Most coaches step to the podium at the Scouting Combine and just wait for questions. Rex Ryan makes a short speech.
In last year’s speech, he guaranteed the Jets would make the Super Bowl. (Again.) In this year’s speech, Rex regretted last year’s speech.
“It was a huge mistake to make that guarantee,” Ryan said. “In hindsight, I think it put undue pressure upon our team. . . . Obviously we had a terrible season. I’ll take full responsibility for that.”
It says something about Ryan’s success in New York that 8-8 is a “terrible season.” Ryan said he had an idea of what will happen in next year’s Super Bowl, but he will keep that to himself.
“Looking forward, first off no promises. We’re going to have a team now. I think we’ll have the potential,” Ryan said, smiling with a pause, “to do great things.”
Ryan says that the problems on the team were magnified because the team is so transparent.
“You’re going to hear a lot about the Jets when things are going good,"Ryan said. “And you’ll hear a lot about us when things aren’t so good.”