan, a sports analyst and former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, was named the team's president of football on Saturday.

Ryan's hiring comes just days after the Falcons terminated Head Coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot after an 8-9 season that ended Sunday with a 19-17 win against the New Orleans Saints.

In the new role, Ryan will oversee all aspects of football for the organization, reporting directly to Falcons owner Arthur Blank. He will also be involved in the search for both the open head coach and GM roles.

"Throughout his remarkable 14-year career in Atlanta, Matt's leadership, attention to detail, knowledge of the game and unrelenting drive to win made him the most successful player in our franchise's history," Blank said in a statement. "I am confident those same qualities will be a tremendous benefit to our organization as he steps into this new role."

Ryan spent 14 seasons in Atlanta, leading the Falcons to the postseason five times, including two NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance. He set franchise records for career passing yards, attempts, completions, passing touchdowns, passer rating, completion percentage and 300-yard games.

Ryan also set a litany of single-game and single-season records during his time with the Falcons. He led Atlanta to a 120-102 regular-season record and missed just three games over his career.

Ryan's best season came in 2016 when he earned first-team All-Pro honors after leading the Falcons to their second NFC title and a Super Bowl appearance. He became the first player in team history to be selected as NFL MVP and was also named offensive player of the year by the Associated Press.

Following his 15-year playing career in the NFL, Ryan spent three years working as a game and studio analyst for CBS. Ryan served as a game analyst alongside Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber and A.J. Ross in 2023 before transitioning to studio analyst on "THE NFL TODAY."

"Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost twenty years ago, and he's done it again today," Ryan said in a statement. "While I appreciate the time I had with the Colts and with CBS, I've always been a Falcon. It feels great to be home. I could not be more excited, grateful, or humbled by this new opportunity."

Meanwhile, the search continues for the team's 20th head coach after the Falcons parted ways with Raheem Morris following the team's final game of the 2025 season. To date, the Falcons have interviewed Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Anthony Weaver, the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.

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