The New York Jets lost a last-second thriller to the Detroit Lions in Week 3. Following the loss, a large section of Jets fans expressed displeasure on social media and questioned the direction of the franchise.
Longtime NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan called out Jets fans for that response.
“That is why I’m disappointed in Jets fans. Jets fans forgot where they were last year. Are you kidding me? This team wasn’t even competitive last year. It’s a joke. Now I see a team that is just the opposite. This team is close. It’s not there; it’s not going to be there this year. It’s not going to be there this year, but it damn sure is going to be there next year; just wait. They’re building; they start stacking these damn draft classes after each other. Not only are they going to be competitive, [but] they might shoot to the top, and that’s what I’m encouraged about with this football team,” Ryan explained on DiPietro & Rothenberg on ESPN New York.
Ryan Singles out Jets Left Tackle
That wasn’t the end of Ryan’s rant on local radio.
“Yeah, the left tackle, what the hell is wrong with you? A top 10 pick, how about you get a little fire in your butt and block some of these average [expletive] defensive ends that are making you look bad. That’s my biggest disappointment with this football team,” Ryan stated.
He didn’t name anyone specifically, but Ryan was likely referencing Lions defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum. The former South Carolina product gave the Jets all sorts of problems in Week 3.
He finished the game with two sacks, creating -14 yards for the offense. Before this contest, Wonnum didn’t have a single sack this season.
Wonnum, 28, will turn 29 during the 2026 season. He entered the league as the No. 117 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft. Wonnum has never been named an All-Pro or a Pro Bowler. Throughout his career, he has been a solid professional football player.
According to Pro Football Focus, Wonnum has a 59.2 pass rush grade this season. That ranks 62nd among 108 qualified pass rushers in 2026. With all due respect, Wonnum was a random defensive end who bullied Olu Fashanu during the game. Not ideal.
Jets Were Going for Blood
“I was fired up. Geno Smith is playing his tail off. I remember telling him at minicamp, ‘For this team to be good, Geno, you’ve got to be great. Like you gotta play great.’ It’s not just on him, but it’s on the other guys. Geno is doing his part. It’s unfortunate he gets the strip sack at the end of the game, or they’re going to go in, and they’re going to score a touchdown, and I think we all know that they were going to score. They had them totally on their heels. They’re going to score, and they’re going to go for two to win that game. That to me would have been spectacular. I don’t know who the hell played left guard in that situation, but you got a simple slide protection, and you somehow are the only guy that doesn’t get the call. That’s the thing that is really disappointing to me,” Ryan said on ESPN New York.
That player was Jordan Meredith. The Jets acquired him in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders before the season started. He was replacing Dylan Parham at left guard in the starting lineup after he suffered an injury.
According to Justin Fried of The Jet Press, Meredith was among the 10 lowest-graded Jets players by PFF in Week 3 (45.2).
Ryan was right about the game plan to finish off Week 3. Head coach Aaron Glenn spoke with the media on Monday, September 28, and had a funny exchange about what would have happened in the closing moments.
A media member asked coach Glenn if the Jets had scored the touchdown to make it a 31-30 game in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, would he have gone for two or would he have kicked the extra point.
“I think you guys know me well enough to know what I would have done, so hopefully we won’t have to be in that situation again to where we’ll have the lead and it doesn’t matter, but the next time we will be in that situation you’ll see. But I think you know me well enough. What do you think I would have done,” Glenn responded back to the media member.
“I think you would have gone for two,” the media person answered.
Glenn said back with a smile, “There you go.”
Rex Ryan Calls out Jets Fans After Heartbreaking Lions Loss