Matt Ryan, American football player
Matthew Thomas Ryan (nicknamed "Matty Ice"; born May 17, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football at Boston College, Ryan was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons third overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Ryan was Boston College's starting quarterback from 2005 to 2007, leading them to three bowl victories and a 25–7 record in 32 starts. He threw for 200 or more yards 15 times and is third all-time in school history in passing yards and in pass completions. He earned MVP of the game honors at the 2005 MPC Computers Bowl.In 2007, Ryan led his team to an ACC Atlantic Division championship and was named ACC Player of the Year. During his rookie year, Ryan started all 16 games for the Falcons and led them to the playoffs with an 11–5 season record. He earned honors as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. In 2016, Ryan was the NFL's Most Valuable Player and led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI, where they were defeated by the New England Patriots.
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. A durable quarterback, he has started all but three games since being drafted. He holds several NFL and team passing records, including the most passing yards by a quarterback over his first 14 seasons in the league.