If you weren't sure after the years of guaranteed Super Bowls that never came to fruition, Rex Ryan thinks quite highly of himself.
To his credit, he does have consecutive AFC Championship appearances under his belt with New York, and that's obviously the light in which Ryan chooses to view himself. Here's his interview with Newsday after practice on Thursday.
"I'm a hell of a lot better football coach than I'm given credit for," Ryan said in a sit-down interview with Newsday, minutes after the team concluded its final mandatory minicamp practice Thursday afternoon.
"I don't care," he added with a smile. "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."
Ryan is correct when he says he's a better football coach than people give him credit for. His X's and O's ability on the defensive side of the football are amongst the best in the NFL. Why do you think his brother keeps getting jobs?
However, Ryan has proven himself to be one of the worst at handling a locker room and setting expectations. There were constant reports of feuds, players talking behind each other's backs, personnel issues, cap issues, Mark Sanchez issues and lots of unwanted camera attention. All of that combined to virtually erase the good he did during his first few seasons in New York, and unfortunately for Ryan, all contribute towards his overall ability as a coach.
Perhaps he views all of those extracurriculars like he views bragging. He doesn't have to brag, but if he says he doesn't have to brag when he does, then it doesn't really count.
Don't worry, It'll make sense when it's all said and done, maybe.
