If Rex Ryan’s fate was decided by popular vote of the players instead of the electoral college chaired by John Idzik and Woody Johnson, he would win in a landslide, a resounding mandate to bring him back.
“I’m 100 percent confident that if it was up to the players, that he’d be back next year,” David Nelson told The Post. “I’m 100 percent confident that if the GM and the owner allowed player feedback, then there’d be a lot of guys that would go to bat for him, and speak on his behalf.”
They would tell them the team is headed in the right direction. They would tell that he is more than a coach.
“We don’t feel like Rex is leaving,” Sheldon Richardson said. “We don’t feel like he’s going anywhere no time soon.”
But 6-8 and out of the playoffs for a third straight time seemingly has his job hanging in the balance.
“People saw the upside, people saw the sparks,” Richardson said. “We didn’t pull out the wins like we wanted to, but we most definitely showed effort.”
Would Idzik buy into that?
“Idzik’s around every day, so I’m pretty sure they see the camaraderie between the players and the coaches,” Richardson said.
What would you tell Idzik?
“Rex should stay,” Richardson said, “it’s just that simple. This is Rex’s defense, this is Rex’s team. There’s nothing more to it.”
He means that much to you?
“I’d go through a bad season with a good coach than going through a good season with a bad coach any day,” Richardson said.
Calvin Pace has enjoyed a renaissance under Ryan.
“As a player, man, I truly believe Rex is The Guy for this team,” Pace said. “He’s the guy to lead this organization.”
Is that a universal thought in this locker room?
“Oh, no doubt,” Pace said. “Having played 11 years, I haven’t played for a guy who believes in everyone in this room. It’s just sad we just haven’t gotten it done these last couple of years for him. I don’t know if an endorsement from Calvin Pace helps out a lot but … he’s The Guy.”
What makes him The Guy?
“I don’t think many people envisioned us even winning six games,” Pace said. “I think the messages that he always installs in us, I think guys rally behind that … just schematically, I think what he does fits this conference. We’re a young team. We got a lot of guys who it’s their first year playing, second year. They need time, another year under their belt. I think he’s the guy, I think he’s the guy that just everybody rallies behind. But guys in this locker room have to do a better job of doing our part on the field.”
Would firing Ryan be a step back?
“I think any time you start over, you take a step back,” Pace said. “And you got to start all the way over, you got to install people, maybe the personnel you have doesn’t fit with the new guy wants to bring in. I think sometimes it’s more trouble than it’s worth. And not every coach fits every conference. It’s different styles of play in my opinion, AFC East versus AFC North. … He’s the guy for the job, man.”
“It’s deeper than just X’s and O’s, and it’s deeper than just schematics and practice,” Nelson said. “I mean, he really truly cares about his players, he gets to know them on a personal level and … I think you see that with the way they play on Sundays. They’re not just out there just running around catching balls. Guys play hard for Rex. They believe in Rex. They really care about him. They really want to do their best for him, and win for him.”
It was Willie Colon who first volunteered that firing Ryan would be a step back.
“I’m pretty sure the whole team feels like this,” Richardson said. “He loves you more than just football, man: ‘Is your life straight?’ One thing he always told me, ‘Save your money, man, you don’t need to spend your money.’ Every day for like the first three months I knew him. He didn’t want me to be one of those guys that’d be done playing football and I’m broke.”
Ryan has never brought up his job status with his players.
“The way today’s practice went, I feel like he’s the man for the job, and I feel like he’s going to be here for a long time,” Nelson said.
What was it about the practice?
“Just the way he approached it, just the way he handled business today. Just the way he came into the meeting room. There was no sense of anxiety in him at all, there was no sense of panic at all. He came in today, it was business as usual, and if today was any testament, then hopefully he’s here for a long time.”
Ryan, who is focused only on the Browns, addressed the end of the Jets’ improbable playoff dream with the team after Ravens kicker Justin Tucker’s improbable 61-yard field goal to beat the Lions booted them out on Monday night.
Rex’s message: “Hey guys, we were banking on Detroit to pull one out, they didn’t pull it out. Got to finish these two weeks strong though. We signed up to play 16, not 14.”