Rex Ryan is among the candidates for the Jets’ head coaching position, and he is set to interview Tuesday. His latest comments on the situation make it clear he sees himself as the favorite to land the gig.
“100 percent, absolutely I do,” Ryan replied during his latest appearance on ESPN Radio when asked if he expects he will ultimately be hired. “And the reason I think I’m going to get it is because I’m the best guy and it ain’t close.”
Ryan has gone public on more than one occasion recently stating his intention of returning to his former position as the Jets’ head coach. He held that role from 2009-14, a stretch which included two AFC title game appearances. Those remain the team’s most recent playoff games, but it remains to be seen if serious interest will exist on the part of the search committee to bring Ryan back into the fold.
With that said, former GM Mike Tannenbaum is among the people leading the process by which New York’s next coach and general manager will be hired. Tannenbaum was in place when Ryan was hired, and that connection will be worth watching closely as New York’s search unfolds. Several other candidates will be interviewed at least once, but Ryan sees himself as the top option despite the fact he has not coached since his Bills tenure ended in 2016.
“The thing you have to do, you have to connect with your football team, you have to connect with your fan base,” the 62-year-old added. “The way they play, that’s the most important thing. Not just the Xs and Os and all that. [Lions offensive coordinator] Ben Johnson, I love him. I absolutely love him. But I’m a better candidate for this job than he would be.”
Aside from determining a new organizational direction, the Jets will of course have to decide on the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The future Hall of Famer is himself unsure of his outlook for 2025, but in any case, the handling of the approach to the season is one area where Ryan would bring about changes from Robert Saleh‘s regime. He expounded on that as well Monday.
“If [Rodgers] comes back, things would be different,” Ryan said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “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. I’ll just leave it at that.”
Ryan is still in place with ESPN at this point, but the possibility remains he could receive serious consideration for the Jets posting. That would match his expectations, and his progress in interviewing for the gig will be a central storyline of the team’s search.
