Report: Sean Payton interviewed famous ex-head coach for Broncos’ DC job

Dec 12, 2021; East Rutherford, N.J.,USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton is in the process of assembling his coaching staff with the Denver Broncos, and he has reached out to an unexpected candidate with whom NFL fans are very familiar.

Payton this week interviewed Rex Ryan for Denver’s defensive coordinator job, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports.

Ryan has not coached in the NFL since the Buffalo Bills fired him in 2016. The Bills let him go with one game remaining that season after Ryan went 15-16 in nearly two seasons.

Prior to his fairly brief stint with Buffalo, Ryan was the head coach of the New York Jets from 2009-2014. He went 46-50 in six seasons and led the team to a 4-2 playoff record. All of the postseason games were played in Ryan’s first two years on the job.

The 60-year-old Ryan has been working as an analyst for ESPN since 2016.

Ryan made a name for himself as a successful defensive coordinator before he was hired by the Jets. He was a defensive assistant for the Super Bowl champion 2000 Baltimore Ravens, who had one of the best defenses in NFL history. Ryan worked with the Ravens from 1999-2008 and was the team’s defensive coordinator for the last four of those seasons.

Ryan has had a successful run at ESPN, and it is quite possible he is content with that gig. The fact that he met with Payton seems to indicate he has some interest in the Denver job, however.

Payton also recently interviewed another former head coach for Denver’s DC job, though that candidate has since taken another position.