In 2013, Jets coach Rex Ryan may have done his best job yet, given the quality of the players with which he has been working. And that apparently will be enough to get him at least one more year.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, an announcement that Rex is staying put could come as early as Sunday.
The real question will be whether and to what extent Ryan’s contract is extended. Currently signed through 2014, it’s hard to imagine a lame-duck coaching situation in the nation’s leading media market. At a minimum, Ryan would be getting a one-year extension -- which would still mean that he’ll be coaching for his job next year.
The smart move, if doubt remains in the front office regarding Rex, would be to fashion a multi-year extension with some fine print that reduces the buyout if the Jets decide after 2014 to move on. That would create the impression Rex is safe next year, avoiding another season of constant speculation over whether he’ll be back.
Regardless, the current season of constant speculation over whether he’ll be back apparently is poised to end with a proclamation that, by winning seven (and maybe eight) games with a largely overmatched roster, Rex has earned the right to give it at least one more shot. And if that’s the decision, it’s the right one.