Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan will most likely retire as one of the most statistically prolific passers in NFL history.
However, should great stats be enough to get the former MVP into the Hall of Fame someday? According to Touchdown Wire’s Pat Yasinskas, the answer is no.
In a feature looking at which current quarterbacks could make the NFL’s most elite club, Ryan was one of eleven discussed. Yasinskas writes that while the Falcons quarterback’s career has been solid, he must do more winning to make the Hall of Fame:
Although Ryan will probably move past Warren Moon and into the top 10 in career passing yards in the next two or three games, the Atlanta quarterback is no lock for the Hall of Fame. His .572 winning percentage is solid, but the only time he really carried the Falcons was in 2016 when he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player and took them to the Super Bowl. But that Super Bowl appearance isn’t going to help Ryan because the Falcons choked and blew a 28-3 lead to New England. Ryan is 34. He can still pad his stats and end up with Hall of Fame numbers. But, to get into Canton, Ryan has to win more games.
Ryan certainly has a good chance to make it to Canton, but many will view his Super Bowl appearance differently. Some will say he was the best player in 2016, and played well enough for his team to win it all. Others view the game as a blemish on Ryan’s record because he couldn’t close with such a big lead.
As we talked about earlier this week, Ryan played about as well as humanly possible in a Week 6 loss to the Cardinals, showing that a quarterback can only do so much in terms of affecting wins and losses.
The Falcons should have at least a few more chances to make another Super Bowl run with their current roster. If they don’t ever get back to the NFL’s biggest stage, though, it may cost Ryan his spot in the Hall of Fame.
