page_title: Matt Ryan (American football)
section_title: 2017 season
hierarchical_section_title: Matt Ryan (American football) / Professional career / 2017 season
caption_attribution_description: English: Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan's #2 worn in the Super Bowl XI (2017), exhibited at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Falcons were defeated by the Patriots 34–28.
context_page_description: Matthew Thomas Ryan is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. After playing college football for Boston College, Ryan was drafted by the Falcons with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
  Ryan was Boston College's starting quarterback from 2005 to 2007, leading them to three bowl victories and a 25–7 record in 32 starts. He threw for 200 or more yards 15 times and is third all time in school history in passing yards and in pass completions. He earned MVP of the game honors at the 2005 MPC Computers Bowl.
  In 2007, Ryan led his team to an ACC Atlantic Division championship and was named ACC Player of the Year. During his rookie year, Ryan started all 16 games for the Falcons and led them to the playoffs with an 11–5 season record. He earned honors as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. In 2016, Ryan was the NFL's Most Valuable Player and led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI, where they were defeated by the New England Patriots.
context_section_description: On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 23–17 victory over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, Ryan connected with tight end Austin Hooper for an 88-yard touchdown, which was the second-longest touchdown pass of Ryan's career. In the game, Ryan was 21-of-30 for 321 yards and the one touchdown. In Week 2, Ryan and the Falcons had their first home game at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Against the Green Bay Packers on NBC Sunday Night Football, Ryan was 19-of-28 for 252 yards and a touchdown, which was thrown to running back Tevin Coleman and the first touchdown ever thrown in the new stadium. The Falcons won by a score of 34–23. In Week 7, in a Super Bowl LI rematch against the New England Patriots, Ryan passed for 233 yards and a passing touchdown to go along with a career-high 37 rushing yards in the 23–7 loss. In Week 10, during a 27–7 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Ryan became the fastest quarterback to throw for over 40,000 passing yards. This was done in 151 games breaking Drew Brees' record which was done in 152 games. In Week 17, after clinching a spot in the playoffs by beating the Carolina Panthers 22–10, Ryan set the record for most passing yards through 10 seasons with 41,796, breaking the record held by Peyton Manning, who had 41,626. Ryan led the Falcons to a road victory against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round by a score of 26–13. A week later, Ryan passed for 210 yards and one touchdown as the Falcons were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles 15–10 in the NFC Divisional Round. Ryan was ranked 29th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
caption: Ryan's #2 jersey worn in the Super Bowl LI at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
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