Matt Ryan figures he has two goals -- win as many Super Bowls as possible and earn as much as possible. He’s still waiting on the first Super Bowl title, but the Falcons quarterback is set for life after signing a five-year, $150 million contract that makes him the league’s highest-paid player.
“I’ve always felt like that your job as a player is to go earn every dollar,” Ryan said Monday, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Have that mindset that every day you wake up: It’s about working as hard as you possibly can. I guess it’s more incentive for me moving forward for me to play my best football as I continue to mature in this league.”
Ryan, who turns 33 later this month, has posted a 95-63 regular-season record since the Falcons made him the third overall pick in 2008. The four-time Pro Bowler has taken the Falcons to the playoffs six times, winning the NFC title once and nearly Super Bowl LI.
“[Winning a Super Bowl] is important to me,” Ryan said. “I feel like I’m a part of this community and have been embraced by the community.”
Falcons owner Arthur Blank called Ryan “an elite quarterback, leader and teammate.” Ryan allowed the Falcons to put the messy end of the Michael Vick era behind them.
But the Falcons still lack a Lombardi Trophy.
“I’m going to do everything that I can to try and help this city and this organization win a championship,” Ryan said. “That’s been my mindset since I was drafted here in 2008. I’ve been working hard at it for 10 years, and I’m going to continue to work at as long as I play here.”