Rex Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009. He is the son of former Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals head coach Buddy Ryan and is the twin brother of Rob Ryan, defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
Upon accepting the position with the Jets, Ryan became well-known throughout the league for his outspoken manner, boisterous attitude and success with the Jets which has included back-to-back AFC Championship appearances in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Players have expressed their interest in playing for Ryan because of his player-friendly attitude. Ryan is also known for his highly esteemed defenses which often feature "relentlessness [and] unpredictable mayhem founded on his premise that 'whatever you do best, we're going to take away from you.'"
Rex Ryan, and his fraternal twin, Rob, were born in Ardmore, Oklahoma on December 13, 1962 to Doris and Buddy Ryan. When the boys were aged two, their parents divorced. Following the divorce, his mother attended the University of Chicago to earn her doctorate. Rex then moved with his mother to Toronto, Canada where she secured an administrative position at the University of Toronto. During the course of his upbringing, Rex wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a defensive pioneer in the NFL known for developing the 46 defense, and by age six both boys knew they wanted to pursue coaching careers.