What’s Next For Rob and Rex Ryan?

Rex and Rob Ryan have a last name that’s very famous in the NFL due to the success of their legendary defensive mastermind father, Buddy Ryan. The Ryan brothers made their names in the NFL as not only Buddy Ryan’s twin sons, but defensive coordinators as well. Rob even made it to the head coaching ranks and has had some decent success with the New York Jets.

But right now both men look like they’ll be on different teams next season, and one brother may not be coaching at all. One thing is for sure; it is going to be quite a while before another Ryan is a head coach in the NFL.

Rob Ryan Is Not The Man For The Job…

If anyone were making more money off his family name and not performing up to standard than Rob Ryan, I would love to meet him. Rob Ryan is not a good defensive coordinator and the numbers don’t lie. In 11 years as an NFL DC, Rob Ryan’s defenses have been ranked 20^th or worse in yards allowed and points per game 8 times. That’s atrocious. His best season as a coordinator was in 2013 with the New Orleans Saints where his defense ranked 4^th in both points allowed and yards per game.

That was a one off-season because so far in 2014 he’s back in the 20^th or worse category for both yards and points with the Saints. It has gotten so bad in New Orleans that there are multiple reports the Saints are already discussing who their next coordinator is going to be next season, and head coach Sean Payton has had enough of Ryan.

Rob Ryan keeps getting jobs because of his famous name and if there is a team out there that needs a coordinator on defense, you better hope your team doesn’t fall for it like the Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have. If a team wants Ryan on board to coach a specific part of the defense like the linebackers or defensive line or something, swell. But to have him take over the entire defense is a recipe for disaster and the numbers don’t lie.

Rex Ryan is a Defensive Coordinator and Nothing More…

Rex Ryan has been the coach of the New York Jets since 2009. He’s had some really good years in New York going to back-to-back AFC Championships in 2009 and 2010. And during the 2010 playoff run the Jets beat both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady on the road in the same playoffs. The Jets were flying high (no pun intended) and Rex Ryan was the next great up and coming coach. What a difference a season or two makes.

Rex is four weeks away from being unemployed, and it’s doubtful he will get another shot as a head coach. Rex is a great defensive mind. And while the saying goes, “defense wins championships,” Rex is offensively inept beyond recognition. The Jets ruined Mark Sanchez, who is looking pretty good in Philadelphia with the Eagles under Chip Kelly, Geno Smith has regressed as a quarterback, Rex hasn’t drafted any elite players to put around his quarterbacks, and the team is a mess.

The problem with the Jets under Rex is that he’s too much of a player coach. The players love him, but they don’t fear him. The team is undisciplined and the players know conduct themselves as if they won’t be held accountable for not playing up to their abilities. It also doesn’t help that no one in the organization from the Owner Woody Johnson on down has any sort of plan for the team.

Rex has one plan in mind and that is to make sure his defenses are always great. But other than that, the Jets look lost. I can’t blame everything on Rex because the Jets are a dysfunctional franchise, and it takes a collective effort to be this bad. But what I can blame Rex for are the assistants he’s hired, the players he’s picked or helped pick in the drafts, and the failure to have his players prepared for games.

The worst indictment on his time as a head coach is this season’s loss on Monday Night Football to a Buffalo Bills team that was snowed in for four days and were unable to practice that week. The Jets were coming off of a bye-week and were absolutely annihilated by the Bills in Detroit. Rex Ryan’s players didn’t quit on Rex, they never showed up at all in order to quit. This is not a well coached team, and there needs to be changes made. Someone needs to take the blame for this Jets debacle and that scapegoat will be Rex Ryan.

I don’t know if Rex Ryan will ever be a head coach in the league again, but his 48-49 record as a coach isn’t something that will have organizations lining up to have him run their teams. What he will definitely be next season is a defensive coordinator someplace, and the team that is lucky enough to get Rex as their DC will have a stellar defense.

The Ryan brothers have had a good run in the NFL at their respective positions, but after this season is over, both brothers will be in different cities and occupying different occupations. I wish them both well, but I wouldn’t want Rex as my head coach, or Rob as my DC. Hopefully the owners of your teams feel the same way, for your sakes.

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