Ex-Jets HC Rex Ryan labels Cowboys "too cheap" for passing on him after watching team's struggle
Rex Ryan took a shot at the Cowboys after the Dallas finished with an unconvincing 2-2 record after Week 4. A major problem for the team this year has been conceding points, especially in the run game. Mike Zimmer, who took on the role of the defensive coordinator from Dan Quinn, who in turn became the head coach of the Washington Commanders in the offseason, has not tightened that facet of the game.
And Rex Ryan, a former head coach and defensive coordinator in the NFL before he became a TV analyst, weighed in on this matter. He said that he could fix the Cowboys' leaky defense in an instant but Jerry Jones was not willing to hire someone of his caliber by paying the money that he deserved.
He then went on to comment on how poorly Mike Zimmer fared in his final couple of seasons as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and said that it is not inspiring the Cowboys' defensive players. Rex Ryan's full comments are given below:
“I could’ve fixed [the Cowboys’ defense] in a New York minute. But, that being said, they couldn’t pony up the money, or I would’ve been there. You brought in a guy that was 29th in the league his last two years at Minnesota, the enthusiasm he brings when he left, that’s the guy that’s gonna inspire you?”
Comparing Rex Ryan's defensive prowess with Cowboys' DC Mike Zimmer
The last time Rex Ryan was actively involved in the league was when he was with the Buffalo Bills as their head coach from 2015 to 2016. At the same time, Mike Zimmer was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
In the 2015 season, the Bills finished 19th in the league in terms of total yards allowed per game as they gave up 356.4 yards per match. The Vikings were the 13th-best defensive outfit in the NFL that season, allowing 344.2 yards per game. Buffalo missed the postseason that year, while Minnesota finished atop the NFC North before losing in the Wild Card round.
In the 2016 regular season, the Vikings improved from the previous year and were the third-best defensive team in the league, allowing 314.9 all-purpose yards per game. The Bills remained 19th, allowing 357 yards per match, roughly equal to what they allowed the previous season. Mike Zimmer's team finished 8-8 and did not make the playoffs, whereas Rex Ryan lost his job with one game to go after the Bills were eliminated from playoff contention with a 7-8 record.