Buffalo Bills

Rex Ryan Doesn't Hold Anything Back in Recent Interview

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:52 p.m. ET

Fansided, Ryan Brennan/FanSided via BuffaLowDown

In a recent interview with New York Daily News, former Buffalo Bills’ head coach Rex Ryan had some choice words for the team.

“Is this thing on?” said Rex Ryan when he was being introduced as the Buffalo Bills’ head coach in 2015. “‘Cause it’s getting ready to be on.”

Unfortunately, Rex Ryan didn’t give the Buffalo Bills any kind of warning for what he had to say about the organization firing him this past season.

Rex Ryan is widely known for his personality and ability to say what’s on his mind. The reality is, he is more known for his personality than his coaching and that’s a big reason why Terry Pegula decided to go in a different direction next season.

In his two-year stay with the Buffalo Bills, Ryan finished with a 15-16 record before being fired after Week 16 last season. After going 8-8 in 2015, he followed it up with a 7-8 record in 2016. Not exactly what the Buffalo Bills’ organization and fanbase were hoping for.

On Monday night, he sat down with the New York Daily News and spoke for the first time since being fired. Man, did he have a lot to say.

“I don’t wish them bad will,” Rex Ryan said. “I don’t. But I don’t wish them luck, either. I’ll be honest: I don’t wish them good luck. I don’t wish them bad luck. I just don’t wish them luck. I wish the Jets luck.”

Well, one thing’s for certain and it’s that the Buffalo Bills didn’t have any luck on their side with Rex as head coach. Chances are, if luck even matters in football, Buffalo will be better off with Sean McDermott as head coach — where the only promise made is that this team will compete.

Rex Ryan continued:

“I set the expectations too high. Like, boy, that’s a shock. In a way, I felt, why not us? I stepped in where the head coach had quit, the defensive coordinator quit and the quarterback quit on them. So, I thought that it was important at the time to say, ‘You know what? Shoot, I believe in you. And I’m proud to be the coach here.’ Every bit of that was true. I put that truck (with the Bills logo) around town. I was all-in. Even though those other three had quit, I wasn’t a quitter. I was ready. And I wanted to be there. And I wanted to win. And I thought I could win.

Oh yeah, his truck, because we all know that if you want to win a fanbase over all you have to do is put a logo on a truck — whether you’re winning or not.

What happened with that truck, anyways?

“… Let me tell you, I stripped that damn truck the day I got fired. F— you guys.”

Woah, I can understand stripping the truck — you know, the way you stripped us of 2 seasons in the playoffs — but that “f— you guys” statement is a little uncalled for? I think Rex is just mad because he not only screwed up his job in Buffalo, but possibly his coaching career all-together.

Rex Ryan did change the logo on his truck and decided to go with the college that his son, Seth, plays at — Clemson.

“Dude, national champions,” Ryan said. “I’m supporting a winner.”

If you were thinking Rex sounded bitter during the interview, join the club. Some of the comments were a little strange for someone who insists their not bitter — and he insisted.

“I’m really not that bitter and maybe that $15 million is one of the reasons. I’m not bitter, man. Yeah, I’m hurt. I was hurt by it. There’s no question. But bitter ain’t how I feel. I’m like, ‘Shoot, if they never wanted me here, then fine. I ain’t here. I’m not your coach anymore. Fine and dandy.’ But I got an opportunity in front of me that a lot of guys don’t get. I’m going to see where it takes me. Maybe this a different career and I really enjoy it. I’m hoping that’s the way it is. Maybe I get into and I don’t like it. Maybe they don’t like me. Maybe I go back to doing something I love, which is coaching. I’ll never say never. I’m a young guy still. … I’m healthy. But bitter? Nah. Not bitter, man. I’m really not.”

That different career he was talking about was life as an analyst. ESPN recently hired Rex to work Super Bowl Sunday. He will be on air from 11 am to 2 pm and will attempt a new career.

“The one thing about (being on TV) is that you don’t lose. You’ll remember every damn loss. But the wins? You don’t necessarily remember. So, it takes a lot out of you. I’m tired of getting f—ed. Unless it’s a real situation, there’s no sense of getting into it again.”

If we know Rex Ryan, we know that the best job for him is one that doesn’t focus on winning or losing. It probably helps that he is still owed that $15 million from the Bills.

As the interview grew to a close, he brought up the concept of luck one more time.

“I wasn’t real lucky coming in there with the situation I did. Hey, that’s the way it goes. No excuses. We went in there and did the best we could. I wish things would have been different. I wish Sammy Watkins wouldn’t have had a broken foot and been healthy the whole year. I wish our draft picks would have played. There’s a lot of things that I wished for, but at the end of the day, I’m responsible for the product on the field.”

Rex Ryan did finish in saying that he was grateful for the opportunity, although I think he’s more grateful for the paycheck than anything.

“I’ve been real fortunate. I got two opportunities when a lot of great coaches don’t get any. How many were realistic opportunities? I’m not sure, but at least I had a chances to step up to the plate. So, that’s something I’ll always be grateful for.”

In his 8 years of coaching — six with Jets and two with Bills — Rex compiled a 65-68 record. He did make two straight trips to the AFC Championship in his first two seasons with the New York Jets, but he failed to finish with a winning record in the next 6 seasons.

With that being said, it’s safe to assume that those two AFC Championship trips were nothing more than… Luck.

Thank you for an exciting two years in Buffalo, but I think this team is in a better direction now — and that’s coming from someone who rallied for you to stay another year.

If you could ask Rex Ryan anything about his time in Buffalo, what would it be? Leave your comments below!