Before hitting the posh TPC Sugarloaf golf course to raise some money for charity, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, fresh off a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was relaxed and ready to hit the links.
He spent about four hours unsuccessfully fishing for Marlin, but others on his boat were successful.
Ryan, who in March paid for 26 of his teammates to attend a players-only camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has turned the page on last season, which ended with an 8-8 record.
Here’s what Ryan had to say in a exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Monday:
Q: How was the player’s-only camp?
A: It was really good. I thought it was a great opportunity for us to get together down in Florida. We have a bunch of new guys, and we needed to spend some time together and just get on the field and work. Also, we got to know each other. I thought it was really important and really productive.
Q: Was it structured like the Buford camps that were held during the lockout?
A: It was a little different from what we did at Buford because the time of the year was so different. When we were working out at Buford it was May and June, closer to the season. This time of the year, in March … guys are getting back into it, so it was a little bit less intensive in terms of guys going against each other seven-on-seven or one-on-one, that kind of stuff. But we did a lot of really good stuff on air. From that perspective, I felt it was really productive and a really good start to our offseason.
Q: How did wide receivers Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu seem to get along?
A: I thought they got along great. Both of those guys are really cool guys. Really easygoing. I thought Mohamed fit in really good with the crew. He did a great job in terms of just going out there and getting a feel for everybody. But also for us getting a feel for him. I think guys were impressed with his skill-set and how he worked on the field. But also how easygoing and how down to earth that he was.
Q: Will you turn the page on last season when the offseason program starts Monday?
A: I think it's earlier than that. I think kind of once the playoffs and the Super Bowl are over, you're on to the next season. Guys are training at this point. Working to get into shape and working to improve on what they need to improve on for next year. I think it's earlier than that. … Guys are on to next season.
Q: Did it hit you at the camp that the team is moving forward without Roddy White?
A: Yeah, it's tough, but I think it will be moreso when we get into the locker room. You're in the building, and he's not there. That's tough because obviously he's probably been the most influential player that I've played with over my career. Certainly, he's my favorite that I've played with. Just an incredible competitor and unbelievable teammate. He's such a good friend. We'll miss him, that's for sure. That's the hard part of the business. But that's part of it. We have to keep moving on and getting better and move forward.
Q: Are you pleased with the growth of the (charity golf) tournament?
A: It's gotten better and bigger every year. It's really good and spectacular. You can't support a better organization than CHOA (Children's Healthcare of Atlanta). Anybody that's been here knows how big of a factor that it is in this community. You can't raise enough money for it. My wife, Sarah, and I have tried to help in every possible way that we can. We have this event, and we have another event during the fall where (Falcons quarterback legend) Steve Bartkowski actually helped me out last year.
Q: Were you pleased with the signing of center Alex Mack?
A: I think it's invaluable. Having played in (offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's) system. (His) understanding how the protections work and how the scheme works. To be able to get the rest of the guys on the same page is huge for us. … He can do all of things that you need a center to do, but he's a great player. That's fun. That's exciting. I think that's really going to improve our offense.
Q: Will having Matt Schaub as your backup be helpful?
A: It's great to have Matt Schaub back. His experience, a guy who's been here in Atlanta before, it's fun to be a part of that. He's a guy who can really help me. He's been in the fire and will be able to see some things from a different perspective and be able to help me prepare during the week. I'm really excited about Matt being here.
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