Why New York Jets-Rex Ryan Coaching Reunion Next Season Makes Sense

The New York Jets are in a real bind and their most successful recent head coach is willing to step in and help.

Dec 21, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan walks off the field after losing to the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Jets 17-16. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Jets have seen their season implode with a 3-8 record in 2024, and things only appear to be getting worse. 

Coming into the campaign, there was a lot of hope for the Jets in 2024. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was healthy to start the season. New York made some nice improvements in the offseason, and it seemed like things could only go up. 

Sadly, that has not been the case. After a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in England, owner Woody Johnson fired head coach Robert Saleh. That didn’t improve things for New York, as the losing continued. 

Recently, Johnson decided to fire general manager Joe Douglas as the wheels have completely fallen off for the franchise. There has been a lot of bad things for the Jets in recent years, but considering this team actually had some expectations to succeed, this feels like the worst it has been. 

Now, New York will be heading into the offseason in need of a new coach, a new general manager, and potentially a new quarterback. 

Due to the state of the franchise, it’s hard to believe that one of the top coaching candidates would want to come to the Jets. Mike Vrabel, Jon Gruden, and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are a few of the top candidates that will likely be pursued.

However, as other teams move on from their head coaches, top candidates would likely prefer pretty much any other team in the league considering what has transpired in New York this season. 

However, one coach who has been outspoken about actually wanting the job is Rex Ryan. 

Ryan coached the Jets from 2009-14 before being let go, but there were a lot of bright moments during his tenure. New York made the AFC Championship Game two years in a row with Mark Sanchez as their quarterback, and Ryan gave them an identity on both sides of the ball. 

With a 61-66 record in the regular season as a head coach, and a 4-2 record in the playoffs, the 61-year-old certainly is capable and has proven to be able to win games. Under Ryan, the Jets really only had one horrific season, which was his last in 2014.

While Ryan might not be the top candidate out there, he is clearly passionate about this franchise and fixing it. That should count for something, as he has experience dealing with Johnson and what can be a tough New York media. 

Hiring Ryan could result in a bit of a circus for the Jets, but he has proven he can win in New York and actually wants to be here. While it might seem crazy, a reunion makes a lot of sense.