With the Bills extending their postseason drought to 17 years, the team concluded that coach Rex Ryan "no longer is the right man for the job," announcing yesterday that he has been fired, according to Jay Skurski of the BUFFALO NEWS. Ryan leaves the Bills "less than two full seasons into a five-year contract" that paid him $5.5M annually. He is still due $16.5M after compiling a 15-16 record. The firing "marked a stunning departure from the 'continuity' message stressed by the Bills’ front office as key to turning around the longest playoff drought in North American major professional sports, and a quick fall from grace for a head coach whose brash style has its share of supporters -- and detractors." Ryan had "quickly won over the fan base, as evidenced by season-ticket sales soaring over 60,000" in '15 -- a franchise record. However, any support Ryan "enjoyed among the fan base began to dry up when the results on the field were considered." The team also announced that GM Doug Whaley will "lead the team's coaching search, which should put an end to any speculation about his job status." Whaley will be "involved in hiring his third head coach," which is "virtually unheard of in the NFL" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/28).
ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH: In Buffalo, Bucky Gleason in a front-page piece notes Ryan was fired yesterday, but the decision was "made several weeks ago." Ownership was "leaning toward dumping him" before the Week 13 game against the Raiders. The primary issue with him was his "overall incompetence, especially when it came to his defense." Bills Owners Terry and Kim Pegula also "grew tired of the clown show." Whaley and team President Russ Brandon "appear to be safe, a testament to their survival skills" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/28). CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora said of the firing, "The question is, why didn't it happen three weeks ago? At that point, the push had already been on among the people in that front office" ("Time to Schein," CBS Sports Network, 12/27). In N.Y., Filip Bondy writes Ryan's firing is a "move that was surprising more for its timing than its outcome." With three years left on a five-year deal, the firing was an "indication of just how badly" the Pegulas "wished to be rid of the boisterous Ryan" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/28). SPORTS ON EARTH's Kenneth Arthur wrote the "only reasonable explanation for firing Ryan after only giving him two seasons is that there was a personality conflict" between him and Whaley or him and the Pegulas (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 12/27). In N.Y., Mark Cannizzaro writes the timing of the Bills' move "reeks of some behind-the-scenes confrontation between Ryan and team management" (N.Y. POST, 12/28). ESPN.com's Mike Rodak cited sources as saying that Ryan "did not have the full support of his locker room in recent weeks, especially from the defensive players" (ESPN.com, 12/27).
REXY NOT SO SEXY: Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said of the firing, "Rex rubbed people the wrong way internally and there was a power struggle, there had to have been. ... It's been 17 years since they made it to the playoffs, Rex has only been the coach the last two. This team was messed up a long time before Rex Ryan became the head coach. But to their credit, to the extent they made a mistake, they're admitting it and moving on" ("PFT," NBCSN, 12/28). On Long Island, Bob Glauber writes Ryan with the Bills again "talked a much bigger game than he coached" (NEWSDAY, 12/28). CBSSPORTS.com's Bill Reiter noted the Bills yesterday also fired Rob Ryan as assistant head coach for defense. Reiter: "These guys can't coach" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/27). Fox Sports Radio host John Tournour tweeted: "Wow is #RexRyan really owed $15 million for three more years? That's a ton of cash for getting to leave Buffalo in the winter."
QUARTERBACK KEEPER: The BUFFALO NEWS' Skurski notes Bills QB Tyrod Taylor "will be benched for the season finale" against the Jets and replaced by EJ Manuel. Such a move could be related to Taylor's contract status, as he is guaranteed $27.5M next season if he were to suffer a major injury in Week 17 and be "unable to pass a physical in March at the start of a new league year" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/28). ESPN's Joe Banner said, "The fact that they’ve simultaneously announced change at quarterback, maybe it’s something that’s been an argument going on in the front office during this period of time. ... This timing may have been driven more by that than anything." ESPN's Adam Schefter added, "When you don't know who is going to be coaching that team and you don't know whether you are committed to that quarterback, it's a business decision to not play him at this point in time. ... They can't risk having him out there in this particular case when there is so much money at stake at this time." But ESPN's Bill Polian said, "The club has an insurance policy that would cover Tyrod Taylor if there were injuries. So I don't think that’s much of an issue. ... The front office drafted EJ Manuel. They have long felt that he is a good quarterback. ... Maybe this is a chance for the front office to see their guy in action and maybe justify keeping him when his contract ends and sending Tyrod on his way" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN2, 12/27). ESPN’s Tim Hasselback said, "The players that will remain Bills, they're not going to like the fact that the front office is doing this to Tyrod Taylor. That's not going to sit well with guys in that locker room, and I think you have to be careful when you make decisions like that" ("NFL Live," ESPN2, 12/27). NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted, "Rex Ryan was a big proponent of Tyrod Taylor and fought to keep him as starter. His firing is bad news for Taylor. ... When some in upper management wanted to bench Tyrod Taylor, it was Rex Ryan who kept him on the field. GM Doug Whaley wants to see EJ Manuel" (TWITTER.com, 12/27).
DIG DOUG? In New York, Matthew Fairburn noted Whaley "reportedly had issues with both" former Bills coach Doug Marrone and Ryan, so the "pressure will be on him now more than ever to hire not only the right guy, but a guy that he can work with" (NEWYORKUPSTATE.com, 12/27). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote having Whaley lead the search will limit it to candidates who will "accept working with, and ultimately for," the current GM. Big names "will emerge, but some of those big names will want to run the show and/or to nudge" Whaley out of the way (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 12/27). ESPN N.Y.'s Dan Graziano wrote the Bills "appear to have something of a toxic mess on their hands, and while it may well have been time" for Ryan to go, "finding a replacement might not be as easy as they think." It "starts with the quarterback situation" -- a position where it "appears the Bills have no idea what they're going to do" (ESPNNY.com, 12/27).
NEXT IN LINE: In N.Y., Gary Myers notes former Giants coach Tom Coughlin is "considered a leading contender" to replace Ryan. Coughlin met with Ryan, the Pegulas and Brandon in Florida in the "middle of the offseason about a consultants role" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/28). ESPN's Adam Caplan noted Bills' execs "love" offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, who has been named interim coach for Week 17. Caplan: "This is a guy that they really respect. This guy has been respected by his peers for years, but he’s only going to get one game to do it. Is that really a fair evaluation?" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN2, 12/27).
MESSING IT ALL UP: THE MMQB's Jenny Vrentas noted the Pegulas, who also own the Sabres, are "bottom-line owners." They are "willing to devote as many resources as are needed, but they need to see results" (MMQB.SI.com, 12/27). The BUFFALO NEWS' Gleason writes the Pegulas' "inactivity since taking over the franchise was consistent with how they conducted their business with the Sabres before driving them into the ground." Gleason: "Brace yourselves, people. It could happen with the Bills." The Pegulas once again "look like amateurs who aren't sure where to turn for the right people, as if they're hoping to stumble into success by accident" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/28). In Rochester, Leo Roth writes if the Pegulas, "who have owned the Bills a scant 26 months, really wanted to show leadership, they’d have told Whaley ... to figure out a way to play nice in the sandbox with his coaches and fix this mess" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 12/28). Also in Buffalo, Jerry Sullivan writes before the firing the Bills had "turned Ryan into a dead man walking." That is a "pretty shabby way to treat a guy who helped you sell the most season tickets in franchise history when you hired him." Sullivan: "It's weak and gutless, and it makes them look like amateurs" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/28). In Toronto, John Kryk writes, "Don't stop at Rex Ryan. Clean house, Terry and Kim Pegula -- your entire, toxic Buffalo Bills house." Kryk notes the Bills should fire Brandon, fire Whaley and fire Senior VP/Football Administration Jim Overdorf. Kryk: "Heed this advice, dear owners, or you’ll be here again, two to three years from now, starting over" (TORONTO SUN, 12/28). In N.Y., Manish Mehta writes, "Ryan was kicked to the curb by a clueless owner of a lost franchise in a bitter place" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/28).
HEADED TO A TV NEAR YOU? The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Myers notes within hours of being fired, Ryan became a "hot ticket in television." ESPN is "interested [in] having him in studio for this weekend and/or the playoffs and then making him part of their NFL coverage" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/28). Myers also writes Ryan would "seem more suited to a studio show than as a game analyst." ESPN Senior Coordinating Producer Seth Markman said, "If Rex is considering TV work, we’d be interested in talking to him." When asked if he could bring Ryan in for immediate work starting Sunday, Markman said, "Again, would entertain if he was willing. A lot of guys want to just lay low for a while" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/28). SI.com's Richard Deitsch tweeted, "Some TV net will hire Rex Ryan because there's always money for ex-NFL coaches & players and not always money for producers & news editors" (TWITTER.com, 12/27). USA TODAY's Lindsay Jones writes Ryan might now be "best suited for television, and the networks should engage in a bidding war for his services" (USA TODAY, 12/28). ESPN's Joe Banner said of Ryan, "He’ll be in demand if he wants to get into broadcasting, but I don’t think we'll see his name in the mix on a head coaching position again" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN2, 12/27).
