After a successful 15-year NFL career, Matt Ryan recently announced his retirement. He will be joining CBS Sports as a studio analyst for the upcoming season on NFL Today, replacing longtime analysts Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason. Ryan will be working alongside James Brown, Nate Burleson, Bill Cowher, and JJ Watt for the upcoming season.
As a former NFL MVP and four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Ryan previously worked as an NFL game analyst with CBS Sports last season, making appearances during the playoffs and Super Bowl. This marks the first significant move under new president and CEO David Berson’s leadership following the retirement of chairman Sean McManus.
Simms joined CBS in 1998 as the lead game analyst before transitioning to the studio in 2016. Esiason was a part of NFL Today for 22 years, making him the show’s longest-tenured analyst. Despite leaving the show, Esiason will continue working on a New York sports talk radio show that is simulcast on CBS Sports Network.
CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson expressed gratitude for the contributions of Simms and Esiason, acknowledging their excellence as NFL analysts. Ryan holds top 10 rankings in NFL history for passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and attempts.