Rex Ryan floats AFC East landing spot for Bill Belichick
Belichick could put Josh Allen and the Bills over the top, Ryan said.
Are the Bills in for a coaching change?
Buffalo got bounced by the Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday.
Although their season ended in disappointment, both head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are under contract through 2027 according to ESPN.
McDermott is 73-41 over seven seasons as Bills coach, but playoff wins have been elusive. He’s 5-6 in the postseason.
Former Bills coach Rex Ryan floated a scenario where he believes Buffalo would pursue Bill Belichick during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up!”
“I said this to Greeny, I said ‘Watch this be where Belichick ends up,'” Ryan said. “Meaning that, I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I’m saying this: if you think like ownership, alright? They fired me when I was .500. They fired me because they didn’t think I could go any further.
“Well, I’m saying if ownership sits back and goes ‘you know what, this guy has done a great job as a coach but is he the right guy to get us to the next level?’ I’m just throwing it out there,” Ryan continued. “Believe me, I’m not just being reckless when I’m saying this. If you’re going to move on from him, it’s for one guy and that’s for Bill Belichick.”
Ryan said Belichick’s free-agent status “may open the eyes” of Buffalo’s ownership.
Dan Orlovsky’s mouth hung open as Ryan gave his opinion.
“This is what I know about Buffalo,” Orlovsky said. “Sean McDermott coached his absolute freaking butt off this year. That team was decimated by injuries. Everybody left them for dead. They basically pushed the second-best team in the AFC to the brink. Would Belichick take it? Would he actually go from New England to Buffalo?”
“Does Belichick look like a guy that cares about friends?” Ryan Clark responded. “He never struck me as ‘You know what, I don’t want to have to beat the Patriots. Belichick strikes me as ‘Watch this. Watch what I do when I ain’t got Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.’ If I’m Belichick, I jump at this job.”
It’s been just under two weeks since Belichick and the Patriots announced their parting of ways, and speculation about his next move continues.
So far, Belichick has had a pair of interviews with the Atlanta Falcons. CBS Sports’s Josina Anderson said she’s expecting Belichick to be named Falcons head coach. Last month, The Athletic’s Tim Graham reported that McDermott’s job is “safe.”
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