Falcons players and coaches are praising Ryan's active role and leadership as the team's new executive.
Falcons players and coaches are praising Ryan's active role and leadership as the team's new executive.
Marc RaimondiMay 30, 2026, 06:00 AM ETCloseMarc Raimondi's first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn't his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book "Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling's New World Order Changed America," which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.
Marc RaimondiMay 30, 2026, 06:00 AM ET
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Drake London settled into the middle of the field and hauled in a touch pass right at his chest. He turned, tossed the ball back to an equipment staffer and smiled.
The Atlanta Falcons will have a quarterback competition heading into the regular season. Michael Penix Jr. is coming off surgery to repair his left ACL. The Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa after his release from the Miami Dolphins in March.
Neither of those two were the ones throwing to London and other receivers during drills Wednesday at the Falcons' voluntary offseason team activities (OTAs). The passer was a Falcons quarterback, though.
With the emphasis on was.
Matt Ryan, the Falcons' new president of football, was out at practice Wednesday, talking to new coach Kevin Stefanski and lending a hand -- or, in this case, an arm -- when needed. According to several players, this was not an isolated incident. Ryan has been at every practice, Tagovailoa said, and has even popped his head into the quarterback room a few times this spring.
Arguably the greatest player in franchise history, Ryan was hired in January to oversee the hiring of a new coach and general manager. The latter role was filled by former Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham. Owner Arthur Blank said Stefanski and Cunningham will report directly to Ryan, though Blank and Ryan himself said the coach and GM would have the final say over decisions in their respective areas.
So, what exactly would Ryan's duties be once things got rolling? Few could have expected that he'd be as hands-on as he has been.
Averytin News NFL update.