Former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan ripped into Patriots coach Bill Belichick over the team’s quarterback controversy.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday morning, Ryan fired multiple shots at Belichick over his unwillingness to name a starting quarterback. He then took things one step further, attributing all of Belichick’s success as a coach to having Tom Brady as a quarterback.
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“Bill Belichick, please stop. Just name your dang starter. It doesn’t matter, They both stink,” Ryan said. “Whether it’s Zappe,‘Pea-shooter’ Jones, they stink. Just go ahead and save the drama, like we care about your drama. Your team stinks.”
More Rex Ryan on the Patriots: "Tom Brady was the only reason you won anyway. I'm just telling you the difference... I said they would never win again when he trotted down to Tampa." pic.twitter.com/wLCO5IoarJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 27, 2023
Then, on Belichick, Ryan took the opportunity to needle a former rival of his from his days as a coach, crediting Brady for lifting Belichick to coaching superstardom.
“This team plays like they’re exhausted, and the Patriot Way… it exhausts these kids. Tom Brady was the only reason you won anyway, I’m just telling you the difference,” Ryan said. “I said they would never win again when [Brady] trotted down to Tampa, because I know how draining that is to those kids. That is what you’re facing right now.”
Ryan did show some deference to the legendary head coach, saying he’ll “never dispute” that Belichick is the greatest coach ever given that Ryan “had [his] ass kicked by [Belichick] a million times." But when it comes to attributing credit for the Patriots’ historic run, Ryan is on Team Brady.
“If you think for a minute that it wasn’t about Tom Brady, you’re absolutely crazy,” Ryan said.
