Is Matt Ryan a HOFer? If not how close is he?

[Ray Reed]

1 minute ago, scar988 said:

Had the Falcons held onto that lead, Ryan is already being called a HOF QB. There's not even a question about it. His stats + a ring make him one.

Flacco had 1 good year like 9 years ago. Lamar is what Vick could have been (AKA he's a baller). 

Ryan is an all-time great. How different would you have viewed him if the Falcons scored just 1 more TD in that second half against hte Pats in SB 51?

He’s just not man. 

Even if Matt Ryan wins that super bowl, no one is considering him an all time great quarterback. This is crazy lol. How can you call a guy an all-time great quarterback who wasn’t even top 10/15 over the last like 20/30 years?

[GSUeagles14]

22 hours ago, Ray Reed said:

I don’t think people necessarily thinking “these players made Matt Ryan good” is either true nor entirely the crux of the argument against him going to the HOF. 

I think the fact that most people who watched him would consider Matt Ryan a “good” QB throughout his career and not a “great” one is the reason most people wouldn’t have him in the HOF.

And I don’t really think his stats once he’s retired - wherever they rank - are going to change how people valued him during his career.

I think we would need to define great. Hes had years in the brees, peyton , rodgers (or more currently mahomes) stratospehere but it hasnt been consistently. More often, hes been in the 5-10 range. However, even currently, and certainly by the time hes down, to have 15+ years as a well above average qb and a handful as an elite qb is likely a hofer. Its just the way it goes. 

[Archimedes]

27 minutes ago, Ray Reed said:

He’s just not man. 

Even if Matt Ryan wins that super bowl, no one is considering him an all time great quarterback. This is crazy lol. How can you call a guy an all-time great quarterback who wasn’t even top 10/15 over the last like 20/30 years?

When I think of an all time great, I think of a generational talent, so from that perspective I agree that Ryan is not what I consider an all time great. 
But with that said, I don’t know that I agree that you could find more than 14 QBs who’ve been better than Ryan over the last 30 years. The cut off for the last 30 years would be 1990:

1. Brady - No question 

2. Montana - Bit of a stretch, Montana was dominant in the 80s but injured and not quite as good in the 90s. Still, let’s go ahead and leave Montana on here.

3. P. Manning - No question 

4. Favre - No question 

5. Elway - No question 

6. Marino - No question 

7. Rodgers - No question 

8. Brees - Solidly ahead of Ryan, but the gulf is closing 

8. Warner - Still solidly ahead of Ryan, but the gulf is closing more

9. Moon - Now you’re in a gray area. I would put Moon over Ryan, but it’s not clear cut IMO.

10. Jim Kelly - Debatable

11. Roethlisberger - Debatable

12. Russell Wilson - Debatable

13. Aikman - Highly debatable

14. Cunningham - Highly debatable

15. P. Rivers - Highly debatable

I think Ryan fits nicely on that list anywhere from 10 to 13, which puts him in the midst of HOF QBs (Russ being the interesting exception, I don’t think he’s quite HOF yet).

[Malik]

Matt Ryan is not an all-time great. There's no one outside of Atlanta that's going to think back on him once he retires.

[Ray Reed]

1 hour ago, Archimedes said:

When I think of an all time great, I think of a generational talent, so from that perspective I agree that Ryan is not what I consider an all time great. 
But with that said, I don’t know that I agree that you could find more than 14 QBs who’ve been better than Ryan over the last 30 years. The cut off for the last 30 years would be 1990:

1. Brady - No question 

2. Montana - Bit of a stretch, Montana was dominant in the 80s but injured and not quite as good in the 90s. Still, let’s go ahead and leave Montana on here.

3. P. Manning - No question 

4. Favre - No question 

5. Elway - No question 

6. Marino - No question 

7. Rodgers - No question 

8. Brees - Solidly ahead of Ryan, but the gulf is closing 

8. Warner - Still solidly ahead of Ryan, but the gulf is closing more

9. Moon - Now you’re in a gray area. I would put Moon over Ryan, but it’s not clear cut IMO.

10. Jim Kelly - Debatable

11. Roethlisberger - Debatable

12. Russell Wilson - Debatable

13. Aikman - Highly debatable

14. Cunningham - Highly debatable

15. P. Rivers - Highly debatable

I think Ryan fits nicely on that list anywhere from 10 to 13, which puts him in the midst of HOF QBs (Russ being the interesting exception, I don’t think he’s quite HOF yet).

I don’t think Jim Kelly or Russell Wilson are debatable, i think they’re clearly better. 

I also think Steve Young needs to be added as a clear “better than Matt Ryan” on your list. 

But still...we both (as 95% of NFL fans would, tbh) agree that there have been 10-15 better QBs in the past 25 years (all of the above QBs would pass that threshold too, having played in 1994 or later).

If you’re not a top 10/15 guy at a position over a 2.5 decade period, you’re not an all time great. Plain and simple.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Ray Reed

[ET80]

Have to agree with @Ray Reed here. Matt Ryan is an excellent QB, but I don't think of him as an All Time great.

He's on that Steve McNair/Tony Romo/Phillip Rivers level (which is not a bad level, not by a long shot). There are moments where they look really good, they get far and win some big games in some close moments, signature wins on their resume. They don't really go beyond that, like others do. 

Now, Ryan (and Rivers) have a few seasons in 'em that can get this elevated from excellent to All Time. This would be similar to John Elway jumping up several rungs with back to back SB wins to close out his career - at that point, you couldn't deny the pre-SB accomplishments anymore, because he won two in two years.

It won't be easy, but that's what it'll take. They're praying for running aces on the turn and river...