'This Is the Year!' Rex Ryan Predicts Super Bowl for Jets

Former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan knows a thing or two about bold Super Bowl predictions. And as the last coach to lead the Jets to the playoffs, he’s well within his rights to boast that optimism.

The beloved coach struck again ahead of New York’s Week 1 opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

Speaking to NFL insider Gary Myers , Ryan went off on the AFC East in support of the team he took to back-to-back AFC Championship Games.

“I think this is the year for the Jets. I really do,” Ryan said. “I'm picking them to go all the way. Who do you fear?”

The AFC’s incomprehensibly strong list of quarterbacks is scary in itself, and New York’s lack of depth offensively is another hesitation. But as far as the division goes, Ryan argued that the Jets should be the favorites.

“Buffalo is not even close to what they've been,” Ryan said.

The Bills, after losing their top two receivers and a host of defensive veterans, are noticeably weaker than in years past. Quarterback Josh Allen makes up for a lot of those issues, but there’s turbulence in the forecast.

He expected similar struggles for the Miami Dolphins.

"They lost a lot of good players on defense,” Ryan said. “I mean, I don't think they're going to be that good."

As for the New England Patriots , nobody expects them to pose much of a threat. But that didn’t stop Ryan from making a comment any Jets fan can enjoy.

“Certainly, New England sucks.”

New York still has a tough road ahead. There’s a chance the top of the division cannibalizes itself, taking each team out of top-seed contention and clogging up the Wild Card race. Things can break right for the Jets – quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks good, the offensive line stays healthy – and they can still find themselves on the road in Baltimore or Kansas City come Wild Card Weekend.

But Ryan’s never been one to back down from a challenge. You don’t go into New England and beat Tom Brady in the playoffs by appealing to others’ expectations. The Jets finally have a chance at high-level play from a quarterback, and they’ve stocked the roster with talent to support him.

Related: Should Jets Expect Rodgers To Be Top-5 QB?

"And you got Aaron Rodgers, albeit at 100 years old. But I mean, that team is loaded. they're f****** loaded,” he said.

Ryan’s optimistic, but he’s not out of his mind. New York is worth getting excited about, even if Super Bowl proclamations are a bit bold. If the Jets get as far as they did the last time Ryan guaranteed a Super Bowl, they’ll be in pretty good shape.