The guy who is supposed to replace Michael Vick as the Falcons' quarterback also will replace him on AirTran Airways' billboards.

Matt Ryan has signed a two-year contract with AirTran to essentially succeed Vick in the company's endorsement lineup, AirTran vice president of marketing and sales Tad Hutcheson said.

While it remains to be seen how quickly Ryan will take over Vick's old role as the Falcons' starting quarterback, he'll be featured in AirTran advertising - primarily billboards and radio commercials in the Atlanta market - beginning next week.

Vick, now serving a 23-month sentence at the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, on dogfighting charges, had an endorsement deal with AirTran from 2003 until May 2007, when his contract expired and was not renewed.

AirTran moved quickly to sign Ryan after the Falcons drafted the former Boston College star this year.

"We wanted someone who had high character and was family-friendly and someone who was going to be an up-and-coming star for the ballclub," Hutcheson said. "And Matt represents all of this."

Said Ryan: "AirTran is a good company to be affiliated with. I think that as an organization they have good values. I think it's a great match. It is something that I was happy to get involved with."

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

AirTran has contracts with about 15 NFL players, Hutcheson said, to appear in advertising in local markets. The lineup includes quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles and two other Falcons players, linebacker Keith Brooking and receiver Brian Finneran.

"We look for ... people who will represent our brand well," Hutcheson said. "Obviously, we have made some mistakes. People are human. You're going to make some mistakes."

Because AirTran's contract with Vick expired early in the dogfighting probe, two months before he was indicted, "we were able to get out of it without much collateral damage," Hutcheson said.

He said 11 AirTran billboards featuring Falcons players will go up in Atlanta by next week. He said Ryan will be on at least four of them.

One of the Ryan billboards will read: "Laser Rocket Arm. Head For Low Fares." Another: "Touchdowns As Often As We Do."

Ryan also has recorded radio spots that will begin airing next week, Hutcheson said.

—Staff writer D. Orlando Ledbetter contributed to this article.