Voting for the cover of the fictional Falcoholic video game has concluded, and the result is not very surprising. Quarterback Matt Ryan, who has been a huge influence on Atlanta's success over the past five seasons, received 69.3% of the vote to grace the cover.
Ryan was selected over Steve Bartkowski by voters for a spot on the final bracket, and in round one, Ryan beat out legendary Falcons offensive lineman Jeff Van Note with 90.9% of the vote. Round two saw Ryan hammering Jessie Tuggle, receiving 85.9% of the vote. Round three pitted Ryan against one of his most reliable receiving targets, Roddy White, with Ryan receiving 70% of the vote. In the championship round, Ryan bested Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
A legitimate case can be made for any of the original competitors to be featured on the cover of this video game--except for the very first bracket, which featured Michael Vick, Bobby Petrino, the New Orleans Saints and Chipper Jones to fill space--and being featured on the cover is quite an honor, even though the game does not actually exist. Matt Ryan earned his spot on the cover by leading the team to five consecutive winning seasons and establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league in 2012. Ryan has already set a handful of franchise records in his brief career. When guys like Osi Umenyiora say that this Falcons team is one of the most talented they've seen, Matt Ryan is a significant factor.
Ryan is a solid leader who consistently represents the Falcons well on and off the field, and now he'll represent the Falcons on the cover of a fictional video game. What do you think about Ryan's victory?