JANUARY 6: Although Brady has the FOX/Raiders overlap, Ryan does not appear to be under the impression he would have the opportunity to keep going at CBS and play a lead role in Falcons decision-making. As it turns out, Pelissero indicates Ryan would only work for the Falcons if he indeed becomes their football ops president.
This is an interesting about-face, and it is worth wondering if Ryan floated the prospect of doing both jobs. But the Atlanta resident looks to be committed to working with the Falcons. This would open an NFL Today slot for the 2026 season.
JANUARY 5: The Falcons appear set to hire former quarterback Matt Ryan as their new president of football operations. If the former MVP has his way, he’ll continue his TV gig.
[RELATED: Falcons Expected To Hire Matt Ryan As President Of Football Operations]
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (h/t Awful Announcing), Ryan is “hoping to retain his duties at CBS.” Ryan joined the network as an analyst for the 2023 season, and he’s been apart of The NFL Today pregame show since 2024.
Naturally, this arrangement would present some potential conflicts of interest. However, the NFL has already set a precedent in regards to executives working for media partners. Despite being a partial owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Tom Brady has continued to serve as the lead color commentator for the NFL on Fox.
A recent report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic indicated that Brady was only at the team facility “a handful of times this season.” While Brady was still heavily involved in the Raiders’ daily operations, there’s also a clear distinction between a minority owner and the leader of football operations. While Brady was allowed to juggle both responsibilities, it’s uncertain if the same flexibility will be afforded to Ryan, both from the NFL and from Falcons ownership.
Of course, Ryan’s television duties shouldn’t distract from his initial tasks as Atlanta’s president of football operations. The former quarterback will be responsible for spearheading the organization’s search for a new head coach and general manager. Once those hires have been made, Ryan will presumably also have major influence over the team’s roster. This duty would surely extend into the 2026 regular season.