Cowboys interview former Jets, Bills head coach Rex Ryan for defensive coordinator opening

Rex Ryan hasn’t held an NFL coaching job for the better part of a decade, but the former New York Jets head coach is on the Dallas Cowboys’ radar, recently interviewing for the team’s defensive coordinator opening.

First reported by CBS Sports HQ Senior NFL Insider Josina Anderson, the news marks the latest in a growing list of big names on Dallas’ radar, with the Cowboys also recently linked to former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.

Ryan, 61, was also on the Denver Broncos’ list of potential DC candidates in the 2023 offseason, per NFL Media. The ESPN analyst hasn’t been on an NFL team since 2016, however, when he finished a two-year stint as the Bills head coach.

Ryan has an extensive defensive background, notably spending 10 years with the Baltimore Ravens from 1999-2009, a stretch that included a Super Bowl victory, but he is perhaps best known for his six-year stint as the Jets head coach from 2009-2014. New York went 46-50 during his tenure but also reached two consecutive AFC championship games.

Ryan’s brother, Rob, who currently works as a defensive assistant with the Las Vegas Raiders, previously worked for the Cowboys, serving as Dallas’ DC from 2011-2012.