NFL News: Rex Ryan to Reportedly Interview for Jets HC Job Tuesday amid Vrabel Rumors

As the New York Jets look to secure their future after a disappointing 2024 season, they could turn back to the past for their next head coach.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, former Jets head coach Rex Ryan is expected to interview with the team on Tuesday about their vacant position.

Ryan will be the third known candidate the Jets will speak with. The team has announced they completed interviews with Ron Rivera and Mike Vrabel.

Jeff Ulbrich has served as New York’s interim head coach since Oct. 8. Robert Saleh, who had been their full-time head coach since January 2021, was fired after a 2-3 start this season.

The Jets could undergo a significant rebuild this offseason. In addition to a head coach, they will be hiring a new general manager after firing Joe Douglas on Nov. 19. Louis Riddick, Jon Robinson, Thomas Dimitroff and Jim Nagy have all been interviewed for that vacancy.

Teams often like to hire a general manager before a head coach so that person can bring in someone whose philosophy of roster-building and team management closely aligns with theirs, but it’s not unusual to have a head coach in place before a GM.

There is no definitive timeline for the Jets to make a hire for either position. Pete Carroll, Kliff Kingsbury, Arthur Smith and Matt Nagy have been cited as other potential head-coaching candidates for Gang Green.

Since Kingsbury, Smith and Nagy are currently employed as assistants on other teams, they won’t be allowed to have formal interviews until after the regular season is over.

Ryan has received interest as a defensive coordinator in recent years. He was considered a top candidate for the job with the Denver Broncos prior to the 2023 season after Sean Payton was hired as head coach.

The Dallas Cowboys interviewed Ryan last offseason as a potential replacement for Dan Quinn after he was hired as the Washington Commanders’ head coach.

Ryan last worked for an NFL team during the 2016 season when he was head coach of the Buffalo Bills. He has worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN since 2017.

The 62-year-old Ryan spent six seasons as Jets head coach from 2009 to ’14. He made the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, advancing to the AFC Championship Game both times.

New York’s last postseason appearance came in 2010 with Ryan at the helm. He went 46-50 overall with the club.