Rex Ryan Pleads for Bill Belichick to Take Year Away From Coaching

The former Jets coach has a spicy take on the Bill Belichick drama.
Rex Ryan Pleads for Bill Belichick to Take Year Away From Coaching
Rex Ryan Pleads for Bill Belichick to Take Year Away From Coaching /

It’s right on brand for Rex Ryan, the infamous loud-mouthed New York Jets coach featured on Hard Knocks, to have a controversial opinion on the offseason Bill Belichick drama.

After the Atlanta Falcons hired Raheem Morris as their new head coach last week, rumors are starting to swirl that Belichick may not have a coaching job in the NFL in 2024. According to Ryan, this is the best possible scenario for the ex-New England Patriots coach.

“Maybe what used to be the right way isn’t the right way anymore. This is without question the greatest coach in the National Football League,” Ryan said on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. “[But] I think the best thing that could happen for Bill Belichick is to step away for a year.”

Ryan, who coached the Jets for six seasons from 2009 to ’14, faced Belichick’s Patriots plenty of times and drew on his personal experience for reasons why the legendary coach may need a break.

The main reason, per Ryan, is that Belichick doesn’t have Tom Brady anymore.

“Look, I know he’s the greatest coach,” continued Ryan. “Like I said I went against ’em all. I had my ass kicked by this guy all the time. But I can tell you one thing—the only time he never had Tom Brady, we shut ’em out. And it makes a difference.”

Ryan also implied that the 71-year-old Belichick may not be considered a long-term solution for rebuilding franchises. As of now, the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders are the only teams still looking for a new head coach.


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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.