The Facts: HC Dan Quinn made clear that the hiring of Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator to replace Kyle Shanahan, the new San Francisco 49ers head coach, would be more about Sarkisian adapting to the current scheme implemented by Shanahan. Ryan mastered the scheme in Year 2 and earned himself NFL MVP honors and his first Super Bowl appearance. Quinn expanded on Ryan being the type of player who can take the offense and run with it, essentially like an offensive coordinator on the field. "Guys that we would assimilate in those conversations around the league are Eli [Manning], and Aaron Rodgers, and [Drew] Brees, and [Tom Brady], so of course Matt is that," Quinn said.
Diehards Line:
Indeed, as ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure noted, Ryan is comfortable calling his own plays. He showed it at specific times throughout his MVP season. HC Dan Quinn pointed to one aspect in particular that illustrated Ryan's comfort level at directing the offense himself, and how Shanahan had a comfort level in allowing Ryan to have such leeway. So McClure believes the simple solution to keeping the flow of the current offensive scheme is to let Ryan have even more authority with the play calling. It's not that easy, of course, but there is some validity to Ryan having more freedom as he makes a transition to a new offensive coordinator. And as Quinn pointed out, there are quarterbacks who have mastered schemes and have a better feel than the average player. Ryan certainly is among the elite group now. “Matt definitely can call plays like that,” Shanahan said during Super Bowl week. “Of course he's the type of quarterback who can make the adjustments and run the offense. That's just how great a quarterback Matt truly is.” Now, Ryan is going to have to prove it.