Over the next few weeks we here at Last Word are going to be looking at several coaches that we think are potential candidates for unemployment come the new year. Some of our choices will have you screaming at your laptop or smartphone as even amongst the writers there has been some debate.
Last Word Coaches on the Hot Seat: Rex Ryan, New York Jets
Season Record 2-8
Today we look at New York and the ever divisive Rex Ryan, having a record of 44-46 in six years as the Jets coach. He only has two postseason appearances, both of which came during his first two years at the helm. Widely speculated to be heading for unemployment at the end of last season, he received a multiyear extension instead. While this would lead many to believe that his position is safe, the breakdown of the contract indicates that Ryan’s guaranteed money does not extend beyond 2015, so cutting him now would only mean eating a year’s salary for the Jets management.
Ryan has been good for the Jets at times. He was the most successful head coach in terms of wins at the start of the season and he is known for his ability to motivate players as well as keep strong personalities in check. These personalities include the likes of Darrell Revis, Santonio Holmes and most recently Percy Harvin. Ryan has never shied away from controversial players and has the ability to go toe-to-toe with them when it comes to personality. He also has the ability to deal with the New York media, something that is not easy to do. Add to this his foray with Tim Tebow and the media attention that follows him and it shows strong evidence that Ryan has the personality to deal with being a head coach.
Known for his defensive mindset, Ryan came to prominence as the defensive line and coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens from 1999 to 2008 where he ran some of the best defenses in the league during his time there. His tenure at New York has seen the team defense slip from first overall in the league in his first season as head coach to the bottom third from season three onwards.
While these defensive woes are worrying, it is the other side of the ball that will see him lose his job. His inability to get production with Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith are well-documented and with the former even farcical. With Sanchez’s recent promotion to starting quarterback at Philadelphia it will be interesting to see if it was his skill or the team game plan that was at fault.
While fans may bemoan his lack of production the players adore him. His strong presence in the locker room and ability to motivate the team to produce when all is hopeless was witnessed as recently as last weekend when they tripped up high flying Pittsburgh Steelers, who had scored almost 100 points against better defenses in the preceding two weeks.
While a strong finish to the season may help his case for being kept on for one more ‘prove it’ season, it is pretty obvious to all involved that the writing is on the wall for Ryan’s time in New York Green. Too many poor seasons and a lack of progress towards a winning team have left fans dejected and the team several years away from being competitive.
Expect Ryan to fight hard for the remaining 6 games but trips to improving Buffalo, Minnesota and Miami along with a home game against the in-form New England Patriots will make getting to 8-8 almost immeasurably difficult.
2015 Status: Looking for a New Job.
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