Rex Ryan Responds to Anonymous Sources

Dec. 23, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan stands on the sidelines with quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at MetLife Stadium. Chargers won 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

If you haven’t heard by now, there was an article in yesterday’s New York Daily News, that cited anonymous sources, stating Rex Ryan’s feeling that if Woody Johnson doesn’t invest in the offense, he would rather be fired. Well, Rex vehemently denied the report, taking shots at it and the reporter that wrote it. Instead of going to far into, I wanted to let everyone read his un-edited response from yesterday’s press conference, and I’ll comment on the other side:

..I don’t agree sometimes, with everything that’s written or whatever, but there was a report this morning that was untrue. And quite honestly, in the article it talked about if things weren’t a certain way that I would not want to be the head coach of the New York Jets, and that is totally untrue. The fact is, and it’s simple, this is the only team that I want to coach, period. I think anybody that knows me, knows that I’m telling you the truth. Has it been perfect? No. Would I like this player (or) that player? Of course, anybody would. But I’m telling you, this is my team, these are my players. I don’t want to coach somebody else’s players. This is the team I want to coach, period. No way, when I had the conversation with this reporter, I told him that, I flat told him that. Now it wasn’t reported that way in the article and maybe the headlines say a certain thing, but I want everybody to understand that that is not the case. This is my team, that’s how I approach it. This is the only place I want to coach, period. Let’s face it, I wear Jets stuff every single day, every day. I’m proud to be a Jet. Sometimes, I’m proud to be a Jet more than others, but I’m proud to be a Jet. This season’s been a rough one, no question, but again, this is my team, that’s how I approach it. And I believe we will get back, and this is really a topic for next week, but I believe that we can accomplish what I set out to do when I took the job and that’s the truth. Here’s the injuries, kind of segueing into that, anyway you want to do it. (laughter) I’ll be honest, I was disappointed and quite honestly mad as a hornet, but I understand the job that you guys have, that reporters have. I understand that. Like I said, I’m okay with criticism, I’m okay with anything else, but that, to me, saying I never wanted to coach this team is absolutely not the truth. And I’d rather coach somebody else’s team? No chance. Absolutely no chance. I just wanted to make that clear.

It’s difficult to believe that Rex Ryan would have made these comments. He has never done anything but say what he said above. As I said earlier today, he probably said something out of context to one of his colleagues, and that colleague turned that into what the reporter wanted to hear. It’s terrible, and it has to stop.