Matt Ryan didn’t have to worry about playing in snowy conditions during his 15-year NFL career. He played home games in a dome, and spent all but one season in the NFC South, whose host cities rarely see snow.
Snow made things interesting in a couple of games in the NFL Divisional Round, with the Eagles-Rams and Bills-Ravens matchups both played in snowy conditions. In an appearance this week on the Awful Announcing Podcast, Ryan shared the mixed feelings he has about snow games.
“As a quarterback, I feel like my favorite way to consume (football) is to watch it when it’s played and it’s not snowing sideways,” The NFL Today analyst told host Brandon Contes. “You’re seeing people being able to perform at the peak of their abilities when the conditions are right and showcase just how good they are. So I love that portion of it.”
However, Ryan conceded a part of him enjoys seeing the snow come down during a game.
“But the kid in me, and the fan in me, still loves that viewing experience of going out and watching it in the snow,” Ryan said. “There is something to it when you’re watching and you see it coming down. There’s something that hits different and I like that from the fans’ perspective.”
The snow certainly led to some surreal images from the Divisional Round, including Eagles star Saquon Barkley busting this incredible touchdown run on the whited-out field.
Mike Tirico foreshadows the massive Saquon Barkley 4th quarter touchdown: “Barkley time?”
Cris Collinsworth: “It has to be.” pic.twitter.com/OdOwgiFNHe
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 19, 2025
Contes pointed out that Ryan, who starred at Boston College, had plenty of experience dealing with snow before getting to the NFL.
“I always was comfortable as a player playing in those kind of conditions … growing up in Philly and then playing college in Boston,” Ryan said. “Having spring practice in March and early April in Boston, is some of the most miserable weather you can experience. Sometimes you’re getting the snow, sometimes you’re just getting that 35 degrees and it’s cold and raining and sleet.
“So you learn how to play. I always felt like I was good in those kind of conditions. But there’s a bit of me that likes both, but the passer in me wants those good conditions, and wants to watch those good conditions.”
Contes summarized how probably most fans feel about snow games.
“There’s certainly something exciting and like a different energy when they go to the game and it’s snowing,” Contes said. “But then the first time a receiver slips or you see a quarterback miss a pass by five yards that he normally would have made, then maybe, ‘This isn’t so great.'”
Listen to the full episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast featuring Matt Ryan here. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. For more content, subscribe to AA’s YouTube page.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.