Matt Ryan has traded in his cleats for a microphone. The former MVP and longtime quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons will be calling games on CBS this fall instead of playing in those broadcasts. Ryan denies he’s retired, but it’s difficult to envision him returning from the broadcast booth after the underwhelming 2022 season he had with the Colts.
With Ryan’s departure, there is almost nobody left from the 2008 NFL draft still active in the league.
Ryan was the No. 3 overall pick in that draft. He was the only top-15 overall pick in that draft class who had played a regular-season snap after the 2018 season. Ryan was one of just eight players from the 2008 draft class who played in 2022. The list:
No. 3 – Matt Ryan
18 – Joe Flacco
26 – Duane Brown
49 – DeSean Jackson
50 – Calais Campbell
57 – Chad Henne
153 – Matthew Slater
160 – Josh Johnson
Ryan and Henne both officially retired this offseason. Flacco is an unsigned free agent, as is Johnson. Jackson is “strongly considering” retirement after being released by the Baltimore Ravens, too.
That leaves three actively rostered players from the draft class: Brown, Campbell and Slater. Brown is penciled in as the starting left tackle for the Jets. Campbell recently signed with Ryan’s old team in Atlanta to play another year of defensive end.
Slater deserves special mention for embarking on his 16th season with the New England Patriots, who drafted him out of UCLA as a wide receiver despite the fact he never caught a pass in college. Slater has been one of the NFL’s preeminent special teams players for the bulk of his career, earning 10 Pro Bowl berths.
