Why Rex Ryan’s postgame reaction to Aaron Glenn and the Jets is pure perfection

Rex Ryan got an up-close look at the Aaron Glenn experience when he visited the New York Jets during offseason workouts earlier this summer.

Luckily for Ryan, he didn’t need to spend Monday’s appearance on ESPN’s Get Up expressing concern and regret about believing in the second-year coach. Instead, he raved about Glenn and offensive coordinator Frank Reich following the Jets’ comfortable 23-10 victory over the Titans. 

Geno Smith went 19-of-24 for 215 yards and no turnovers, and the Jets outgained the Titans 367-195 on the road.

“You got a real coaching staff right there!” Ryan exclaimed. “Frank Reich, man, congratulations, that offense was amazing. … This was a 32nd-ranked team in passing last year, didn’t look like it.”

Smith’s 215 passing yards marked the most by a Jets quarterback since Tyrod Taylor finished with 222 in a 23–10 loss to the Ravens on November 23 of last year. Jets quarterbacks had only five games with at least 215 passing yards last year, with Taylor’s Week 12 performance marking the only one after the calendar turned to November.

Rex Ryan fired a jab at former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh on Monday morning

If not for the fact that he spent Sunday on ESPN’s pregame show, we’d wonder if Ryan was among the Jets fans chanting Glenn’s name throughout the fourth quarter. In addition to praising Saleh, he took an obvious shot at ex-Jets coach Robert Saleh, whose Titans looked overwhelmed in his debut.

“And by the way, they bloodied their nose [and] they ran right down that old superstar coach of yours that everybody was like, ‘Why’d they fire him?’” Ryan said. “I don’t know, [35 percent] win percentage. He got smoked right there by the Jets, and we’re back. The Jets are back!”

Ryan’s comments are almost certainly referencing Titans defensive tackle Solomon Thomas, who ripped the Jets last week for firing Saleh in October 2024. Thomas had previously played for Saleh in New York and San Francisco.

Glenn absolutely deserves credit for adding Reich and defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, himself a former Ryan assistant in New York and Buffalo, this past offseason. The Jets’ defense recorded four tackles for a loss, three sacks, and hit Cam Ward five times.

New quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave was likely thrilled with Smith, who didn’t throw a pick after having only four such games in 15 starts with the Raiders last year. 

Granted, Ryan might also be slightly biased after Glenn hired Rex’s son, Seth, as a passing game coordinator. 

We’ll see what kind of tune Ryan sings next Monday after the Jets host the Packers, whose season began with a second-half collapse against the Vikings. But if Week 1 foreshadowed what lies ahead, then we won’t be surprised if he dons a Glenn throwback jersey before the season’s end. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow