Rex Ryan Photo credit: ESPN
ESPNNFLBy Alex Reimer on

Rex Ryan needs a towel.

The Jets’ bombastic ex-head coach morphed into the Gang Green’s chief hype man on ESPN’s “Get Up” Tuesday, predicting Aaron Rodgers will lead his former team to their first Super Bowl since 1968.

To punctuate his point, Ryan was sporting a Jets letterman jacket, and wearing his dad’s ring from Super Bowl III.

“This happens to be Super Bowl III—my dad’s Super Bowl ring right there. And why am I wearing it? Because the Jets are going!,” he exclaimed. “Watch out, everybody. Here come the Jets! Here come the Jets! Right now, we haven’t had this type of quarterback maybe ever, since [Joe Nameth] or whatever, or maybe ever. This is the missing piece for the New York Jets right here.”

Jets fans are understandably stoked about Rodgers, who turns them into legitimate contenders. As Ryan suggested, the Jets were strong at every spot besides quarterback last season, finishing third in defense. Young wideout Garrett Wilson, who expressed frustration with the Jets’ sputtering offense in 2022, is also an ascending star.

But is Ryan a Jets fan, or an NFL analyst? On “Get Up” Tuesday, he was definitely the latter.

“Guess what all you fans in the AFC East: it ain’t no fun when the rabbit’s got the gun!,” he said. “Cause we’ve got the gun right now, and it is on. Our defense is better than yours, our quarterback is better than yours. It is on!”

Ryan was known for his bluster as a head coach, and he’s carried the same schtick to the analyst’s desk with mixed results. While his takes often go viral, he’s regularly mocked for being completely wrong. For example: he infamously predicted Tom Brady and Sean Payton could land with the Washington Commanders.

Brady retired a few days later, while Payton was named head coach of the Broncos.

Ryan’s free-flowing nature also leads to some awkward moments, such as when he ripped Dwayne Haskins’ skills as a quarterback shortly following his death.

But on the flip side, Ryan understands his role. He’s there to entertain and play an outlandish character. He lived up to that billing Tuesday.

“The entire National Football League, we just put you on notice. Guess what? We’re gonna kick your butt!,” he said.

There may be another reason why Ryan was thrilled to see the Jets finally acquire Rodgers: his job security. ESPN underwent its first round of layoffs Monday, and there will be “no sacred cows,” according to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand.

Marchand mentions that ESPN’s “middle class”–defined as personalities who earn between $2 million and $5 million annually, could be especially vulnerable.

With the Jets poised for a potential playoff run, Ryan could be viewed as more valuable, given his connection to the franchise. Either way, Ryan seemed just as ecstatic about Rodgers as long-time suffering Jets fan Mike Greenberg.

“Get Up” could turn into Gang Green central this NFL season. Ryan and Greenberg are apparently more than happy to wave the pompoms.

About Alex Reimer

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