Rex Ryan has expressed interest in coaching in the NFL again, and the ESPN analyst has reportedly landed his first formal interview of the current hiring cycle.
Ryan is scheduled to interview with the New York Jets on Tuesday for their head coach vacancy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
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. New York has not returned to the postseason since.
Ryan spoke in detail weeks ago about why he believes he is the right person to turn things around for the Jets, who are 4-12 heading into their season finale.
More recently, Ryan said he expected to speak with the Jets about their head coach job. Whether they are serious about hiring him or not, the team is willing to give the 62-year-old an opportunity to state his case.
Ryan was named the head coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2015 after being fired by the Jets. He went 15-16 across two seasons in Buffalo and did not make the playoffs.
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, there is a good chance the franchise will want a fresh face. Ryan might have a better shot at landing a defensive coordinator job, and he was linked to a prominent one not all that long ago.
