Ice, Ice Matty

Matt Ryan is the greatest rookie quarterback in the history of professional football. He came into a francise in disaray and immediatly turned it into a playoff contender, barely missing a division title. He started every game in his first season. The first pass of his professional carrier went over sixty yards and resulted in a touchdown. Essentially, Matt Ryan was a rookie in name alone.

The Boston College grad, and former ACC player of the year, was drafted third-overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL draft in an attempt to forget a man named Michael Vick. Earlier in the year, owner Arther Blank hired a new general manager and head coach. He released several star players, including tight end Alge Crumpler and DeAngelo Hall. After finishing 4-12 in 2007, good enough for last place in the NFC South, the team needed a change.

No one expected that it would work so well.

Don't ignore the fact that new head coach Mike Smith would eventually be recognized as the Coach of the Year. Remember the emergence of free agent Michael Turner and former first-round pick, wide reciever Roddy White, both Pro-Bowl selections. But also recognize that the catalist of all these changes was Ryan.

He was the face that the team needed. He was the leader they deserved. The offense was able to find a rhythm and the defense kept pace. Finally, things began to fall into place for the "dirty birds."

There have been other great rookie quarterbacks. Dan Marino defined great. Ben Roethlisberger won a Super-Bowl at the start of his carrier. Joe Flacco, a rookie the same year as Ryan, has led the Ravens into the second-round of the playoffs with an eye for more. But no one else has done more for their team. No one else acted more like a veteran player.

Matt Ryan made have made a few mistakes through the course of his rookie season. But Matt Ryan didn't repeat those mistakes. He directed the offense with a poise and calm that settled the restless Atlanta fans. Ryan replaced not only Mike Vick, but the stigma that he left behind. He gave Atlanta something that Vick never did: hope. Hope for constancy, stability. Hope for two consecutive winning seasons.