Watch CBS News

Garceau: Bisciotti Right To Pass On Sexy Rexy

Steve Bisciotti made the right choice when he passed on his own assistant Rex Ryan and hired outsider John Harbaugh to coach his Ravens in 2008.

The Ravens owner has a Super Bowl ring and 6 playoff appearances in the last 7 years with Harbaugh coaching his Ravens, but think about how much fun we might have had if Rex got the Ravens head coaching job back in 2008.

Passed over by the Ravens, Rex Ryan became the New York Jets head coach in 2009. It was the best of times when he took a Mark Sanchez lead offense to back to back AFC Championship games in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and it was the worst of times when Rex was canned after a 4-12 finish in the 2014 season. He didn't like it but this football lifer understood, going 4-12 and 4 years without a winning season will get a coach fired.

So Rex shuffled off to Buffalo and ignited a long suffering Bills fan base promising everything but tropical weather in January. Buddy Ryan's boy was in full glory on Thursday Night Football as he took his Bills back to MetLife Stadium to play those J-E-T-S.

Rex tends to elicit a response from people; like those tail-gating possibly liquor laced fans in the parking lot who burned a figure that looked a lot like Rex. He was booed loudly by the Jets fans as he ran onto the field, as he trotted out, Rex made the sign of the cross then followed it up with 4 quarters of language seldom heard in church.

He made news early in the week announcing IK Enemkpali would be one of his captains for the Jets game. You might remember IK, he's the guy whose locker-room punch broke the jaw of the Jets' starting quarterback, Geno Smith. The Jets dumped Enemkpali immediately and guess who was there to pick him up?

Rex defended the captain move saying he always gives the game captain honor to players who face their former teams adding.  "You think that's the first fight that's ever happened in an NFL locker room? Every single team has had fights in their locker room, OK."

Rex Ryan's Bills played old-school football on this night, with tough defense and a good running game they hung on to edge the Jets 22-17. As the final seconds ticked off the clock Rex looked like a Spring Break gone wild; spiking his head-set, pumping his fists wildly, dropping F-bombs and hugging any player, coach or ball-boy within reach. Sweet Revenge!

He'd later say it wasn't about him trying to beat the franchise that canned him but the pictures said otherwise. In a standing room-only post-game press conference Rex couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He playfully spared with New York reporters by name for shots delivered past and present and did the same with a Buffalo beat writer who questioned his coaching acumen.

Ryan told reporters. "It has jack-s--- to do about me." Sure Rex, I think we can disregard that line and pay more attention to this one he offered about beating the team that fired him. "It's kind of like being dumped by some girl that you had the hots for...Every now and then they call you back. They can't get you back."

Burn him in effigy in the parking lot; go ahead, call him a clown, a self-promoter and a 51-54 run of the mill coach, go ahead be my guest.

Call Sexy Rexy whatever you want but know one thing he's good for the game.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.