It’s been six years since the Patriots made an improbable comeback from a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, yet that unforgettable night continues to haunt former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan.
Not even a calendar year into retirement, Ryan joined the CBS Sports broadcast crew and had a rough season debut.
In the booth for Week 1 between the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ryan couldn’t find a safe haven from his 2017 chokejob. The now-38-year-old was brutally reminded, not by fans, but by a coworker, which might prompt an upcoming meeting with human resources, one might imagine.
“We were just chomping some burgers at halftime saying this game feels like it should be 28-3 in favor of Minnesota. Why is it still 10-10?” Andrew Catalon said during CBS Sports’ live broadcast Sunday, per Pro Football Focus video:
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Yet, despite being hit with a jab on live television, Ryan handled the brutal joke like a champ.
“Turnovers,” Ryan responded, not letting the antic prompt what could’ve been a viral response to an already viral moment.
As the story will always be told — and evidently reminded to Ryan at any given chance — the Patriots overcame a 25-point divot with less than three minutes left in the third quarter against Ryan and the Falcons. That made for A) one of the greatest moments in Boston sports history and B) the lowest point of Atlanta sports and Ryan’s career.
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There’s still plenty of football left for Ryan to grow immune to the neverending hilarious reminders of New England’s greatest comeback.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
