Rex Ryan says he will interview for surprising NFL head coach job

Aug 26, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan during a NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Rex Ryan began publicly campaigning last month for a shot at one specific NFL head coach job, and the ESPN analyst claims he has secured an interview.

During a Monday morning appearance on 880AM ESPN New York, Ryan said he expects to speak with the New York Jets about their head coach job when the regular season ends. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media confirmed that it is a real possibility that Ryan could be viewed as a candidate for the Jets.

Ryan, of course, was the head coach of the Jets from 2009-2014. That is why there are serious doubts about whether the team would hire him back.

Actually a possibility, believe it or not, as a candidate who could be interviewed. https://t.co/l2Vfeu9a5a

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 30, 2024

Ryan led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010, but it was all downhill from there. New York has not returned to the postseason since. Though, Ryan’s 4-2 playoff record with the Jets is impressive and his 46-50 regular-season record is much better than what his successors accomplished.

In a different radio appearance last month, Ryan spoke in detail about why he believes he is worthy of a second stint as head coach of the Jets. The 61-year-old praised Jets owner Woody Johnson, who has faced a tremendous amount of criticism amid the team’s 4-12 season.

If Ryan truly wants to return to the sideline, he might have a better chance of landing a defensive coordinator job. He was linked to a very prominent one not all that long ago.