Watch Matt Ryan Squirm When Asked About Patriots-Falcons Super Bowl LI
It’s been seven years since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots orchestrated the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, rallying from a 28-3 third-quarter deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan learned to live with the defeat, no longer losing sleep over what Atlanta could have done […]
It’s been seven years since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots orchestrated the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, rallying from a 28-3 third-quarter deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium.
Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan learned to live with the defeat, no longer losing sleep over what Atlanta could have done differently that fateful night in Houston.
That said, Ryan still thinks about the loss from time to time — including Thursday on Super Bowl Radio Row in Las Vegas, where Michael Felger asked him about the career-altering collapse on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Felger and Mazz” show.
“Matt, I’m sorry to do this to you, but I just have to,” Felger said. “How often do you think of second-and-11, New England 23-yard line … Up 28-20, 3:56 left in the game, and you go back to pass and get sacked 12 yards? Do you ever think of that?”
Ryan looked visibly uncomfortable as Felger laid out the situation, even taking a sip of his water.
“Hadn’t thought of it in seven years, man” Ryan joked.
“Does it keep me up now? No,” the former Boston College QB continued. “Is it stuff that occasionally you’re like, man, it could’ve gone differently? It could’ve gone very differently.”
The Falcons led the Patriots 28-3 with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. New England began chipping away, though, and one could argue momentum really swung in the Patriots’ favor when Dont’a Hightower forced a Ryan fumble with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter and the Falcons leading 28-12. Brady and the Pats scored five plays later, and the comeback started to crystallize, ultimately culminating with a 34-28 New England overtime win.
“I get asked about it all the time,” Ryan said Thursday, three days before the San Francisco 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. “It’s all good.”