04/19/24
June 28, 2016
NFL Coach Buddy Ryan Dies: Buddy Ryan, the former NFL coach and coordinator who was as famous for being cantankerous as for building defenses, has died. He was 82. Ryan got his first coaching job with the New York Jets in 1968. As defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears he created the 46 Defense that was key in the team's 1985 Super Bowl-winning season. He went on to coach the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. "People ask all the time, 'Why didn't you guys win another Super Bowl?'" Bears player Steve McMichael said. "Well, Buddy Ryan went to Philadelphia. Period." Ryan also fathered two NFL coaches, Rex and Rob.
I'll remember Ryan for his bounty shenanigans and punching another coach on the sideline. His defensive coaching prowess was undone in later years by his lack of self-control. I think his Eagles were a pretty good team that suffered from that trait.
It's interesting to look back at the bounty controversy and consider what Roger Goodell would have done with it. Paul Tagliabue chose not to make it a big deal.
posted by rcade at 12:41 PM on June 28, 2016
Seems like half the 85 team is already in the afterlife waiting on Buddy to arrive. Or still here on Earth all messed up.
Like Son of Bum, a damn good DC who never should have been a HC. And always potentially toxic to a team given his zealous hatred of the offensive unit.
It'll be interesting to see how Rob and Rex coach up the Bills in his absence and under his presumed observant perch overhead.
Hopefully, people do not beat a path to Ditka's door looking for quotables. The less seen and heard from that guy the better.