After the Browns upset the Saints in New Orleans, we declared defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to be on the short list of potential head-coaching hires for 2011.
A 20-point win over the Patriots fueled that possibility, but then a collapse by the team caused Ryan’s name to lose some of its sizzle. Coupled with some of the issues that have arisen over the past couple of months, Rob Ryan has not made his way onto the “A” list. Or the “B” list. Or the “D” list, which is both the “Denver” list and, you know, the “D” list.
Now, with Pat Shurmur hired as the next head coach, Ryan apparently will be out of a job in Cleveland. Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Ryan “does not appear to be staying.” He remains under contract, but he has not been in the office.
Ryan runs a 3-4 defense, and vacancies currently exist in San Diego, San Francisco, Dallas, Arizona, and possibly Oakland.
Also, don’t rule out a Ryan reunion in New York. Rex tried to hire Rob after replacing Eric Mangini in New York, but Mangini already had hired Rob to run the Cleveland defense. Though Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine presumably is safe, Rex could be interested in trying to bring his brother to town.
Though Rob Ryan is at least a year away, if not longer, from being an NFL head coach, he should get another opportunity to serve as a defensive coordinator, somewhere.