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Rex Ryan is ready to make a return to the NFL.
While appearing as an analyst on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday morning, Ryan responded to the Washington Redskins firing head coach Jay Gruden by quickly inserting his name into the open job. The former New York Jets head coach said “I’d take it” when discussing the Redskins’ job prospects.
Ryan explains why he — and others — would take the Redskins’ job around the 6:04 mark of the video.
“Of course, I would take it. People are going to be lined up for this job. They absolutely will.”
Prior to throwing his name in the bag for potential Redskins head coach prospects, the 56-year-old Ryan also stated why Ryan Day — the Ohio State head coach whose name is being thrown around as the favorite for the Redskins head coaching gig — won’t leave the Buckeyes for the Redskins.
“No. Here’s the deal. Ryan Day isn’t leaving Ohio State to get in the NFL. You can’t schedule wins in this league. You can schedule them in college and it’s easier when you have head and shoulders better players in college. Why would you come in here, where you’ve got the same level of playing field?”
Ryan Day Oversaw Dwayne Haskins’ Development at OSU
Day is the head coach who oversaw Dwayne Haskins as a quarterback at Ohio State. Under Day, Haskins became a Heisman Trophy finalist and emerged as a first-round draft selection after his lone season as a starter in college in 2018. He threw 50 touchdown passes against eight interceptions while leading the Buckeyes to a 13-1 record and a Rose Bowl win.
However, while Day obviously has a relationship and rapport with his former starting quarterback, why would he leave a secure job at Ohio State where he has the best team in the Big Ten conference for an NFL squad that he’ll have to build from the ground up?
Furthermore, Day is just 40 years old — he has just two years of experience coaching in the NFL and both of those stints were as quarterback coaches of the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. He’d be taking a huge leap from quarterbacks coach to head coach in the NFL.
Making matters even more favorable for Ohio State is the fact that Day earns $4.5 million a year and is 9-0 as the Buckeyes head coach. Jay Gruden was earning roughly $5 million a year as the Redskins’ head coach.
Why would Day leave his cushy job at Ohio State to earn roughly the same amount as the head coach of one of the worst franchises in the NFL?
Ryan is on the mark here — the Redskins will have to look elsewhere to find their next head coach.
Rex Ryan’s Head Coaching History
Although Ryan hasn’t coached in three years, he did thrive as the head coach of the Jets, leading them to AFC Championship Game appearances at the conclusion of the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
However, in his last six seasons as a head coach of the Jets and the Buffalo Bills, he failed to lead his franchises to a single playoff appearance, going 41-54 from 2011 until 2016. This is in stark contrast to his 20-12 record during his first two seasons as a head coach.
While Ryan is an intriguing name, the Redskins should probably look within their system for their next head coach. Over the past several years alone, they’ve allowed Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Matt Lafleur to walk as assistants.
All three coaches are now successfully leading winning teams in the NFL as head coaches. That’s the sign of a bad organization that doesn’t know how to scout and keep talent.