Rob Ryan

For other people named Rob Ryan, see Robert Ryan (disambiguation).

Rob Ryan

Ryan in 2012
Current position
Title	Assistant Head Coach/Defense
Team	Buffalo Bills
Personal information
Date of birth	(1962-12-13) December 13, 1962
Place of birth	Ardmore, Oklahoma
Career information
Position(s)	Defensive end
College	Southwestern Oklahoma State
Career highlights
Super Bowl wins	2001 (XXXVI) (linebackers coach) 2003 (XXXVIII) (linebackers coach)
Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1987 Western Kentucky (assistant coach) 1988 Ohio State (outside linebackers) 1989–1993 Tennessee State (RB/ LB/ DL) 1994–1995 Arizona Cardinals (defensive backs) 1996 Hutchinson Community College (defensive coordinator) 1997–1999 Oklahoma State (def. coord.) 2000–2003 New England Patriots (linebackers) 2004–2008 Oakland Raiders (def. coord.) 2009–2010 Cleveland Browns (def. coord.) 2011–2012 Dallas Cowboys (def. coord.) 2013–2015 New Orleans Saints (def. coord.) 2016–present Buffalo Bills (Assistant HC/defense)

Robert Allen "Rob" Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American football assistant head coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He is the son of former defensive coordinator and head coach Buddy Ryan and the twin brother of current head coach of the Buffalo Bills, Rex Ryan.

Early life

When his parents, Doris and Buddy Ryan, divorced in 1966, Rob and his fraternal twin, Rex, moved with Doris to Toronto. In 1974, they moved back to the United States to live with their father. He attended Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

Playing career

Rob played defensive end opposite his brother Rex at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Coaching career

Ryan was a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky in 1987 and at Ohio State in 1988. Ryan then spent 5 seasons at Tennessee State, where he coached running backs (1989–91), wide receivers (1992) and the defensive line (1993). He served as defensive coordinator at Hutchinson Community College in 1996, where they led the nation in total defense (228 yards per game) and in sacks (56). His defense also set a national record by forcing 49 turnovers.

Ryan originally entered the NFL coaching ranks in 1994 as defensive backs coach on his father's staff for the Arizona Cardinals. He also coached Cardinals cornerbacks and safeties in 1995. With Ryan as his position coach, cornerback Aeneas Williams earned two trips to the Pro Bowl in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, the Cardinals led the NFL with 32 interceptions and 42 total takeaways. The 1994 Cardinals ranked second in the NFL total defense, second in run defense and third in pass defense. From 1997–99, Ryan was the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State, where the Cowboys defense continually ranked among the best in the nation, also he was named Coordinator of the Year by The Sporting News in 1997.

In 1999, they were ranked 10th in the nation in total defense. In 1998, they were second in the nation with 41 sacks. In his first season at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys defense finished among the nation top-20 in turnover margin, rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense, allowing just 302.7 yards per game. It was an over 100-yard improvement per game from the year before and helped the Cowboys produce an 8–4 mark and capping the 1997 season with a berth in the Alamo Bowl.

From 2000 to 2003, Ryan was the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots. In 2003, the Patriots ranked first in the NFL in fewest points allowed 238 while ranking seventh overall in the NFL in total defense. Ryan's unit also contributed to one of the best scoring defenses in franchise history in 2001, as the Patriots allowed just 17 points per game and produced Pro Bowlers Willie McGinest and Tedy Bruschi.

From 2004 to 2008, Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders. In 2006, the Raiders ranked third in yards allowed per game but a low eighteenth in points allowed per game.

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini named Ryan as defensive coordinator on January 14, 2009.

He was officially named the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator on January 19, 2011. The Cowboys missed the playoffs again in 2011 and were ranked 14th in yards allowed per game and 16th in points allowed per game. Dallas missed the playoffs yet again in 2012. In 2012 Dallas was ranked 14th in yards allowed per game and 23rd in points allowed per game while only ranking 16th in QB sacks. On January 8, 2013, the Cowboys ended Ryan's employment with the franchise.

In January 2013, Ryan agreed to become the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, but resigned less than five days later. In February 2013, Ryan was hired as the New Orleans defensive coordinator, implementing a 3–4 defense to the team and scrapping their previous 4–3 defensive scheme. Ryan's defense finished well statistically in 2013, but New Orleans played over half of their games against teams with losing records. New Orleans was near the bottom of the league in all defensive categories in 2014.

On November 16, 2015, the day after a 47–14 loss to the Washington Redskins, and with the New Orleans defense ranked last in the NFL, Ryan was fired. New Orleans defensive assistant coach Dennis Allen was appointed Defensive Coordinator following Ryan's dismissal.

On January 10, 2016, the Bills announced that Rob Ryan would be joining Rex Ryan's staff as assistant head coach.

References

Sporting positions
Preceded by Chuck Bresnahan	Oakland Raiders Defensive Coordinator 2004–2008	Succeeded by John Marshall
Preceded by Mel Tucker	Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 2009–2010	Succeeded by Dick Jauron
Preceded by Paul Pasqualoni	Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator 2011–2012	Succeeded by Monte Kiffin
Preceded by Steve Spagnuolo	New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator 2013–2015	Succeeded by Dennis Allen