Rex Ryan to appear at Jets minicamp alongside longtime special teams coach

The New York Jets need all the help and experience they can get this year, which is why it's good to see the team hosting some familiar faces throughout the offseason program.

Returning to Florham Park, New Jersey, are former coaches Rex Ryan and Mike Westhoff, two figures who have spent plenty of time within the organization and have ties to current coaches on the staff.

ESPN's Rich Cimini confirmed the news that Westhoff was in attendence this week at OTAs, while Ryan is doing his best to get to the team facility for mandatory minicamp early next week.

What do Mike Westhoff and Rex Ryan bring to the Jets as guests?

Cimini broke down what it means for Westhoff in particular to be back in the building, and his ties to Aaron Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo.

"Mike Westhoff was on the field, walking around as if he were coaching. So obviously, he's got carte blanche. Chris Banjo's his guy, you know, the special teams coordinator. He recommended him highly to Aaron Glenn. Aaron Glenn knew Banjo. Glenn knew Westhoff, like a little reunion."

Rich Cimini

Thank goodness for Glenn and his ties to Bill Parcells' coaching tree, because Westhoff is one of the brightest special teams minds the Jets have ever seen. And while he's not necessarily coaching anymore, he's still clearly giving input when he can to his pupils.

Banjo is coming off his first season as a special teams coordinator, and he was quite good. For all the awful football the Jets endured in 2025, Banjo's side of the football consistently impressed.

But Westhoff isn't the only former Jets coach looking to make his way back to Jets practice, as Ryan is hoping to make his return as well.

"Now, I've seen Westhoff at a lot of practices over the years, but seeing Rex Ryan at minicamp on Tuesday will be a little bit weird. Obviously, strong ties with the talk to him yesterday about his son, Seth, being the passing game coordinator. And so, yeah, Rex said he's going to make it out there next week."

Rich Cimini

Cimini noted that Ryan hasn't really been around the team since the Jets fired him in 2014, but the presense of his son on the coaching staff certainly changes the equation a bit.

Regardless, it's a blast from the past to see a few familiar faces at Jets practice, and hopefully their presence will help reignite some of the positive vibes from those early years of the Ryan era.

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