Ok.
This should be one of the more interesting debates, though we think it won’t be discussed as much as it should be.
Why would this be? As good as he was, Matt Ryan rarely was in the public eye and never went mainstream like other great Quarterbacks. He quietly went about his business, was drama-free, and did his job well. Ryan is the greatest quarterback in Falcons history but is not even the most beloved or known today.
Statistically, Ryan has all the goods. At the time of his retirement, he was in the top ten in Passing Yards (62,792), Completions (5,551) and Touchdown Passes (381) and was 14th all-time in Approximate Value. Even in this era of inflated pivot stats, these numbers are remarkable!
Ryan also had the individual accolades. Taken with the Third Overall Pick in 2008 from Boston College, Ryan won the AP Rookie of the Year Award, was a three-time Pro Bowler and was consistently in the top ten annually in significant passing statistics. In 2016, Ryan was the consensus MVP, leading the NFL in the major passing categories and was the best Quarterback in the National Football League. He took the Falcons to Atlanta to the Super Bowl, and they had a chance to beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. At halftime, they were up 28-3, and the legacy of Ryan looked complete, but the Pats overcame that deficit, and Atlanta was denied.
Had Ryan won the Super Bowl with the Falcons, would we have a debate? Quarterbacks are judged on how many rings they have, and Ryan has none. If he falls short, that will be why.