Will Matt Ryan emulate Tom Brady, Tony Romo? Colts QB looking for major post-NFL career
Matt Ryan has spent 15 years in the NFL in his professional career. He is a former NFL MVP and also made an appearance in the Super Bowl. He spent his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons before switching to the Indianapolis Colts for the 2022 NFL season.
Apparently his decorated career is nearing its end, while he is reportedly beginning to explore his options following his eventual retirement.
According to sports writer Andrew Marchand of the "New York Post," Matt Ryan has an interest in following in the footsteps of many former players and entering the world of broadcasting following his playing career.
Report: #Colts QB Matt Ryan is “very interested” in pursuing a career in broadcasting once his playing days are over, per @AndrewMarchand https://t.co/4O3Jh2lZgO
Matt Ryan is apparently looking to join a long line of NFL players who have broadcast games following their retirement. He is also in an excellent position as a former quarterback, as they seem to get the highest-paid positions in the broadcasting world, just like they do on the football field.
Of the major television networks that broadcast NFL games, all but one of them have a quarterback lined up for their future games to be their lead broadcaster. Tony Romo will represent CBS and Troy Aikman will be featured on Monday Night Football, while Tom Brady will reportedly join FOX in 2024.
NBC's Chris Collinsworth, a former wide receiver, is the only outlier.
This recent trend is favorable if Ryan is in fact looking to get into broadcasting NFL games. It's also a profitable venture. Romo reportedly makes $17 million per season, while Aikman is estimated to earn around $18.5 million.
Brady set a new standard, despite having never called a game before, signing a record-breaking deal worth $37.5 million annually.
Will Matt Ryan retire ahead of the 2023 NFL season to start broadcasting?
Matt Ryan is expected to be released by the Indianapolis Colts during the 2023 NFL offseason as a salary cap casualty. The Colts will save more than $17 million by cutting their veteran quarterback prior to March 17th. This is when additional guaranteed money kicks in for his contract, so the Colts will likely avoid it and explore other options for the position.
While this may lend itself to the idea of Ryan retiring this year, especially with his newly reported interest in broadcasting, there's a catch. He still has $12 million in guaranteed money remaining on his current contract.
If he were to retire this year, this money is no longer guaranteed. This means he's likely to wait at least one more season before retiring, to guarantee himself the full value of what he's currently owed.