It’s almost stunning how poorly the Atlanta Falcons have handled every aspect of Matt Ryan’s departure from the franchise. Even the simplest of gestures have fallen flat.
The Falcons traded Ryan — their starting quarterback since 2008 — on Monday to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2022 third-round pick. This trade came an hour before Ryan’s roster bonus deadline and a few days after the team went all in to pursue Deshaun Watson despite 22 separate allegations of sexual misconduct. When Watson ultimately chose the Browns, the Falcons were essentially forced to part ways with the now-alienated Ryan and launch a hasty rebuild.
