National Football League

Rex Ryan has his swagger back in Buffalo

Published Mar. 24, 2015 1:37 p.m. ET

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Alex Marvez

Rex Ryan described his ongoing quest to knock New England's Bill Belichick and Tom Brady from their perch atop the NFL as "unfinished business."

The same can be said for Ryan's own head coaching career.

Ryan views his new job with the Buffalo Bills as his "last shot" leading a team. He has wasted no time making the most of what could be his final opportunity. Ryan's fingerprints are all over a club that has undergone a major offseason facelift to better resemble his New York Jets squads that reached the AFC championship games during the 2009 and 2010 campaigns.

Just as important, the Rex Ryan who was beaten down by the end of last season from a 4-12 record and dysfunction inside the Jets' front office is gone. The old Rex Ryan -- full of bravado and optimism -- was on display once again Tuesday morning during media availability at the NFL owners meeting in Phoenix.

If there was ever a franchise that needed some swagger, it's the Bills after 15 consecutive years without a playoff appearance.

"I'm back, there's no question about it," Ryan said when I asked him about that transformation. "I was slapped down with a little humble pie there. It was tough. Embarrassing."

Ryan was then quick to point out that he doesn't blame his players for the Jets’ failings in 2014. Ryan also resisted the chance to say anything negative about Jets ownership or former general manager John Idzik, who also was fired at the end of last season after allowing New York's roster to deteriorate over a two-year span.

I wouldn't expect anything different from Ryan. Falling on the sword for others' shortcomings, deflecting credit for team success and publicly taking blame for his players' mistakes are some of his most admirable traits.

Ryan also doesn't need to call out his former employer. Just read between the lines with his comments about how the Bills are run as a franchise under new owners Terry and Kim Pagula as well as general manager Doug Whaley.

"There are no hidden agendas or anything else," Ryan said. "This is who we are, this is what we want. There isn't anybody in this organization that doesn't want anything other than building a championship team. That's what we're all about. Every thing we do is based on that. Everybody is on board."

It helps that Ryan and Whaley both have roots in the AFC North. A former member of Pittsburgh's personnel department, Whaley understands that Ryan wants to field a ground-and-pound offense paired with the type of dominating physical defense he once coordinated with the Baltimore Ravens.

The latter already was set in Buffalo when Ryan took the job in January. The pieces are now in place to transform the offense under new coordinator Greg Roman, who shares Ryan's vision after spending the past four years helping San Francisco field a perennial top 10 rushing attack.

Whaley has given Roman plenty to work with. Thirty minutes after an unexpected call last month from the Philadelphia Eagles, Whaley spun a trade to acquire star running back LeSean McCoy in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. The Bills then made sure McCoy was fully on board with the move to Western New York by offering a lucrative contract extension.

More members were added to McCoy's supporting cast with the free-agent signings of wide receiver Percy Harvin, tight end Charles Clay, guard Richie Incognito and fullback Jerome Felton. Journeyman quarterback Matt Cassel also was acquired in a trade with Minnesota to compete with E.J. Manuel for the starting spot.

Neither Cassel nor Manuel is a franchise passer. However, Ryan isn't expecting Cassel or Manuel to morph into a future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee like Brady. Success will be judged by making enough difference-making plays in the air to draw respect from opposing defenses while also limiting turnovers, which was the biggest problem with Ryan's QBs in New York.

Ryan's arrival in Buffalo has brought a positive buzz for the team that was sorely lacking for years. Bills president Russ Brandon told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the franchise already has sold 3,000 more season tickets than in 2014 with six months still remaining before Buffalo kicks off in Week 1.

For Ryan, that span seems like an eternity.

"We can't wait," Ryan said with a spark in his eye. "I think the biggest thing for us right now is you wish it could start, like, 'Let's start playing.' Obviously, we've got to understand there's plenty of work to do before we get started. But we're so optimistic and excited about this season coming up."

That's when Ryan can truly get down to the business of pressing New England for the AFC East crown.

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