Rex Ryan singles out Olu Fashanu after nightmare outing despite conflict of interest

Look, we’ve all been there when our parents have made things awkward. Sometimes it was a lame joke around our friends or a hug that lasted too long when they dropped us off at the movie theater. 

Unfortunately for New York Jets assistant Seth Ryan, his current predicament likely has him yearning for the days when his father would say something only mildly embarrassing. 

As Jets fans have known for nearly two decades now, Rex Ryan says whatever is on his mind, and mixing winning with an unfiltered attitude goes a long way in generating goodwill. Just ask Jets left tackle Olu Fashanu, who earned Ryan’s livid wrath following Sunday’s crushing loss to the Detroit Lions.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Ryan vented during an ESPN Radio appearance. “A top-10 pick, how about you get a little fire in your butt and block some of these average-ass defensive ends that are making you look bad? That is my biggest disappointment with this football team.”

Fashanu, the No. 11 pick in 2024, was credited with allowing three sacks and six quarterback pressures on Sunday afternoon. Detroit also declined a holding penalty against the third-year lineman.

Rex Ryan may have unintentionally created an issue for his son and the New York Jets

Not everything that came out of Ryan’s interview on DiPietro & Rothenberg was negative, and he passionately praised the Jets’ young core. The longtime ESPN analyst also raved about veteran quarterback Geno Smith, continuing a revived relationship following a lengthy feud. 

But the most significant takeaway from Ryan’s commentary is that he singled out Fashanu, if only because Seth is the Jets’ passing game coordinator. They’re likely in some of the same offensive meetings and film sessions, and although DiPietro & Rothenberg doesn’t air nationally, Ryan’s remarks certainly have the potential to go viral in the social media age. 

To be clear, we have no issue with anything Ryan said on Monday morning, nor do we believe he should dial things back for his son’s sake. The NFL is supposed to be full of adults who can handle criticism, so long as it doesn’t veer into personal territory.

If Fashanu or any other player can’t deal with a Super Bowl-winning assistant and extremely successful defensive coordinator calling them out, then that’s on them. 

Fashanu had not responded to Ryan as of publication, nor had Seth addressed his father’s comments. We likely won’t hear from the latter, seeing as non-coordinators typically do not consistently meet with the media during the season.

That said, this is what the Jets — and by extension, the Chargers and Lions before them — signed up for when they hired Seth. His father is a prominent, well-respected football voice who has spent nearly his entire life around the NFL. When Rex feels a certain way, he tends not to hold back, which led to the aforementioned issues with Smith.

In fact, we applaud Ryan for not taking it easy on Fashanu as a means of protecting (pun not intended) his son. Seth turns 33 next March and is considered a rising star in coaching circles; he doesn’t need his dad fighting for him or intentionally trying to make his life easier.

Things could nonetheless become very intriguing in the coming days, because common sense suggests that at least one Jets reporter will ask Fashanu for his thoughts. Talk about the potential for things to really get uncomfortable. 

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