Pat McAfee claims that the Denver Broncos might consider making a change at defensive coordinator and bringing in Rex Ryan as their new DC.
“There’s rumblings right now, rumors, rumors … the Broncos might be making a change at DC, allegedly,” McAfee said on show Tuesday. “I don’t know when … [but it could be] Rex Ryan potentially.”
The timing of this report/rumor from McAfree is curious because Denver’s defense just turned in its best performance of the season in a 19-8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6.
Ryan was a candidate for the job in the offseason, but the team ended up hiring Vance Joseph instead. Since then, Ryan has blasted the team’s defensive performances this year.
Earlier this season, Ryan hinted that the Broncos did not meet his contract demands when he interviewed for the DC job during the offseason. “[M]aybe they should have ponied up a little bit, you know what I’m saying?” Ryan said on ESPN.
McAfee hinted on Tuesday that Ryan needs a big offer to get him to leave his television job, and the punter-turned-entertainer pointed out that Denver has the wealthiest ownership group in the NFL.
“They can pay a little bit more for the coach’s salary because there’s no coaching salary cap,” McAfee said. “So I guess we should potentially think about maybe Rex Ryan returning [to the NFL].”
For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on McAfee’s show on Tuesday that Ryan isn’t going to the Broncos, at least not “right now.” Schefter did note that at the end of the season, “anything’s possible.”
This is nothing more than a rumor at this point. But if Denver eventually moves on from Joseph, Ryan will obviously be a name to keep an eye on.
