No doubt, there is no more entertaining coach in the NFL than Rex Ryan.
Super Bowl guarantees and tummy tucks. Curse fests on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” and tears after a loss. Outrageous getups and preposterous putdowns, aimed primarily at the hated New England Patriots.
The New York Jets’ second-year coach is a breath of fresh air in an oh-so-serious NFL that already has seen two coaches fired this season, with more to come. Mix in all the scrutiny over helmet hits, questionable calls and Brett Favre’s misadventures, and it’s easy to see why the Ryan Revue is so popular — in a good or bad way, depending on your take.
With the Jets (9-2) visiting dour coach Bill Belichick’s Patriots (9-2) in a Monday night matchup of the AFC’s best teams, here’s a Pick Six collection of Ryan’s greatest hits and misses.
* Supermodel & Rex (Nov. 29): Rex may have been at his complimentary best (mostly to his wife, Michelle) in opening Jets-Patriots week by pointing out how much he and good-looking Pats QB Tom Brady have in common. “I mean, the obvious physical appearance would be the first thing. The fact that he’s married to a supermodel? Hello?”
Smiling, Rex then held up a copy of the December issue of InStyle magazine, which includes an ad for women’s apparel at NFLShop.com featuring his wife wearing a green and white Jets top, along with a green, white and black jacket.
“Yeah,” Rex said, “I’m also married to a supermodel.”
* Rob & Rex (Nov. 10): Rex impersonates his twin brother, Rob, at a news conference a few days before the Jets played Cleveland, where Rob is the defensive coordinator. Rex dons a long blond wig, a Browns baseball cap and T-shirt and stuffs a pillow under his shirt, and begins answering questions as Rob.
What do you think of your brother, Rex?
“I think Rex is a great coach and I think he’s a great person,” Rex said. “There’s no question about that. He’s very handsome.”
What happened to your gray hair?
“Well, I’m trying to get a head coaching job, so I’m dyeing it a little bit, to keep looking young and all that kind of stuff.”
Rex then took another swipe at his brother’s ample stomach: “Truly, he is looking bad. He should’ve had the lap-band. He did not have the lap-band surgery when I did. That’s clearly a mistake for him. I’ve always been the big twin. Now I’m just the smart, good-looking one.”
* Brady & Rex (Aug. 23): Brady is asked during a radio interview about “Hard Knocks,” the HBO show giving an inside look at Jets training camp and featuring Rex at his uncensored best — or worst: “Honestly, I haven’t turned it on. I hate the Jets, so I refuse to support that show,” Brady replies casually.
Ryan’s retort? “It’s great. Hey, join the club. … Hell, he knows we hate the Patriots, so what’s the difference?”
* Cursing & Rex (Aug. 12): A day after cussing his way through the premiere episode of “Hard Knocks,” Rex is scolded by his mother for his Rex-pletive opening act.
Ryan’s response? “Sometimes you get rolling and that’s what happens. I don’t know why. I apologize if I offended more people than I usually offend.”
So will you be cutting down on the foul language? “That’s just the way it is, but I’m going to be myself.”
A week later, Tony Dungy criticizes Rex for his cursing, and Rex invites the former coach-turned-NBC analyst to Jets’ training camp. Dungy comes away “really, really liking” Rex, but then disagrees with his decision to play Braylon Edwards five days after Edwards’ arrest for drunken driving.
* Guarantees & Rex (Aug. 6): Rex puts his Super Bowl guarantee in writing on the Jets’ logo sticker on the back of ESPN’s training camp tour bus. Rather than just sign his name, Rex writes: “Soon to be Champs.” Later, he says: “I’m not apologizing. I just know what’s going to happen. My crystal ball, I’m seeing a Super Bowl trophy in there. Now, I could be wrong, but that’s what I see. But everytime I go to work, that’s what I look at.”
* Rings & Rex (June 4, 2009): Less than five months after being hired, Rex drops this classic line in an interview with radio station WFAN: “I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings. I came here to win, let’s put it that way.” By mid-August, he explained what he meant: “When I said that about Belichick, I’m just letting him know I’m not intimidated by him. He’s got the same position I have. We’re both head coaches in this league. He just happens to have a hell of a lot more Super Bowl wins. I don’t have a win. I understand that, but we’re not going to tiptoe our way through this thing.”
AP Sports Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed to this report.