Rex Ryan has returned to the New York Jets, at least for an interview.
The former Jets coach, now an ESPN analyst, was responsible for the team’s last playoff appearance at the end of the 2010 season. He met with the team on Tuesday to discuss its open head coaching position.
Ryan had a record of 50-52, with 4-2 in the playoffs, during his six years with the Jets before being fired after the 2014 season. He has been openly campaigning for the position during recent radio and TV appearances, stating on Monday that he believes he’s the best person for the job and expects to be hired.
“Oh, 100%, absolutely, I do,” Ryan said. “The reason I think I’m going to get it is because I’m the best guy for it. It ain’t close.”
Ryan is the third known candidate to interview for the job with owner Woody Johnson and other team executives. The Jets also spoke with former Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel and former Carolina and Washington coach Ron Rivera last week.
Jeff Ulbrich, who became the Jets’ interim coach on Oct. 8 after Robert Saleh was fired, also plans to interview for the full-time position this week. Ulbrich went 3-9 as interim coach.
Ryan mentioned during his radio appearance, “The thing you have to do is, you have to connect with your football team, you have to connect with your fan base. The way they play, that’s the most important thing. It’s not just the X’s and O’s and all that.”
The team is also looking for a new general manager after firing Joe Douglas in November. The Jets have already spoken with former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, former Tennessee GM Jon Robinson, Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy, and former NFL executive and current ESPN analyst Louis Riddick.
Ryan is an interesting candidate for the Jets’ head coach position due to his past experience with Johnson and the team. He was also one of the most popular figures in the organization, especially during his early years as coach. His bold and outspoken approach at news conferences became highly entertaining.
Ryan also helped the team win games with a defense-focused strategy and a strong running offense that created an image of toughness. However, the Jets couldn’t keep up the early success and missed the playoffs in Ryan’s last four years as head coach.
After being let go by the Jets, Ryan took a job with the Buffalo Bills, a rival in the AFC East. However, he didn’t last through his second season there, getting fired with one game remaining in 2016, leaving him with a 15-16 record. Ryan has not coached since then and has worked as a TV analyst.
One of the first big decisions for the new coach and general manager might be about the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has said he’s unsure about continuing his NFL career for a 21st season. He mentioned that he’ll take time in the offseason to decide if he’ll keep playing—and if he does, it might not be with the Jets, who could release him.
Ryan said on ESPN New York radio that if he became the Jets’ head coach and Rodgers returned, he would make some changes at the team facility. He mentioned Rodgers missing mandatory minicamp due to a trip to Egypt during his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, which caused him to play only four snaps in 2023.
“Clearly, when you have a guy that doesn’t show up for mandatory minicamp — and, by the way, he’s your quarterback coming off an injury — I think that’s an absolutely ridiculous message you send to the team,” Ryan said. “If he comes back, things would be different.
“If he’s back, it ain’t gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you want to show up. That ain’t gonna happen. I’ll just leave it at that.”
