Rex Ryan claims Cowboys wouldn’t pay him

Aug 26, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan during a NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys’ defense has been shaky thus far in 2024, and Rex Ryan believes that’s the team’s own fault.

Ryan interviewed for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator vacancy in February. The team was looking to replace Dan Quinn, who had been hired to serve as the Washington Commanders’ head coach. Dallas ended up hiring former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer to serve as their new DC.

The Cowboys gave up 44 points in Week 2 and 28 in Week 3, and many feel that area of the team is underachieving so far. Ryan believes the team’s defense would have been better under him, and he says the team was too cheap to hire him.

Ryan made his comments during an appearance on “DiPietro and Rothenberg” on ESPN New York Radio on Monday.

“I would’ve fixed it in a New York minute,” Ryan said of the Cowboys’ defense . “But, that being said, they couldn’t pony up the money, or I would’ve been there. They never ponied up, and that was why I stayed here [at ESPN].”

Ryan was also critical of Zimmer, whom the Cowboys hired for the job.

“You brought in a guy that was 29th in the league his last two years at Minnesota, the enthusiasm he brings when he left, that’s the guy that’s gonna inspire you? This can go really bad for Dallas.”

Ryan has never lacked bravado, that’s for sure. He also has a big mouth — which could be part of the reason why Dallas passed on him, and also why he is a good analyst for ESPN.

Ryan has been working at ESPN since the Buffalo Bills fired him in 2016. The 61-year-old tended to have top defenses when he served as both a defensive coordinator and head coach.

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