Getty Rex Ryan looks on before a Buffalo Bills game.
Former Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan could be close to making his NFL return.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on February 15 that Ryan has the inside track for a job as defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, a position he interviewed for last week.
“Comeback? Rex Ryan has emerged as a top candidate for the #Broncos defensive coordinator job, per me and Mike Garafolo,” Rapoport tweeted. “Ryan has been on ESPN after being fired by the #Bills in 2016. If all goes well, he could be headed back in the NFL.”
Rex Ryan Could Join Sean Payton’s Staff
As Rapoport noted, Ryan has been out of the league since being fired by the Bills prior to the final week of the 2016 season. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that new Broncos head coach Sean Payton was interested in bringing Ryan onto his staff, interviewing him for the top defensive post.
“A little Sunday morning scoopage: new Broncos head coach Sean Payton interviewed a surprise candidate this week to be his defensive coordinator, ESPN’s Rex Ryan,” Glazer tweeted on February 12.
Comeback? Rex Ryan has emerged as a top candidate for the #Broncos defensive coordinator job, per me and @MikeGarafolo. Ryan has been on ESPN after being fired by the #Bills in 2016. If all goes well, he could be headed back in the NFL.
Payton has a reputation as an offensive-minded coach, and Ryan was considered one of the top defensive minds during his time in the NFL. Despite a 5-12 season, the Broncos had a stout defense in 2022, giving up just 21.1 points per game, and had the top-scoring defense through the first two-thirds of the season.
Payton does have a connection to the Ryan family, though has not worked with Rex himself. As Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper noted, Payton hired Rex’s brother, Rob Ryan, as the defensive coordinator New Orleans Saints from the start of the 2013 season until he was fired mid-season in 2015. Rob and Rex Ryan have worked together as well, with Rex bringing his brother onto the Bills’ defensive coaching staff during his tenure.
Though Ryan had success early in his tenure as a head coach with the New York Jets, leading the team to the AFC Championship game in each of his first two seasons, he struggled to match that same level of success. The Jets did not have another winning season under his leadership and he was fired at the conclusion of the 2014 season.
Ryan came to the Bills the following season, leading them to an 8-8 record. He was 7-8 the next season before being fired.
Payton Looking at Big Names for Staff
Payton could be looking to pull from his past in building his coaching staff. In addition to Ryan, he has also joked about a role for former Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Payton noted that the future Hall of Famer already has a relationship with Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, and the two live nearby in Southern California.
“I coached Russell in the Pro Bowl,” Payton said, via USA Today’s Broncos Wire. “It’s a very small community where you get to know these guys. He lives really close to Drew in Del Mar, [California]. Drew said, ‘Russell is wearing me out.’ I said, ‘Drew we’re going to give you a little spot in the program. We’ll call you Senior Assistant of Del Mar.’ That’s where Drew lives.”
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Ex-Bills Coach Rex Ryan Has Inside Track on New NFL Job: Insider