As a proud graduate of BC, it was fun to watch the maturation of Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan this past fall. Yesterday, after being selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the third overall pick in the NFL draft, he signed a six year $72 million dollar contract to hopefully erase the stain and memory of Michael Vick, now sitting in federal prison for running a pit bull fighting ring in one of his homes. 

$12 million dollars a year is a lot of money. In the UK we measure top footballer (soccer) salaries by the week so his $231,000 or £119,000 pounds weekly puts him up there in Ronaldo and Rooney territory for base salary. This is the second time in 8 years the Falcons have stood praising a new franchise quarterback.

I worry for him because he will be asked to step up immediately and lead a bunch of guys 2-12 years older than him. Tom Brady had a chance to learn from the sidelines and was a student of the game. Matt will be expected to perform Vick-like onfield heroic from day one because the Falcons were expected to contend for the Super Bowl last year before the animal cruelty scandal hit and they distanced themselves from Vick.

Matty’s coolness under pressure will be put to the test in a league where every player is as fast as the top four or five ACC linebackers he faced. He’s never snapped a pro ball and while he had size and creativity in the college game, will he succeed in the pro game?

So many sport franchises eat their young without giving them a chance to succeed. Ryan grew over three years to lead the team and let’s hope the upward curve continues. Otherwise he’ll go from hero to trying out for an NFL Europe or Arena football squad faster than Ugga, the University of Georgia football mascot can sidle up to him and pee on his leg.

If that happens there may two former Atlanta quarterbacks sharing the same corrections institution.