Falcons legend and former NFL MVP Matt Ryan has officially called it a career, announcing his retirement in a video posted by the Atlanta Falcons on their social media platforms as well as a statement published on the team's website.

“I truly believe that football, like life, is not simply about what you do, but rather who you do it with. I was a better player because of the people I was surrounded by. So today – 16 years after being drafted – my childhood dream has officially come to an end. I'm honored to retire as a Falcon,” he said in his retirement announcement.

He ended the letter by thanking Falcons fans for their immense support.

“Thank you to all the Falcons fans for your continued support through the highs and the lows. I always felt your energy and passion. I want you to know that every day I felt the responsibility to give you the best version of myself. While we didn't accomplish everything we had hoped, I am proud of what we did, and I know that I gave everything I could to be the best that I possibly could. You have no control in this profession of where you start. I am so lucky that my start and now my finish is here in Atlanta.”

Matt Ryan was drafted by the Falcons out of Boston College with the third pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Ryan went on to be a staple of the franchise, winning the 2016 NFL MVP and leading the Falcons to the Super Bowl against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Even though Atlanta lost 34-28, Ryan delivered remarkable performances during the postseason. He made history as the first quarterback in the franchise to surpass 1,000 passing yards in a single postseason, achieving an impressive passer rating of 135.3, the highest among quarterbacks who had achieved this before.

Ryan finished his career throwing for 62,792 yards and 381 touchdowns per StatMuse. His best season was his 2016 MVP season where he finished the year throwing for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns. His 2018 numbers weren't far behind, as he finished the season with 4,924 passing yards and 35 touchdowns.

Ryan undeniably possesses a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame, and as he expressed to Ari Meirov in February, he believes he deserves the recognition.

“The consistency that I had for a long time and the production that we had in Atlanta, I think speaks to it. I understand that championships, you know, go a long way at the quarterback position, but I think the numbers speak for themselves and the consistency speaks for itself. So, you know, I hope, I hope that it's something that happens one day. Um, I'm proud of what I've done as a player and, uh, you know, we'll see what happens.”