Former NFL MVP Matt Ryan is joining CBS — but he may prefer following in Jay Cutler’s footsteps

It’s the middle of May, but the 24/7 news cycle of the NFL never stops. Former Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan announced he is joining CBS Sports as an analyst on Monday afternoon.

Former players becoming analysts is nothing new, but Ryan noted that joining CBS does not mean he’s retiring from the NFL.

It sounds like Ryan is leaving the door open in hopes of signing with a team — just like Jay Cutler did — signing with the Miami Dolphins before the 2017 season.

Culter “retired” after the 2016 season and joined Fox Sports to become a commentator. That changed in early August when Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered a season-ending injury.

Adam Gase, Cutler’s offensive coordinator in Chicago before joining the Dolphins in 2016, reached out to the 2005 SEC Offensive Player of the Year before the two sides agreed on a one-year $10 million contract to start for the team.

A sound plan at the time didn’t translate to success for the franchise. Cutler threw 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while starting 14 games. Miami finished third in the AFC East with a record of 6-10.

Since Ryan hasn’t officially retired, he could be waiting for an unforeseen opportunity to appear, much like it did for Cutler in 2017. They say the best ability is availability — and Ryan is letting the league know that he’ll be ready the moment a quarterback-needy team comes calling.