ST. LOUIS – Rob Ryan said he'd only be out of work for about five minutes. Turns out he only had a job with the St. Louis Rams for about five minutes.
After multiple reports last week said the Rams had hired the former Cowboys defensive coordinator to the same position, the team announced on Twitter that he won't be joining their coaching staff.
Just minutes after the team announced the addition of new linebackers coach, Frank Bush, the Rams made the following statement via Twitter: "After extensive conversations regarding defensive philosophy, the Rams and Rob Ryan agreed he was not the right fit for the DC position."
A second tweet said, "The Rams will continue the interview process with the club's other candidates for the defensive coordinator position."
Ryan was shown on the video board at the St. Louis Blues game Sunday night, where he was introduced to the crowd as the new Rams' defensive coordinator. He waved to the crowd and raised his glass, seemingly confirming the news to loud cheers.
ESPN was first among many news outlets to report the Rams hiring of Ryan last Friday. Ryan told a KSDK TV reporter during Sunday night's Blues game that he expected a press conference with the Rams to come Thursday.
What changed is unclear.
Ryan favors a 3-4 defensive set and the Rams are much more suitable for the 4-3. But Ryan has also worked with a 4-3 system in the past so it's unclear whether or not that was the sticking point. And one would think the Rams wouldn't have gotten so far down the road with him if that would have been an issue.
Where he lands next remains to be seen, but it won't be in St. Louis.
The Rams search for a defensive coordinator will continue with most of the marquee names already off the market. It will be interesting to see whether they hire a former defensive coordinator or give the job to an up-and-coming assistant.
Their defense finished 14th in the league in both points and yards allowed last season despite not even having a defensive coordinator.
The Rams have a vacancy at the position after the NFL suspended Gregg Williams for his role in the bounty scandal while the defensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints. Williams' son Blake, the former Rams linebackers coach, called the defensive plays during the suspension. Blake Williams and the team parted ways earlier in the month.
