
The season came to a painful end for Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in more ways than one.
The Falcons blew a 17-point lead on their way to a 28-24 loss to the 49ers and Ryan wound up with an injury to his left shoulder. Ryan got crushed by 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks as the Falcons futilely tried to retake the lead late in the fourth quarter and looked to be in a fair amount of pain for the rest of the game.
Adam Schefter of ESPN originally reported that Ryan would have an MRI Monday to determine the extent of the injury to his shoulder or collarbone, but offered up an update a short time later with more information. Per Schefter, Ryan has a sprained AC joint in the left shoulder and the team is waiting to see if an MRI is necessary. For now, they believe no surgery will be needed.
Even with plenty of time to heal up, missing out on any serious injury is a small silver lining for the Falcons as they start their offseason. An offseason that could include a new contract for Ryan.