Rex Ryan on Mike Vrabel hire: ‘Hopefully I get to kick this guy’s ass twice a year’

While Rex Ryan’s current job is serving as a NFL analyst for ESPN, especially on Sunday NFL Countdown, he’s using that role to make it clear that he wants to be the head coach of the New York Jets. Ryan completed an initial interview with the Jets earlier this week, and he strongly seems to want that job. Indeed, his immediate reaction to Adam Schefter’s news Sunday of the Jets’ AFC East rivals in New England hiring Mike Vrabel was “Hopefully I get to kick this guy’s ass twice a year”:

Rex Ryan’s immediate reaction to the Mike Vrabel news? “Hopefully I get to kick this guy’s ass twice a year. …My team, not me personally!” pic.twitter.com/yGxt4HiOIR

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025

Ryan’s clearly at least partly playing that for a laugh from his colleagues (which he got). And it got funnier still when he clarified that yes, he, at 62, is not looking for a personal physical fight with the 50-year-old Vrabel. And it’s notable to see Ryan continue to indicate he wants to be the Jets’ coach after that first interview, adding to his bold lines before the interview, such as “I’m the best guy. And it ain’t close.”

There are potential problems with an analyst continuing in that role while interviewing for a coaching job. And if Ryan’s analysis here was only “Hopefully I get to kick this guy’s ass twice a year,” it would be hard to argue that he was continuing to earn his salary from ESPN. It also would be problematic if his only analysis was dumping on the Patriots and Vrabel through Jets-colored lenses. But, only seconds after this, once host Mike Greenberg outlined some of the particulars of the Jets’ situation, Ryan gave a reasonable take on the move that fit with those of the rest of the panel, even calling it an “outstanding hire”:

Ryan’s more serious reaction to the Vrabel hire shortly afterwards: “They’ve got their coach that they look at as their long-term success guy. …Automatically, he’s going to connect in that locker room. …It looks like an outstanding hire.” pic.twitter.com/Jc1cqE5wEg

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025

To date, Ryan’s seemed to do a pretty good job of balancing doing his current job while interviewing for a new one. This could go poorly if he’d refused to comment on Jets’ topics he should have a take on in his ESPN role, such as Aaron Rodgers’ future or lack thereof with the team, but he did anything but, providing fans with as much information (and sooner) as he gave the team in his interview.

This also could go poorly if Ryan actually adopted a Jets-centric perspective on this show before even getting the job. But he didn’t seem to really do that here, instead playing this line about his hoped-for future job for laughs while still doing his current job. It sounds like Ryan may not actually get the Jets’ job, but he has, at the least, provided a reasonable example of how media members can continue their work while interviewing for a team role.