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The news of Matt Ryan being traded to the Indianapolis Colts likely came as a shock to Atlanta Falcons fans.
The Falcons were in the market to acquire former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson before he decided to sign with the Cleveland Browns for a record-breaking five-year, $230 million contract.
The Falcons then traded their former franchise quarterback to the Colts for a third-round draft pick.
Atlanta recently posted a tribute to their former signal-caller. Still, many noticed that the tribute video was shorter than the one they gave to former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees when he announced his retirement.
The tweet showed that the video tribute to Drew Brees was one minute and 16 seconds long, while the tribute video for Matt Ryan was only 51 seconds. Although this is of no consequence, fans of the NFL don't miss a beat thanks to social media.
Perhaps another reason for Falcons fans to look sideways at the length of the tributes is because Brees was a member of the New Orleans Saints, who are the bitter rivals of the Atlanta Falcons.
The two NFC South cities are meccas of the south and are less than 475 miles apart. Although Brees and "Matty Ice" are no longer a part of the rivalry, that won't stop fans of both franchises from despising the other.
Is Matt Ryan currently a Hall of Fame quarterback?
This question is not only a hot-button topic down in the "A" but also for NFL fans across the country. Matt Ryan is undoubtedly the best quarterback the Atlanta Falcons franchise has ever had (apologies to Steve Bartkowski and Michael Vick).
But would all of his work on the football field presently constitute a place for him in Canton, Ohio, home of the Hall of Fame?
Let's take a look at the facts to determine the answer. Ryan did not win a Super Bowl but did get the team to Super Bowl LI, a 34-28 loss to the New England Patriots.
He was the NFL MVP in 2016 and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year for the same season. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, a one-time All-Pro player, and was the NFL leader in passer rating in 2016.
He was awarded the 2008 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was the completions percentage leader in 2012. In his career, he has thrown for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns, and 170 interceptions for a career passer rating of 94.2.
Whether or not one believes that Ryan belongs in the Hall of Fame is in the eye of the beholder. But with the current parameters of getting into the club (longevity and good-to-great statistics), Matty Ice certainly meets those qualifications.
