Key facts
- Seth Ryan, son of former Jets head coach Rex Ryan, has been hired as the team's pass game coordinator.
- Ryan represents the third generation of his coaching family to work for the Jets.
- He has chosen to focus on the offensive side of the ball, a departure from his father and grandfather's defensive specializations.
- Ryan previously worked with current Jets coach Aaron Glenn when they were both with the Detroit Lions.
- He expressed personal and familial significance in returning to the Jets organization.
- The Jets have not made the playoffs in 15 seasons, a streak dating back to the AFC Championship game runs under Rex Ryan.
Seth Ryan, the son of former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, has joined the team as pass game coordinator, marking the third generation of his family to coach for the franchise. Unlike his father and grandfather, Buddy Ryan, who were known for their defensive expertise, Seth Ryan has chosen to focus on offense.
Ryan stated that his decision to coach offense was influenced by a family saying: "My dad told me, ‘I need you to be better than me.’ So I chose offense to make sure that was gonna happen." He aims to contribute to turning the team around, a goal his father also pursued.
He was hired by coach Aaron Glenn, with whom he previously worked for four years in Detroit when Glenn was the defensive coordinator and Ryan was an assistant wide receivers coach. Ryan expressed gratitude for the opportunity and alignment with Glenn's vision for the Jets.
Returning to the Jets holds significant personal and familial meaning for Ryan, who grew up in the area and attended high school in Summit, New Jersey. He recalls the energy of the AFC Championship game runs his father led and hopes to help replicate that success.
Before coaching, Ryan was a walk-on backup wide receiver at Clemson, part of their national championship-winning squad in 2017. His coaching career began as an intern with the Chargers under Anthony Lynn, and he later moved to Detroit with Lynn when he became offensive coordinator for the Lions. Ryan acknowledged that coaching is all he has ever known, growing up in a football family.