Falcons' Matt Ryan on How NFL Teams View Players: 'They Hire You and Then Fire You'

Matt Ryan's status with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 is secure. 

Afterward, not so much. That said, the quarterback isn't allowing the uncertainty of his long-term future get him down as he prepares for the upcoming campaign. 

"Most guys deal with this," Ryan told Albert Breer of The MMQB. He continued:

"It gets made a really big deal at the quarterback position. But most players are dealing with this every year, right? Everybody deals with this at times. We don’t get hired to get to retired. They hire you and then fire you. They keep moving on. You just gotta stay in that space of, I’m gonna get myself ready to go, regardless of what happens. I’m gonna make sure I’m giving myself every opportunity to be the best player that I can be."

Of course, this tends to be the case with nearly every job. A company hires you and keeps you employed provided the value you offer is lower than the profits they make from your labor. Because sports is transactional in nature, we tend to overlook these things more than someone getting let go from a middle management position at a human resources firm. 

As for Ryan's situation, he's clearly entering 2021 on a proverbial hot seat. The Falcons chose to restructure Ryan's contract earlier this offseason rather than opt for a full-scale rebuild, but they can revisit that decision as early as next offseason.

The Falcons would save $8.1 million by trading or releasing Ryan before June 1 next offseason. Waiting until after June 1 would net them $23.8 million in space. Atlanta's continued exploration of the Julio Jones trade market proves the team is willing to play with that June 1 window.

It's possible, if not likely, the Falcons will seek to trade Ryan in 2022 if they fail to contend for a playoff spot next season. Ryan remains an effective NFL starter as he enters his age-36 season, so moving on in exchange for a first-round pick and beginning a rebuild is a viable option for 2022.