His coaching career began in Buffalo, with the local university. Although Buddy Ryan never worked for the local AFL-then-NFL team, the Bills and Buddy have a strong connection, for obvious reasons: His son, Rex, is the head coach and Buddy’s other son, Rob, has arrived this year to work with his brother.
“Terry and Kim Pegula and the Buffalo Bills organization want to express their deepest sympathies and condolences to Rex, Rob and the entire Ryan family on the passing of their dad, Buddy Ryan,” the Bills said in a statement issued Tuesday. “Buddy was a legend in our league in so many ways. His defenses were innovative and he was a master at putting his talented and tough players in a position to succeed. He was a real game changer and much of his philosophies and defensive tactics are still utilized effectively by teams today. Buddy’s influence will be carried on by defensive coaches for generations to come, but none more so than by Rex and Rob. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the Ryan family today.”
Rob Ryan has recently said that he and Rex hope to restore the family name. It is a significant legacy for them to uphold, but it’s hard not to imagine the Ryan brothers committing every waking moment to getting the most out of their team in 2016, in honor of the man who always will be remembered as the architect of the best defense in NFL history.