A fascinating part of the end of the NFL season is the coaching carousel, and how many people potentially in line for prominent new jobs still have current roles to fill. In the case of ESPN NFL analyst Rex Ryan, his current job saw him giving a public answer to an interview question he’ll likely be asked in his reported upcoming interview to take over as head coach of the New York Jets. That would be on if the team should bring back Aaron Rodgers, a move Ryan offered an emphatic “no” to on Sunday NFL Countdown this week:
Will Aaron Rodgers be back with the Jets?
“No,” Rex Ryan, who is interviewing for the Jets coaching vacancy.
“You can let a guy walk out the door when he’s not committed to the team…you can’t tell me that hasn’t been the case.” pic.twitter.com/QIGIPLwrff
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2025
Ryan’s current role as a pundit is perhaps less of a conflict of interest than the role of many coordinators for teams still in the playoffs who might be able to land head coaching jobs elsewhere. (This is part of why the NFL has extensive rules on who can be interviewed and how; for teams still in the playoffs, their assistant coaches can do some initial interviews elsewhere, but those have to be virtual to start with and have to take place outside of teams’ particular playoff preparation.)
Ryan is currently paid to say what he thinks about the NFL. And he would certainly have to tell Jets’ leadership what he thinks on a variety of topics (including Rodgers) and what his plans would be. So there doesn’t appear to be a real conflict between his ESPN role and his upcoming interview Tuesday.
But what is interesting about Ryan’s current role is that he’s revealing to the public what his answer on a crucial Jets’ topic is, and doing so before his interview with team brass. (And credit to him for boldly telling the public that so rather than equivocating publicly and only giving the team his real answer.) Whether his answer is the right one (or the one Jets’ owner Woody Johnson wants to hear) remains to be seen, though.
The 41-year-old Rodgers’ 3,623 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and a 63.0 percent completion mark this season (entering Sunday’s finale against the Miami Dolphins) were low for him compared to his career averages (4,314 yards, 34 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a 65.1 percent completion mark across a 17-game season). And the Jets were 4-12 entering Sunday’s finale, and a lot of the blame there has been placed on Rodgers.
However, Rodgers’ performance was one of the best statistical seasons by a Jets’ quarterback. And his play is certainly not the only issue with the team. But it definitely can be debated if bringing him back would help a team in the state this one currently is in.
At any rate, Rodgers has said publicly he hasn’t decided yet if he’ll play another year. And some (including ESPN’s Adam Schefter) are suggesting he might retire, so this might all be a moot point. But it’s certainly notable to have an actual Jets’ HC candidate in Ryan declare they wouldn’t want Rodgers back.
[Awful Announcing on X]
