ATLANTA — After more than a decade playing for the Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan has finally said farewell to the city.
The former Falcons quarterback penned a heartfelt letter to fans across the state on social media Wednesday. He also took out a full page advertisement in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"From the moment I landed here, late at night just hours after having been drafted, I felt at home," Ryan wrote.
Ryan, who has had a stellar career with the Falcons for 14 years, said he still had unwavering confidence in his team throughout the ups and downs.
"There were of course disappointments, large and small. They did not shake my faith in this team, or in my determination to deliver. The disappointments became motivations. I will always be proud to come from an organization and a city whose creed is to rise up," he continued.
Ryan insisted he isn't leaving his community behind, noting he and his wife Sarah plan to continue to be involved in "ATL: Advance The Lives in 2020." It's an initiative the couple launched as part of a mission to create generational change by combatting systemic barriers Black youth face.
He also gave a nod to his former teammates saying he could always concentrate on his job "because of how dedicated they were to theirs."
"Thank you, Atlanta," Ryan wrote.
The trade on Monday marked an end to a remarkable career in Atlanta for "Matty Ice."
Ryan, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, "just felt like the time had come to move on from Atlanta" and agreed to a trade to Indianapolis "because he felt like the Colts have a roster that's built to win now."
In a statement, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Ryan "has been the epitome of a franchise quarterback during his time here in Atlanta" and "represented this organization with great class, professionalism and leadership, both on and off the field, over the past 14 years."
Falcons coach Arthur Smith said in his own statement he had "so much respect for Matt Ryan" and was "thankful for our time together," with the trade signaling "another step" in trying to "improve our team for the long term."
Ryan played 14 seasons with the Falcons, starting immediately as a rookie after being taken third in the draft - and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year - in 2008.
Ryan made four Pro Bowls and was the 2016 NFL MVP. He led the Falcons to the brink of a Super Bowl championship in Super Bowl LI before the team collapsed in an instantly infamous loss.
Across his 14 seasons, he compiled a 120-102 record for Atlanta, completing more than 5,200 of his 8,003 pass attempts for 59,735 yards. He threw 367 touchdowns to just 170 interceptions.
"To the rest of my family and friends, thank you for all of the loyalty and support. Sorry you have to get a new set of gear," he wrote in the letter.