Rex Ryan Rumor: Former Jets Coach Could Join CBS Or ESPN If Coaching Gigs Fall Through


Rex Ryan was considered a shoe-in for the Atlanta Falcons coaching job, but after a six-hour interview and no announcement from the team another possibility is emerging for the former Jets coach – the television booth.

Ryan is reportedly meeting with executives at CBS about a move to the television booth if he doesn’t land a head coaching job. That would put him in the company of other former coaches including Bill Cowher, who traded in a job on the sidelines for a cushier gig in the studio.

Ryan has already met with ESPN about working on one of their NFL shows.

There is still a strong possibility that Rex Ryan is in the NFL next year rather than reporting on it. The Atlanta Falcons reportedly wanted him to fill the vacancy created when Mike Smith was hired. The team’s interview of in-house minority candidate Keith Armstrong fulfilled the Rooney rule and allowed the team to hire a new candidate immediately, leading many to believe that the job could be given to Ryan just after his interview.

Ryan met with the Falcons for six hours on Tuesday, but it ended with no official announcement. It was not clear if both sides would be meeting again on Wednesday, but if there is no announcement soon it could mean the team is moving past Ryan. The Falcons have an interview scheduled Thursday with Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.

“Some league insiders believe Ryan’s first choice is the Falcons, then ESPN,” wrote Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. “The Falcons intend to proceed with interviews of Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, but Ryan remains a viable candidate for the job in Atlanta.

Rex Ryan could have job options beyond the Atlanta Falcons or the CBS television booth. A number of other teams are reportedly interested, including his former rival the Buffalo Bills.

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