What Arthur Blank had to say about Matt Ryan

The following is a statement from Falcons owner Arthur Blank following the announcement of Matt Ryan’s retirement from the NFL on Monday.

“Matt Ryan’s impact on the Atlanta Falcons organization and the city of Atlanta is immeasurable. Matt was selected as the third-overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, and went on to win the NFL Rookie of the Year award and led us to the playoffs in his first season. That was the start of building a special career that now sees him holding every significant passing record in our franchise history. Matt always represented himself, his family, teammates and our team with class, character, and integrity on and off the field.

“I cannot thank him enough for what he has meant to our team and fans, and I firmly believe he should and will be enshrined in Canton in the future and I look forward to that day. On behalf of Falcons fans everywhere, I express our gratitude and congratulations to Matt, Sarah, Johnny, Marshall and Cal on Matt’s award-winning career and my very best wishes for a bright future. Matt Ryan is a Falcon for life and he and his family will always be part of the fabric of Atlanta.”