New York Jets coach Rex Ryan on Thursday defended his ability as a head coach in the NFL. While he made it clear he doesn't care what's thought about him, 2013 might be his last season in New York.
"I'm a hell of a lot better football coach than I'm given credit for," Ryan told Newsday.
Ryan coached the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship games in his first two seasons.
"I don't care," Ryan said. "I don't need the credit. But I can tell you one thing, when it's said and done, they'll look back and say, 'Oh man, this dude can coach his butt off.' And you know what? It's true. And I'll let the people that know best talk on my behalf about the kind of coach I am.
"I don't have to brag, even though statistically, I can brag about anything I've ever done defensively."
But it's his last two seasons that are drawing scrutiny. The Jets have been nothing short of chaotic with the inability to fulfill grandiose promises, the Tebow drama, the Darrelle Revis trade, the poor quarterback play, the alleged locker room discontent and the like. More importantly, the Jets haven't reached the postseason in two years.
It cost general manager Mike Tannenbaum his job. Is Ryan next?
Owner Woody Johnson hired John Idzik in January as the new GM. Idzik inherited Ryan, and it stands to reason he'd want his own hand-picked coach running the team if Ryan can't turn around last year's 6-10 season.
To Ryan's credit, his team's defense has always been solid. His future then depends on his offense, which ranked 30th in the NFL last season. Mark Sanchez hasn't produced like Ryan had hoped for when he traded up for the quarterback in the 2009 draft. While the addition of coordinator Marty Mornhinweg may give the offense a shot of life, Ryan could find his fate tied to rookie quarterback Geno Smith.
It becomes a question of whether Ryan is willing to swallow his pride and admit he chose wrong in Sanchez. Smith, a second-round pick out of West Virginia, could supplant Sanchez by the end of training camp. With pressure on Ryan to win this season, he may have to bet his job on a rookie quarterback and hope it's enough to, at the very least, make the playoffs.
It's a make-or-break season; another losing campaign might bring the Ryan Era to a close.
