MKRob Sports

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan earned his nickname last season.

He played with such poise as a rookie quarterback leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record and the playoffs that one could easily see how he got the nickname “Matty Ice.”

Now he’s back for his second season, and others around him have noticed signs of growth from last year.

For one thing, he’s always on time for the quarterback meetings. He doesn’t have to walk from the indoor-practice facility where the rookies have to stay, which is across the parking lot and some fields from where the meetings are held.

“Now he can dress in the varsity locker room,” quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave said. “That’s one big change from 12 months ago.”

Also, Ryan is rolling to practice on some nicer wheels.

“He does have a really nice car,” right tackle Tyson Clabo said. “It’s an Audi. It’s really nice. I’m jealous of him. He didn’t have that last year.”

Ryan began to prepare for this season shortly after the Falcons were eliminated from the playoffs by the Arizona Cardinals, who went on to play in the Super Bowl.

“You heard him talking to several people about ‘we are not finished yet. This is just a start. Next year this is not going to happen,’ ” fullback Ovie Mughelli said. “I think he’s really committed … he understood what it meant to lose at such a pivotal point.”

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