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Rex Can rest Easy------For now


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Rex Ryan can rest easy -- for now

 

November, 8, 2014

NOV 8

10:45

AM ET

 

By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com

 

 

When a struggling team reaches the bye week, especially later in the season, there is often speculation about potential quarterback and coaching changes. The New York Jets (1-8) are on the verge of their bye week, and rumors are swirling about Rex Ryan getting fired if they get blown out Sunday by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

Ryan's job is safe -- for now.

 

 

 

Owner Woody Johnson has too much respect for Ryan to pull the plug with six games to go. Johnson's longstanding policy is to evaluate after the season, which he reiterated in his last interview, Oct. 2.

 

Indeed, it serves no purpose to fire Ryan in the coming days. From an organizational standpoint, it wouldn't give the Jets any competitive advantage with regard to pursuing a replacement. From a player perspective, it would be an enormously unpopular move in the locker room. The players like Ryan and play hard for him, if not well.

 

In short, it would be a public-relations disaster. At this point, the only way Johnson can appease the fans is by firing general manager John Idzik, not Ryan.

 

Obviously, the landscape changes once the season is over.

 

Ryan is a "Nine Lives" coach, but nothing short of a miracle finish can save him this time -- and the 1-8 Jets don't look like a team that has a miracle in them.

 

His career record is 43-46, plus four playoff wins. This will be the Jets' fourth straight non-playoff season.

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In short, it would be a public-relations disaster. At this point, the only way Johnson can appease the fans is by firing general manager John Idzik, not Ryan.

OMG - it will be so fun around here if John Idzik gets fired on Monday, and Rex lasts until the end of the season. I might literally LMFAO if that happens.

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OMG - it will be so fun around here if John Idzik gets fired on Monday, and Rex lasts until the end of the season. I might literally LMFAO if that happens.

 

That could happen.  It is also possible that Rex isn't fired at the end of the season, but left for the new GM to make the decision

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Let him finish! Rex Ryan's earned the right to stay to the end with the NY Jets

 

Ryan, who made the organization relevant again with early on-field success and plenty of charisma, should coach the final six games after the bye.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Saturday, November 8, 2014, 2:20 PM A A A

 

 

Rex Ryan continues to fight the good fight despite the mess the NY Jets have become thanks to the many mistakes of his GM, John Idzik.

 

No matter how ugly it gets on Sunday, Rex Ryan has earned the right to finish this season on the sideline.

 

 

The Steelers — and a legion of Terrible Towel-waving crazies — will invade MetLife Stadium in what will feel like a road game for the 1-8 Jets. Ryan & Co. are poised to hit rock bottom with a franchise-record ninth consecutive loss entering a Week 11 bye. From an overmatched general manager to a moth-ridden roster, the Jets are a wretched mess.

 

 

 

Through it all, Ryan has taken the high road, fighting the good fight, biting his tongue, politely answering the same handful of questions re-phrased a million different ways.

 

 

Yes, his team stinks. No, he won't publicly embarrass his players, some of whom should be collecting paychecks in Ottawa or Saskatchewan.

 

 

Yes, John Idzik has screwed up more moves than anyone can possibly fathom. No, he won't throw the poor lost guy under the bus.

 

 

Ryan has deservedly absorbed far fewer body blows from frustrated fans than the GM, who assembled this sad-sack roster, but the head coach has certainly made his fair share of mistakes this season. However, Woody Johnson should stick to his stated plan to fully digest what went wrong before making any final decisions.

 

 

Ryan, who made the organization relevant again with early on-field success and plenty of charisma, should coach the final six games after the bye.

 

 

Although Johnson would be justified to move on from Ryan after the season, there's little sense making a coaching change during the bye week even if the Jets suffer an embarrassing ninth defeat in a row possibly in front of a partisan Steelers crowd.

 

History suggests it's unlikely the Jets will reverse course with a new leader for the rest of the season. Eighteen head coaches have been fired in-season in the last 10 years. The interim guys in charge are a combined 40-69 (.367). Only five were retained as the full-time head coach the following season.

 

Johnson has no reason to remove Ryan right now.

 

The coach hasn't lost the locker room. Players publicly and privately still support him, but realize that the end is likely near.

Ryan's messages to his team come from the heart. He still finds ways to inspire even if he knows that he can only go so far with the lack of talent on this team.

 

"I'm not a guy that just reads something out of a book and says, 'Hey, let's go with it,'" Ryan said of coming up with fresh messages as the losses pile up. "I think that comes off as fake and I don't know how much guys get out of it. Maybe you can bluff them for a year or so. I think you just speak to them the way it is."

 

 

Rex Ryan (l.) and John Idzik's Jets are staring at a ninth straight defeat vs. the Steelers on Sunday.

There are other considerations that would make it silly to pull the plug on Ryan during the season.

 

 

He's the only defensive coach on staff to have ever called a play in the NFL. Ryan consults defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman when devising weekly game plans, but the head coach makes the final calls on Sunday afternoons. Without Ryan, the defense would be in even more chaos on gamedays.

 

 

Idzik's future is uncertain, but if he survives the wreckage, it's unlikely that he'd consider hiring anyone from Ryan's staff to take over in 2015. So, there's no reason for him to give any assistant a six-game audition.

 

 

The lone benefit to cutting ties with Ryan now would be to get a head start on the next coaching search. Idzik privately considered Ryan's replacements late last season, so he presumably wouldn't be starting from scratch. Coveted candidates, however, are certain to weigh all options rather than jump at the first team that calls.

 

 

Ryan, 47-48 in 5 1/2 seasons in charge, will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, but he turned the Jets into the toast of the town upon his arrival. He made it fun to be a Jets fan and finally have a real reason to talk smack to the folks bleeding blue in this town. He's the last guy standing from the 11-man head coaching Class of 2009.

 

 

"I'm optimistic and I always believe in my guys," Ryan said. "I truly believe better things are coming. I see great things on the horizon. It just looks distant right now, but I know we're working to that."

 

 

The man deserves to stick around to the bitter end.

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As predictable as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening, the NY beat writer scum, on cue, lobbying with fervent desperation to save the job of the affable buffoon who makes their lives writing columns so much easier. 

 

I've said it countless times, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Woody fires Idzik and retains Rex, forcing him on yet another (sub-par) GM candidate.

 

And the beat goes on...

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Why are they in  "Full self-preservation mode"?  Nobody is going to fire them for the Teams performance.  

Yeah, but no one's going to read their columns for a few months if the foot-loving oaf is canned this week.  

 

It's quite apparent that their agenda is at odds with the future success of the team.

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In short, it would be a public-relations disaster. At this point, the only way Johnson can appease the fans is by firing general manager John Idzik, not Ryan.

 

Wha.... wha.... WHAT?

 

More of a PR nightmare than...

 

... a 1-8 season?

 

... signing Mike Vick? After finally getting rid of Tebow circus?

 

... keeping Rex the first time fans wanted him fired?

 

 

This whole article is laughable.

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That could happen.  It is also possible that Rex isn't fired at the end of the season, but left for the new GM to make the decision

 

Who would be GM candidates who worked with Rex and like him?  This could be fun.  Funny thing is, down inside I'm still hoping Rex makes it through, I don't see how or why right now but I still find myself hoping for it.

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Wha.... wha.... WHAT?

More of a PR nightmare than...

... a 1-8 season?

... signing Mike Vick? After finally getting rid of Tebow circus?

... keeping Rex the first time fans wanted him fired?

This whole article is laughable.

Actually, the fans have been very supportive of Rex and deservedly so.
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