QB Matt Ryan on his future, the Falcons’ offense and Julio Jones
As the next stage of the Falcons offseason gets going, quarterback Matt Ryan spoke to the media on Tuesday morning to discuss what have been a busy couple of months. While the biggest takeaway from Ryan’s interview comes from the uncertainty surrounding the future of his go-to target, wide receiver Julio Jones, the veteran QB also spoke about his own future.
With a new head coach and GM in Atlanta, there was rampant speculation about what the Falcons would do with their No. 4 pick. Michael Rothstein of ESPN asked Ryan if he viewed the team’s selection of tight end Kyle Pitts as a vote of confidence in his ability to continue to lead this team.
“I’ve always felt that the people inside the building have a great amount of belief in me and I have a great amount of belief in myself,” stated Ryan. Later, when asked how he would’ve felt if the team did opt for a quarterback instead of Pitts, Ryan wouldn’t speculate.
“I don’t know,” said the Falcons QB. “It didn’t happen so, I can’t really answer it honestly. But, I understand that it’s part of this business. It’s not easy and gets magnified at the quarterback position. This happens to guys every week, every year — trying to replace you — that are cheaper and younger.”
Ryan was also asked if he had any discussions with the Falcons leadership prior to the draft about his future status with the team, and said no such conversations ever took place.
“I understand that I’m not going to play forever, but I also have a mindset that I’m still playing very well and have a lot of good football in front of me,” said Ryan.
Falcons and NFL Network analyst, Steve Wyche, made reference to guys like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, both of whom have been outspoken on their role within the team’s structure.
“Everybody’s situation is different,” said Ryan. “There’s been a shift, for sure, during my time in the NFL where guys have become more vocal about certain situations. Within our organization, within the building, I’ve been in a very fortunate spot where my voice has been heard.”
Justin Felder of FOX 5 Atlanta eventually turned the topic back to Julio Jones and what the offense might look like without Jones on the team. Obviously, Jones brings a dynamic element to any team that is rarely matched around the league, but a future without him could be a reality with the team’s looming cap issues.
Felder also asked Ryan about any insight into whether Atlanta plans to move on from Jones, but Ryan reiterated that this wasn’t his decision to make and he would let the business side shake out as it may.
“I love Julio, I’ve been so lucky to play with him for the past decade and he’s an unbelievable player,” said Ryan. “I don’t get involved from this side of it. From a teammate, from a player standpoint, he’s my teammate. He’s my guy. You let the pother side shake out how it is.”
When asked again what Atlanta’s offense could potentially look like without Jones, Ryan didn’t have an answer but said the following.
“He’s been such a great teammate, he’s a hell of a player. I love him. He’s probably impacted my career more significantly than any other player. I’m really fortunate to be around him for as long as I have.”
