After months of publicly campaigning for the position, Rex Ryan finally got his coaching interview on Tuesday.
Ryan, 62, officially interviewed with the Jets on Tuesday.
He was the team’s head coach from 2009-14 — the last coach to guide Gang Green to the postseason — and compiled a 46-50 regular-season record over six seasons.
Ryan also coached two seasons with the Bills (2015-16) before being canned in Buffalo.
During his first two seasons with the Green and White, Ryan led the team to back-to-back AFC championship game appearances. However, during his last four seasons, the Jets registered a 26-38 record with no playoff appearances. Ryan was fired following a 4-12 record in 2014.
After leaving the Jets, Ryan went 15-16 with Buffalo before he was fired with one game remaining during the 2016 season. Since then, Ryan has been an NFL analyst for ESPN.
Ryan has been campaigning for the Jets job since owner Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. He met with Jets decision makers in Palm Beach, Fla., where Johnson lives.
The Jets have already been busy interviewing candidates for their vacant coaching and general manager positions. Last week, they interviewed former Panthers and Commanders coach Ron Rivera and former Titans coach Mike Vrabel. They have also submitted several requests to interview multiple coordinators, such as Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Texans OC Bobby Slowik, Vikings DC Brian Flores and Chiefs OC Matt Nagy.
On Monday, during an appearance on ESPN New York, the brash son of NFL coaching legend Buddy Ryan said he expects to land the Jets coaching gig.
“Oh, 100%, absolutely I do,” Ryan said. “The reason I think I’m going to get it is because I’m the best guy for the job and it ain’t close. The think you have to do is you have to connect with your football team, you have to connect with your fan base. The way they play, that’s the most important thing.
“It’s not just the X’s and O’s and all that. This Ben Johnson — I love him, I absolutely love him — but I’m a better candidate for this job than he would be.”
Johnson, the Lions OC, is one of the biggest targets during this year’s hiring cycle. However, he is not expected to interview with the Jets, sources say.
The Jets are coming off a disappointing 5-12 season, which led to the firings of Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas. Ryan criticized the Jets for the “lack of organizational leadership” under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Ryan also condemned quarterback Aaron Rodgers for missing the team’s mandatory minicamp last June to go on vacation to Egypt. After Saleh called it an unexcused absence, Rodgers was fined $100,000.
One of the biggest offseason decisions, outside of the coaching and general manager hires, is whether to bring Rodgers, 41, back in 2025. After an up-and-down season, his contract has no remaining guaranteed money. In 17 games, Rodgers threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
If Rodgers is on the roster next season, he will make a non-guaranteed $37.5 million, with a dead cap hit of $49 million if he retires or is released. Ryan said that if Rodgers returns to the Jets, he will end his “country club.”
“Clearly, when you have a guy that doesn’t show up for mandatory minicamp — and by the way, he’s your quarterback coming off an injury — I think that’s an absolutely ridiculous message you send to the team,” Ryan said.
“If he comes back, things would be different. If he’s back, it ain’t gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you want to show up. That ain’t gonna happen.”