Why did the Falcons trade Matt Ryan?
Rachel Ellis
Published Jan 11, 2026
As Fontenot explained, the Falcons were willing to take lower-level compensation to trade Ryan to the Colts. "It was more important to us to do right by Matt than to try to maximize compensation," Fontenot said. "We could have probably traded Matt to somewhere he didn't want to be and gotten more.
Why did Matt Ryan get traded?
"We could have traded Matt somewhere he did not want to be and received more compensation. But we said, 'If we are going to go down this road, we want to do right by Matt. '" Ryan said during his introductory press conference that Indianapolis was the only place he wanted to go.
Why did Matt Ryan leave?
After Atlanta's failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson, what other factors led to Matt Ryan's decision to leave the Falcons for the Indianapolis Colts? The transition to the Indianapolis Colts came fast for Matt Ryan. But the one-time league MVP understands that change is a part of life.
Did Matt Ryan get released from the Falcons?
After 14 years, the Matt Ryan-era in Atlanta has come to an end. One of the most proficient quarterbacks in NFL history, Ryan was traded from the Falcons on Monday to the Colts on Monday. Atlanta announced it had sent Ryan to Indy for a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
What happens if Falcons trade Matt Ryan?
Unfortunately, trading Ryan will comes with a dead cap hit of $40.525 million, the largest in NFL history. The #Falcons will carry a $40.525 million dead cap hit in 2022 for Matt Ryan. That's actually a savings of $9,093,382 ... which they now will need to add a new starting QB.
25 related questions foundWho signed Matt Ryan?
Ryan is in the final two years of a five-year, $150 million contract he signed with the Falcons in 2018.
What is a dead cap hit?
CBS Sports reports that a dead cap hit is known in the NFL as "a salary cap charge for a player that is no longer on a team's roster." A dead cap hit came about because of "how salary cap accounting rules operate."
Who did Matt Ryan play for last year?
After signing a $150 million five-year extension with the Falcons in 2018, Ryan became the first $30 million per year quarterback and the highest-paid player in NFL history until being surpassed months later by Aaron Rodgers. In 2022, after 14 seasons with the team, the Falcons traded Ryan to the Colts.
How many years does Matt Ryan have left?
Ryan had two years left on a contract that would have seen him carry a cap hit of over $40 million in both 2022 and 2023, per OverTheCap and Spotrac. However, all of that changes now that Ryan is heading to Indianapolis.
Where did Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons go?
The Falcons have traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick, ending a 14-season career with the Falcons organization.
Who will be Falcons QB?
As a result, the Falcons will begin 2022 with a new starting quarterback. Former Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Marcus Mariota signed a two-year contract with the Falcons at the end of March, and is expected to be the starter to begin the upcoming season.
Who did the Falcons get at QB?
Falcons select Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder in third round of 2022 NFL Draft. The Atlanta Falcons stopped the quarterback drought on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Falcons selected signal-caller Desmond Ridder in the third round with the No. 74 overall pick on Friday night.
Who has the lowest payroll in the NFL?
The Seattle Seahawks are the lowest paying team with over $172 million this NFL season. Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner are the only players who have over $10 million in their base salary this season. The majority of their teammates sit within the $4 million mark and below.
When a NFL player is released Do they still get paid?
When a player is released after June 1, the team is again relieved of paying that player's base salary for the year in which he is released (and all future years) and the only amount that counts against the team's Cap in that year is the player's bonus proration for that year.
Where does dead money Go?
Simply put: Dead money is the salary cap space a team must allocate to a particular player who has been cut. It serves as a device to ensure that every dollar a team has paid players is eventually allocated to that team's salary cap.