Matt Ryan has not yet retired but he did join CBS Sports this offseason as an NFL analyst. The longtime NFL quarterback is going from the field to the booth as he hopes to find his next step, whatever that may be.
Ryan joined the Audacy Original Podcast “Take Command” and explained why he’s excited for the opportunity with CBS while acknowledging that crazy things can happen during the NFL season.
“The opportunity that CBS has given me to do a little bit of everything, to me, it seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up. It gives me a chance to find out number one, what I’m OK at, what I’m decent at. And number two, what I’m interested in,” Ryan said (1:59 in player above). “Whether that be being in the studio or calling games. The unique setup of the opportunity intrigued me. The people that I have the opportunity to learn from while I’m up there whether it be in New York or whether it be calling games. All of the stars aligned for it.”
Ryan reiterated that this is not a retirement for him, however. He’s still likely better than some of the starting quarterbacks in the league today and he knows a team could come calling at some point.
“I’ve learned throughout my NFL career that a lot of crazy things can happen during the season. A lot of weird things can go on. So keeping options available and just being prudent with that I thought was the right way to go,” he continued. “We’ll see how it shakes out in terms of the football side of it but I’m excited to start working with the folks at CBS and to start diving into this next chapter.”
A lot of former players have made their way into the media side of things whether it be in the booth calling games or in the studio analyzing them. Ryan is in a good place to explore both paths.
“The ability to do both this first year and really get a feel for what makes sense long-term, I feel lucky,” he said. “I feel a bit like a kid going to college where I have no idea what my major is going to be but I get to take a bunch of those courses and begin to figure out what I like and go from there.”
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