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This week, it’s not personal for Rex Ryan

Bill Belichick, Rex Ryan

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, left, congratulates New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, right, after the Jets beat the Patriots 28-21 in an NFL divisional playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011. AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

AP

Jets coach Rex Ryan can’t pretend he has some “personal” mountain to climb this week, like he did against the Colts and Patriots. He likes Steelers coach Mike Tomlin too much.

Ryan called Tomlin a “man’s man” and one of his favorite coaches. He relayed a story from 2007 when Tomlin had mercy on Ryan’s Ravens team and ran the ball nearly the entire second half with a huge lead.

While last week’s game was personal, Ryan continued to express his admiration for Bill Belichick after the win over the Patriots.

“There was nothing schematically I did to win that game,” Ryan said. “Our guys were prepared to play and that’s my job. But to say that I out-coached Belichick, I would not agree with that. I think it’s almost a joke. I don’t think anybody out-coaches Belichick.”

From most coaches, this would sound like false modesty. (Especially after the amazing gameplan Ryan put together on Sunday.) But Ryan says it in such a way that you believe he means it.

Comcast’s Tom Curran joined Florio on Monday’s PFT Live and talked about the mutual admiration Ryan and Belichick share.

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