Ryan has been a coach for almost 30 years, eight of those as the head coach of an NFL team, first with the New York Jets (2009–14) and subsequently with the Buffalo Bills (2015-16).
Ryan had his greatest seasons with the Jets, when he guided the team to consecutive AFC Championship berths in 2009 and 2010.
Was Rex Ryan a defensive coordinator?
Ryan spent 10 seasons (1999-2008) as an NFL assistant with the Baltimore Ravens, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008 and won a Super Bowl (XXXV). Awards for Assistant Coach of the Year from Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers Association were given to Ryan in 2006.
In 1987–88, Ryan began his coaching career at Eastern Kentucky as a graduate assistant. Ryan spent two seasons (1994–1955) working under his father, the late NFL head coach Buddy Ryan, as the defensive line and linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals after attending New Mexico Highlands (1989) and Morehead State (1990–93).
As the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati (1996–1977), Oklahoma (1998), and Kansas State, he returned to the collegiate ranks (1999)
