FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -Full of bluster and bravado, Rex Ryan is a chip off the ol’ Buddy block.
The New York Jets’ in-your-face coach can only hope some of that rubs off on his new team.
“We want to be known as the most physical football team in the NFL,” a confident Ryan said during his introductory news conference Wednesday. “The players will have each other’s backs, and if you take a swipe at one of ours, we’ll take a swipe at two of yours.”
Talk about sending a bold message to the rest of the league. The 46-year-old Ryan certainly learned a few things from his father, former coach Buddy Ryan, who was one of the NFL’s most outspoken and colorful characters.
“With all the cameras and all that, I was looking for our new president back there,” a smiling Rex Ryan said. “You know, I think we’ll get to meet him in the next couple years anyway.”
Confident? Yep. Cocky? No doubt.
ampions – is worthy of a Super-sized guarantee.
“There’s no reason we shouldn’t win immediately with the kind of players that we have and the kind of coaching staff that we’re bringing in here,” said Ryan, wearing his diamond-studded 2001 Super Bowl ring from Baltimore.
Ryan, the Ravens’ defensive coordinator the last four seasons, was hired Monday to turn around a franchise that’s hungry for a title. He replaces Eric Mangini, who was fired after the team lost four of its last five games and failed to make the playoffs with Brett Favre.
“I’m not afraid of expectations,” Ryan said. “My goal is to win a Super Bowl. It’s not to just win ‘X’ number of games.”
And that sounds like the perfect game plan to an excited Woody Johnson.
“Why else are we here?” the Jets owner asked. “Yee-haw! That’s good.”
Ryan sat with beat writers in a meeting room after the news conference for more than a half-hour, answering questions, cracking jokes and showing off an impressive PowerPoint presentation detailing the team’s goals and philosophy. He also talked about how he still seeks advice from his father, who had head coaching jobs with Philadelphia and Arizona.
“I know my dad is known as one of the best defensive coaches in the history of this league,” Ryan said. “I want to be a better head coach than my father.”
Super Bowl ring with Joe Namath at quarterback.
“I told him the Jets were my team, just don’t (mess) them up,” the elder Ryan said during a phone interview with The Associated Press.
The 74-year-old Ryan, now retired and living in Kentucky, expects his son to quickly put his own stamp on the team.
“He’s qualified and certified,” Buddy Ryan said. “They did theirselves a good favor by hiring him. He’s happy with the job. That’s what he wanted.”
Nearly a dozen of Ryan’s new players attended his press conference, including cornerback Darrelle Revis and wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, wanting to get a first look at their new coach.
“He’s relaxed and he’s not tense,” Revis said, comparing Ryan with Mangini. “He’s exciting and you can just tell he’s going to bring a lot of stuff over here that we’ll like.”
Whether Favre plays for Ryan remains uncertain. The 39-year-old quarterback is mulling retirement again after tearing a biceps muscle and throwing nine interceptions in the Jets’ last five games.
“I think anybody would want Brett Favre as their quarterback, not just me,” Ryan said, adding that he planned to speak to each of the players during the next several days, including Favre.
Ryan also is confident he can make something of linebacker Vernon Gholston, who struggled through a disappointing rookie season after being the No. 6 overall draft pick.
o it for me and for this team,” Ryan said, “he’s never going to do it.”
Ryan, who signed a four-year deal reportedly worth $11.6 million, announced that he hired Ravens outside linebackers coach Mike Pettine as his defensive coordinator and will retain offensive line coach Bill Callahan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff. Ryan also hopes to have offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who interviewed for the head coaching job, on his staff.
Ryan, the twin brother of Cleveland defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, has no previous head coaching experience, but has been an assistant at the pro and college levels for more than 20 years. Nicknamed “The Mad Scientist” by his players for his aggressive and unpredictable game plans, Ryan spent the past 10 seasons with the Ravens.
“The message to the rest of the league,” he said, “is, ‘Hey, the Jets are coming, and we’re going to give you everything we got. And I think that’s going to be more than you can handle.”’
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AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Louisville, Ky., contributed to this report.
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