Matt Ryan’s Jump to Falcons Leaves CBS With Open Seat: What’s Next?

Matt Ryan is heading back to Atlanta—and leaving his gig with CBS Sports.

On Saturday morning, the Falcons announced that Ryan, who led the franchise to Super Bowl LI and holds virtually every team passing record, is returning to the club with the newly created title of president of football. 

“From his playing days to his time as an analyst at CBS, Matt has always been a student of the game, and he brings an astute understanding of today’s NFL, as well as unique knowledge of our organization and this market,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said.

Ryan will not be double-dipping with CBS and the Falcons, even though the NFL has grown increasingly comfortable with star quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Troy Aikman holding overlapping media and team roles. 

What’s Next for CBS?

After retiring from the NFL in 2022, Ryan joined CBS Sports as an analyst in 2023. In 2024, he became a regular on “The NFL Today” along with Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, J.J. Watt, and host James Brown. Ryan’s addition also coincided with the departures of Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms. 

So who will fill Ryan’s seat on the network’s pregame studio show? The short wish list, according to FOS media writers Ryan Glasspiegel and Michael McCarthy, will likely include some notable NFL names, including a couple of coaches and a trio of quarterbacks: 

• Pete Carroll
• Philip Rivers 
• Mike Tomlin
• Russell Wilson
• Jameis Winston

Yes, Tomlin just coached the Steelers into the playoffs (and they’ll square off against the Texans on Monday night). Still, according to McCarthy, Tomlin’s charisma and command put him “No. 1 on the wish list of NFL media partners looking to hire the next great analyst” should the longtime coach ever walk away from the sidelines.

Even though Wilson, 37, spent most of this past season as a backup with the Giants and recently said that he’s “not blinking” when it comes to playing next season, he did appear on “The NFL Today” as a guest analyst during New York’s Week 14 bye and, by all accounts, was a natural. Winston, another Giants backup, appeared on Peyton and Eli’s ManningCast during the regular season and will have no shortage of options in the media when the day comes and he chooses to retire.

What’s Next for the Falcons?

Ryan, who will “oversee all aspects of Falcons football,” must first find a new general manager and then hire a head coach. According to one report, the new GM in Atlanta will have control of the draft and roster, but Ryan will still have the final say.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Falcons announced “with Matt Ryan in place as president of football” that they interviewed two head coaching candidates—Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. They’ve reportedly submitted requests for several other coordinators, as well as former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Another name associated with the team—and every single head coaching vacancy at the moment—is former Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

Last Sunday, Blank fired head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot just hours after the team wrapped up the regular season with a win over the Saints. On Monday, Blank announced more sweeping changes to the organization, notably the creation of Ryan’s new position and the end of Rich McKay’s longtime tenure with the team (who will still retain his role as CEO of AMB Sports & Entertainment).

The Rooney Rule

Did the Falcons adhere to the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires every team to interview at least two external minority candidates for open head coach, GM, and senior-level positions? The short answer is yes. 

Atlanta conducted four other interviews on Thursday and Friday before making the Ryan announcement Saturday morning. The four candidates were: 

• Ian Cunningham, Bears assistant general manager
• Mike Disner, Lions chief operating officer
• Brandt Tilis, Panthers executive vice president of football operations
• Josh Williams, 49ers director of scouting and football

This past week, the NFL asked the Supreme Court to take up its appeal of a decision allowing Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s racial discrimination lawsuit—over what he says were insincere coaching interviews meant to satisfy the Rooney Rule—to move forward in open court.

The NFL originally adopted the Rooney Rule in 2003, and it’s named after Dan Rooney, the late owner of the Steelers, who was once the chairman of the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee.