Rex Ryan has been very openly campaigning for the New York Jets to bring him back as their head coach, and the ESPN analyst made yet another pitch while reacting to some big news on Sunday.
The New England Patriots announced on Sunday morning that they have hired Mike Vrabel as their new head coach. During ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown,” Ryan was asked for his reaction to the move.
“Hopefully I get to kick this guy’s a– twice a year,” Ryan said with a smile.
Ryan then laughed and said he was only kidding. He also specified that he did not mean he, personally, is going to try to beat up on Vrabel, but was referring to his team beating Vrabel’s team.
Rex Ryan's immediate reaction to the Mike Vrabel news? "Hopefully I get to kick this guy's ass twice a year. …My team, not me personally!" pic.twitter.com/yGxt4HiOIR
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025
Ryan’s only team at the moment is ESPN, but he is hoping that will change in the near future. The 62-year-old interviewed with the Jets last week, though very few people believe he is considered a top candidate for his former team.
Ryan spoke in detail weeks ago about why he believes he is the right person to turn things around for the Jets, who went 5-13 this season. Ryan was the head coach of the Jets from 2009-2014. He led the team to back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in his first two seasons, but it was all downhill from there.
Though he finished 46-50 as head coach of the Jets, Ryan’s 4-2 postseason record with the team is impressive.
The Jets are casting a wide net in their search for a new coach. They will probably opt for a fresh face over Ryan, but Rex is not going down without a fight.
