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Rex Ryan, if fired by Jets, could easily get TV analyst job next year, per report
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New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan on the sidelines as New York Jets take on Buffalo Bills in NFL Week 8 action at in East Rutherford, NJ 10/26/14 (William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on December 01, 2014 at 8:56 AM, updated December 01, 2014 at 9:57 AM
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On Sunday, an ESPN report popped up stating that the Jets were monitoring the situation with coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers.
If the 49ers and Harbaugh decide to part ways after this season, he could be acquired via trade. The report noted that the Jets and Raiders were "expected to inquire" about a Harbaugh trade.
You don't need an expert knowledge of the Jets to know that they likely will fire coach Rex Ryan after this season, which is now spiraling with a 2-9 record entering Monday night's home game against Miami.
But what about Ryan? His services are expected to be available Dec. 29, the day after the Jets finish their season in Miami. Will Ryan get another head coaching job next season? Or is a coordinator gig more likely?
Another option for Ryan: Go take a well-paying, cushier position as a television analyst.
Sports Illustrated's media columnist, Richard Deitsch, reported Sunday that there is a lot of interest in Ryan from sports TV executives.
If Jets owner Woody Johnson no longer has eyes for Rex Ryan, the coach will have plenty of suitors waiting for him among football-airing networks. Interviews last week with sports television executives confirmed the obvious: Ryan has a golden ticket for an NFL analyst job next year if he is not retained by the Jets, unable to find another coaching job or simply wants a year away from the All-22 life.
"He pretty much has everything TV networks would look for. He has personality, he's not shy about his opinions, and he's a colorful character," said ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman, the executive in charge of hiring ESPN's NFL studio talent. "I think he would be successful whether it is in studio or doing games. When I close my eyes and listen to him I hear a little bit of John Madden in him. There is going to be a lot of interest in Rex if that is what he wants to do."
As Deitsch notes, Ryan has the outgoing personality that could make him an ideal fit for TV. Here's Deitsch again:
You can distill it to four simple words: he makes good television.
Networks will reach out very quickly if Ryan gets fired and some have likely passed along word through emissaries to his business representatives. ESPN would be among the favorites to land him given how many platforms and NFL-related shows it airs. It doesn't take a leap to see Ryan slotting into Mike Ditka's current role. CBS has long ties to Ryan given the network airs the AFC package and the coach has been in a ton of CBS NFL production meetings over the years. The network declined comment on Ryan this week.
Fox Sports Media Group executive producer John Entz previously told Sports Illustrated that Ryan was high on his list. The NFL Network certainly has the programming to fit in Ryan and asked about interest in Ryan, an NFL Network spokesperson said, "Our policy is we don't comment on NFL personnel who are currently under contract to a team or the league." NBC is the one over-the-air network unlikely to switch any of its major talent but it is located close to Ryan's New Jersey home.
"Rex will command a big role on a big show and there are only so many of those chairs," Markman said.
That big role is not going to be cheap. Industry sources put Ryan's price at $3 to $5 million per year as a broadcaster, and it may only be a one-year rental in the end. People in Markman's position have a very tricky proposition. While Ryan could be an entertaining and valuable hire, he's unlikely to stay in television for long given he's just 51 years old and says he wants to coach again.
Anybody who has followed the Jets even a little bit since Ryan took over in 2009 knows that he is not shy about showing his true, goofy colors in public.
Just this year alone, Ryan switched places with reporters during a training camp press conference, and then did it again later in camp. During the season, Ryan hopped into a conference call with Jets writers and Bills receiver Sammy Watkins, to say hello to Watkins and joke with him a little bit.
Ryan also delivered several bold Super Bowl guarantees during his tenure with the Jets -- as well as preseason predictions that the Jets' defense would finish in the top five in the NFL.
If he can be this colorful and candid on TV, he will be fun to watch, even if it is only for one season.
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
1 / 15
New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan on the sidelines as New York Jets take on Buffalo Bills in NFL Week 8 action at in East Rutherford, NJ 10/26/14 (William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on December 01, 2014 at 8:56 AM, updated December 01, 2014 at 9:57 AM
On Sunday, an ESPN report popped up stating that the Jets were monitoring the situation with coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers.
If the 49ers and Harbaugh decide to part ways after this season, he could be acquired via trade. The report noted that the Jets and Raiders were "expected to inquire" about a Harbaugh trade.
You don't need an expert knowledge of the Jets to know that they likely will fire coach Rex Ryan after this season, which is now spiraling with a 2-9 record entering Monday night's home game against Miami.
But what about Ryan? His services are expected to be available Dec. 29, the day after the Jets finish their season in Miami. Will Ryan get another head coaching job next season? Or is a coordinator gig more likely?
Another option for Ryan: Go take a well-paying, cushier position as a television analyst.
Sports Illustrated's media columnist, Richard Deitsch, reported Sunday that there is a lot of interest in Ryan from sports TV executives.
If Jets owner Woody Johnson no longer has eyes for Rex Ryan, the coach will have plenty of suitors waiting for him among football-airing networks. Interviews last week with sports television executives confirmed the obvious: Ryan has a golden ticket for an NFL analyst job next year if he is not retained by the Jets, unable to find another coaching job or simply wants a year away from the All-22 life.
"He pretty much has everything TV networks would look for. He has personality, he's not shy about his opinions, and he's a colorful character," said ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman, the executive in charge of hiring ESPN's NFL studio talent. "I think he would be successful whether it is in studio or doing games. When I close my eyes and listen to him I hear a little bit of John Madden in him. There is going to be a lot of interest in Rex if that is what he wants to do."
As Deitsch notes, Ryan has the outgoing personality that could make him an ideal fit for TV. Here's Deitsch again:
You can distill it to four simple words: he makes good television.
Networks will reach out very quickly if Ryan gets fired and some have likely passed along word through emissaries to his business representatives. ESPN would be among the favorites to land him given how many platforms and NFL-related shows it airs. It doesn't take a leap to see Ryan slotting into Mike Ditka's current role. CBS has long ties to Ryan given the network airs the AFC package and the coach has been in a ton of CBS NFL production meetings over the years. The network declined comment on Ryan this week.
Fox Sports Media Group executive producer John Entz previously told Sports Illustrated that Ryan was high on his list. The NFL Network certainly has the programming to fit in Ryan and asked about interest in Ryan, an NFL Network spokesperson said, "Our policy is we don't comment on NFL personnel who are currently under contract to a team or the league." NBC is the one over-the-air network unlikely to switch any of its major talent but it is located close to Ryan's New Jersey home.
"Rex will command a big role on a big show and there are only so many of those chairs," Markman said.
That big role is not going to be cheap. Industry sources put Ryan's price at $3 to $5 million per year as a broadcaster, and it may only be a one-year rental in the end. People in Markman's position have a very tricky proposition. While Ryan could be an entertaining and valuable hire, he's unlikely to stay in television for long given he's just 51 years old and says he wants to coach again.
Anybody who has followed the Jets even a little bit since Ryan took over in 2009 knows that he is not shy about showing his true, goofy colors in public.
Just this year alone, Ryan switched places with reporters during a training camp press conference, and then did it again later in camp. During the season, Ryan hopped into a conference call with Jets writers and Bills receiver Sammy Watkins, to say hello to Watkins and joke with him a little bit.
Ryan also delivered several bold Super Bowl guarantees during his tenure with the Jets -- as well as preseason predictions that the Jets' defense would finish in the top five in the NFL.
If he can be this colorful and candid on TV, he will be fun to watch, even if it is only for one season.
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
