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- The Atlanta Falcons are facing the biggest salary cap hit in NFL history thanks to Matt Ryan
- Fans are less than thrilled that the team will pay the declining quarterback over $48 million in 2022
- Read more NFL news here
Matt Ryan provided Boston College fans with their first (and, as things currently stand, last) glimmer of hope since the Doug Flutie Era during his time in Chestnut Hill, and he initially picked up right where he left off when he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons prior to securing Offensive Rookie of the Year honors following his inaugural season in the NFL.
Ryan and the franchise hit a rough patch toward the middle of the 2010s but managed to bounce back, as he earned MVP honors for his performance over the course of a campaign that ended with the team pulling out to a 28-3 lead against the Patriots with a little over two minutes to go in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI before, well, you know.
In 2018, Ryan signed a five-year, $150 million contract with the Falcons, but the new deal unfortunately coincided with the beginning of the noticeable decline that has hampered his performance (and the team’s) over the past few seasons.
The Falcons have repeatedly restructured the QB’s contact in an attempt to free up cap space, but in doing so, Atlanta was simply delaying an inevitable problem that’s now poised to rear its ugly head.
On Thursday, ESPN‘s Field Yates highlighted the issue the franchise is now facing, as he noted the $48,662,500 Ryan is costing them marks the largest salary cap hit a single player has been responsible for in the history of the NFL.
Falcons QB Matt Ryan is currently scheduled to have a cap hit of $48,662,500 in 2022.
That would be the largest cap hit for any player in NFL history.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 24, 2022
It’s safe to say that news didn’t sit well with a lot of Falcons fans.
Atlanta is falconing again. https://t.co/Szn68jTdFw
— John Butler (@Saintjohnbutler) February 24, 2022
Worse thing about being a Falcons fan is seeing everyone outside of Falcons fans knowing Matt is Mid at this point of his career and the fanbase wants us to extend him 😭😭😭
— 30+ Tweeta 👴🏾 (@Jericho_Da_MAB) February 24, 2022
Kill me now… https://t.co/Ri9OqAc3Iz pic.twitter.com/FkU9ZAIG6w
— Kameron 𝕏 (@HeyItzKam) February 24, 2022
Working out roughly at 1 million dollars per Fantasy point for 2022 then.. @Sayers8
— Jamie Sayers (@J16Sayers) February 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/DaddyPitts8/status/1496888141583687684
So much going on in the world and you dropped this UNPROVOKED https://t.co/WFUmkpTGYh
— Josh (@Cooliooojones) February 24, 2022
On the bright side…um, actually, I’ve got nothing. Thoughts and prayers.