Rex Ryan may not be coaching NFL football anymore, but that doesn’t mean he has given up on his love for football altogether. The former Buffalo Bills and New York Jets head coach is said to be joining ESPN as an analyst.
From coach to analyst
Now that it seems like he is done with coaching for good, Ryan will be joining “Sunday NFL Countdown” on ESPN. According to Yahoo! Sports, he has signed a multi-year deal with the network. His work with ESPN started on Super Bowl Sunday, when he acted as a guest analyst for the Atlanta Falcons/New England Patriots showdown.
He will be joining other NFL greats such as Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Matt Hasselback.
While he is fairly new to hosting and acting as an analyst, Ryan is known for his entertaining and outspoken personality on the field and as a coach, so there is no doubt he will fit right in with his new co-workers.
Ryan’s NFL and college football coaching history
Ryan spent eight years as an NFL head coach. He spent six seasons (2009-2014) with the New York Jets and was ultimately fired at the end of the 2014 season. During that season, they had a 4-12 record, which was the worst under his tenure as coach.
In 2015, Ryan was hired to become head coach for the Buffalo Bills. During his first season, his team won eight of their 16 games, thus failing to make it to the playoffs.
In 2016, he returned as coach, leading his team to win seven of their 16 games, once again failing to make it to the playoffs.
In December 2016, He, along with his twin brother Rob, (who served as assistant head coach) were fired from the Buffalo Bills, despite the fact that Ryan had signed a five-year, multi-million dollar contract with the team.
Prior to being a head coach for both teams, Ryan worked with the Baltimore Ravens in several roles, including defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach. In 2001, he helped lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory. Ryan also served as a coach and defensive coordinator for several colleges, including Oklahoma, Kansas State and Morehead State before making his mark in the NFL.
There is no word yet as to when he will begin his new hosting gig.
