Matt Ryan is officially part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not as a player — he won’t be eligible for the annual vote until five years have passed since his retirement.
Instead, the longtime Atlanta Falcon and current Indianapolis Colt made it to Canton, OH after becoming only the eighth quarterback to throw for at least 60,000 yards in his career. He joins an illustrious list of passers that includes Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Dan Marino.
Unfortunately for Ryan, the ball the Hall enshrined — the same ball he used to break that 60k threshold — also happens to be a grim reminder of his lowest moment in the NFL.
🗣 New to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
This past weekend, @Colts QB @M_Ryan02 became only the eighth QB in NFL history to reach 60,000 career passing yards.
The ball with which he passed this milestone is now in display in Canton. pic.twitter.com/gZmhdCLk68
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) September 14, 2022
The serial number on the ball Ryan threw to make history was “283,” a number depressingly similar to the 28-3 third quarter lead Ryan’s Falcons coughed up to the New England Patriots en route to a 28-34 overtime loss in Super Bowl 51.
But while that number will be used to mock Atlanta fans until the heat death of the universe, it’s also a throwback to the peak of Ryan’s career to date. He was the regular season MVP that season after throwing for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns while throwing only seven interceptions. He was even better in the Super Bowl, where he needed only 23 passes to throw for 284 yards and found the end zone twice. Per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats model, his completion percentage over expected (CPOE) was an other-worldly 19.3.
Ryan’s got plenty to be proud of, even if he doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring. “283” might remind him of the worst night of his professional career. It could also bring him back to a moment where no player in the league was more valuable.
