It's not surprising a head coach who had such early success with the two AFC Championship Game appearances his first two years with Woody Johnson's team would hold on to his job this long, but according to the N.Y. Post, Ryan's fate was actually sealed long ago — and he knew about it.
Sources told The Post that, during the offseason, Ryan bumped into scouts and other coaches from around the league who told him Jets general manager had been telling people his plan all along was to replace Ryan after the season and bring in his own head coach.
“Did he think that wasn’t going to get back to me?” an angered Ryan told one confidant.
The Post wrote:
All year, Ryan has been exasperated by the deficiency of talent Idzik has given him — particularly at cornerback, which is the most crucial position on his defenses.
Through it all, he has remained a company man and kept those frustrations to himself, instead actually praising some of the ill-fated moves Idzik has made.
Idzik staying more than $20 million under the salary cap this year was a clear message to Ryan there was not a strong commitment to win during a year in which Ryan knew he had to win to keep his job.
Two sources told The Post in recent days Ryan has been hinting to people with whom he is close he is prepared to go directly to TV if (when?) he’s fired by the Jets.
And, after Monday's atrocious 38-3 loss to the Bills, it appears he is about to lose his fight to remain the Jets head coach for a seventh season after the Jets failed to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive time — their longest drought since the six-year run from 1992 to 1997.
And at Monday's postgame presser, the always colorful and direct Ryan put it best: "One thing I know, unless it changes drastically, I will be the head coach here for the next five weeks."
Warm up the mic, Rex. TV beckons.