Matt Ryan responds to Jalen Ramsey: ‘I’m about winning games’

Atlanta Falcons passing game coordinator Greg Knapp looks on as quarterback Matt Ryan prepares to play the Kansas City Chiefs Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Atlanta Falcons passing game coordinator Greg Knapp looks on as quarterback Matt Ryan prepares to play the Kansas City Chiefs Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who had not spoken to the local media since the Jalen Ramsey controversy broke earlier this week, went on the Dan Patrick radio show Friday and addressed the issue.

“I’ve played for 11 years,” Ryan responded Friday. “And so, I’ve heard my fair share of trash talking from a lot of different people. If this stuff kept me up at night, I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. So, I don’t pay too much mind to it. I’m about winning games, and I’m about being the absolute best player that I can be. So, that’s kind of my thoughts on it.”

Ryan addressed Atlanta media Tuesday but was unavailable for comment Wednesday when Ramsey’s comments went public. The team did not plan to issue a statement from Ryan on the matter before he went on the Patrick show.  Ryan should be available after the Falcons exhibition game against the Chiefs.

Falcons coach Dan Quinn was asked about Ramsey’s comments about Ryan, a former league MVP.

Quinn was not pleased, but brushed off the matter.

“No. 1, we don’t rely on anybody outside of our building to help get us ready,” Quinn said. “What we do is about us. Our attitude, our style and so the bulletin-board material you can throw to somebody else. For us, it’s about our team and the way that we go. We don’t have to wait on anybody else to get us real pumped up to play well. We are already ready to rock.”

Things could get interesting when the Falcons play the Jaguars on Aug. 25 in Jacksonville for the third exhibition game. The Falcons do not play Ramsey and the upstart Jaguars during the 2018 regular season.

Ramsey is suspended from the team for “violating team rules and conduct unbecoming of a Jaguars football player,” over a matter unrelated to the magazine article. Among other things, Ramsay threatened a media member who posted footage of a fight at practice.

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