Rex Ryan Bill Belichick punch comment, Digi Mart USA News: Nearly 13 years ago, Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson told a colorful story about Rex Ryan while working as an NFL Network analyst. Tomlinson recalled Ryan, then coaching the New York Jets, saying he would punch Bill Belichick in the face at midfield before a heated rivalry game against the New England Patriots.
On Bussin’ With The Boys on Tuesday, Ryan, the Jets’ head coach from 2009 to 2014, finally gave his side of the story. Taylor Lewan read Tomlinson’s quote to Ryan, and Ryan confirmed it, saying he had offered to throw the punch right then if his players wanted him to.
Lewan and Will Compton laughed as Ryan described the moment.
Ryan said his players told him not to do it, but that he was there to fight. He added that the Jets were a much better team than the 45-3 loss suggested.
The Patriots, led by Belichick and Tom Brady, beat the Jets 45-3 on Dec. 6, 2010, and the teams met again in the AFC Divisional playoff round that season, with the Jets winning 28-21.
Ryan said people forgot that the Jets had beaten New England in Week 2 and that he was personally focused on the matchup. “I go in there, and I know I’m not the smartest dude, but there’s nobody more competitive,” he said.
“And I’m there to kick the sh*t out of you.”
Ryan also said the 45-3 defeat had become the story reporters wanted to tell, and that he wanted to shift the narrative away from his team. He said he framed the game as a personal contest against Belichick, adding that while Jets owner Woody Johnson was apprehensive about his comments and the media considered him “crazy” for calling out Belichick, he believed the message would show his players he believed in them.
The Jets have not reached the playoffs since their 2010 team lost in the AFC Championship Game under Ryan. New York fired Ryan in December 2014, and he became head coach of the Buffalo Bills in January 2015.
The Bills ousted him by December 2016, and Ryan joined ESPN as an NFL analyst in April 2017.
Ryan said his broadcasting approach is the same as his coaching style. “I think you’ve just gotta be honest,” he said.
“That’s who I am. Will you pull a punch every now and then?
Maybe. But I think it’s best to be honest.” He said he does not hide from criticism and aims to tell the audience what he believes is the truth.
“If I’m being critical, then so be it.”
