Report: Rex Ryan interviewing with ESPN as fallback plan
Rex Ryan still wants to be a head coach in the NFL next season, but he has another career path in mind if that doesn’t work out.
According to Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News, Ryan is meeting with ESPN executives on Tuesday to discuss a possible role as an analyst if he cannot land another head coaching gig in 2015.
Ryan, who was fired by the New York Jets on Monday following a 4-12 season, reportedly has no interest in being a defensive coordinator next season. There are currently four NFL teams (aside from the Jets) with head coaching vacancies — the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders.
For any team that is looking to create a buzz, Ryan is an obvious candidate. In addition to being a great defensive coach, Rex has an infectious personality and always seems to get his players to give it their all. For evidence of that, look no further than the Jets’ Week 17 win at Miami when they had nothing to play for and knew their coach was gone.
Of the aforementioned teams, the Falcons may make the most sense. Ryan interviewed for the Atlanta head coaching job in 2008, and some comments Falcons owner Arthur Blank recently made indicate Rex would be a perfect fit. I’d say Ryan has better than a 50/50 shot of landing another head coaching job.
