Main Article The Atlanta Falcons have officially decided that if you want to fix a franchise, sometimes the best solution is to hand the keys to the guy who already knows where everything is. Franchise icon Matt Ryan has been named the team’s first ever President of Football, a brand new role that instantly makes headlines and raises eyebrows across the NFL.
The announcement itself was short, confident, and very on brand for a team leaning heavily into nostalgia with purpose.
Matt Ryan has been named our President of Football! https://t.co/qawNF5NR9I pic.twitter.com/knV3YJfYDy
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 10, 2026
No long explanation needed. In Atlanta, that name still carries weight.
This newly created position puts Ryan in charge of one of the most important rebuild phases in recent Falcons history. He will oversee the hiring of both a general manager and a head coach, and once those roles are filled, both will report directly to him. In other words, Ryan may no longer be calling audibles on the field, but he is absolutely calling the shots upstairs.
To take on this role, the 40 year old is stepping away from his job as an NFL analyst with CBS Sports and returning to the organization he defined for more than a decade. CBS acknowledged his departure with a statement that included Ryan’s own words.
A statement from Matt Ryan on CBS Sports: pic.twitter.com/bQbc6qtLQF
— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) January 10, 2026
It is a full circle moment that feels less like a career move and more like a reunion.
The timing is no coincidence. The Falcons recently fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after an underwhelming 8–9 season. Atlanta has not seen a winning record or a playoff appearance since 2017, which also happens to be the final playoff run of the Matt Ryan era under center. Owner Arthur Blank clearly decided that a cultural reset was needed, not just a tactical one.
Blank also restructured the front office, elevating Greg Beadles to president and CEO while creating this new football focused role that reports directly to ownership. According to Blank, Ryan’s leadership, intelligence, and ability to guide teams through multiple regimes made him the ideal choice, even without traditional front office experience.
Interestingly, several executives previously interviewed for the president of football role are now expected to be candidates for the general manager position. One name to watch is Ian Cunningham, currently with the Chicago Bears, who was also Ryan’s teammate at Boston College. Apparently, old chemistry still matters in the NFL.
Ryan leaves behind a Hall of Fame caliber playing career with franchise records in passing yards and touchdowns, multiple Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl appearance. Now the big question is whether that same calm, calculated leadership can translate from the huddle to the boardroom.
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