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Falcons owner Arthur Blank expressed his belief in young quarterback Desmond Ridder, stating that he feels “feels pretty strongly” Ridder is the team’s “QB of the future.”
Blank’s remarks to NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe come as the Falcons gear up for the upcoming 2023 NFL season, placing their hopes on the promising rookie to lead them to success.
Arthur Blank highlighted Ridder’s impressive growth and leadership qualities since joining the team. The 3rd-round draft pick from the 2022 NFL Draft showcased potential as a starter during his rookie season, leading the team to a 2-2 record in the final four weeks.
During that stretch, Ridder demonstrated poise, throwing for two touchdowns and recording zero interceptions.
“People look at just the last four games last year and they say, well, based on those four games,” Blank said, acknowledging the skepticism surrounding Ridder’s abilities. “But he really progressed from the time he came on campus here after he was drafted, had a good camp, and he’s been a strong leader since he’s shown up here.”
Blank added: “As the year progressed, he had an opportunity to play, and I think he played at a very competitive level,” Blank said. “Those last four games, each game seemed to be a little bit better. So, we feel pretty strongly that he’s going to be our quarterback of the future.”
The Atlanta Falcons’ decision to place their faith in the young quarterback marks a significant shift for the franchise, as they have relied heavily on Matt Ryan for over a decade.
Ryan, who was the 3rd overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, had a distinguished career with the Falcons. Although he couldn’t deliver a Super Bowl victory, Ryan led the team to one Super Bowl appearance during his MVP 2016 season and secured multiple playoff berths for the Falcons.
However, ahead of the 2022 season, the Falcons made the difficult decision to trade Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. The veteran quarterback now finds himself in a different role as he transitions to working for CBS as a broadcaster.
The departure of Matt Ryan opened up the opportunity for Desmond Ridder to step into the starting role, and the Falcons are keen to build their future around the young signal-caller.