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Matt Ryan is your Best Breakthrough Athlete of 2008.

The Falcons quarterback won the award at the 2009 ESPYS, which will air 9 p.m. Sunday evening on ESPN. Ryan, the winner of the Associated Press Rookie of the Year award, won over Olympian Shawn Johnson, baseball star Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays and NBA player Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.

The award was decided by fan votes.

Ryan led the Falcons to an 11-5 regular-season record, completing 256 passes for 3,340 yards and 16 touchdowns. He becomes the seventh NFL player to receive the ESPN honor and the first quarterback since Tom Brady (2002).

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Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has been nominated for an ESPY for his role in the team’s 2008 success.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Ryan was named the starter prior to the end of the preseason and completed his rookie campaign with countless accolades and the Rookie of the Year award.

He led the Falcons to an 11-5 regular-season record, completing 256 passes for 3,340 yards and 16 touchdowns.

He is nominated for the “Best Breakthrough Athlete” award.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won the award in 2008 and, should Ryan win, he would be the seventh football player to receive the honor (the first quarterback since Tom Brady in 2002).

The 2009 ESPYs will air Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on July 11.

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