When Rex Ryan interviewed for the New York Jets’ head coaching job last offseason, the reaction among the fan base was divided.
Some dismissed the idea immediately, while others were drawn to the nostalgia of the franchise’s last sustained success, when Ryan led the Jets to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2009 and 2010. New York hasn’t returned to the postseason since.
Former Jets cornerback and four-time Pro Bowler Antonio Cromartie fell firmly into the latter camp.
Speaking with me on “Flight Talk” as part of the NFL Alumni Association’s “Gear Up Against Cancer” campaign, Cromartie claims he had full confidence that Ryan would have thrived if given another opportunity to lead the Jets, believing his coaching style and leadership would still translate in today’s NFL.
“I will say this… Football is football, nothing really changes. Yes, it evolves, but when you understand the schematics of it, you can go out and play the thing,” said Cromartie. “I think he would have done tremendously well, to be honest with you. I think he has an understanding of the game that he can still be himself in this game today.”
Nearly a decade has passed since Rex Ryan last held a coaching role at any level of football, a gap that only fuels questions about how his approach would translate in today’s NFL.
Even during his original run with the Jets from 2009-14, Ryan was known for leaning on a throwback, defense-first identity. The league, however, has evolved rapidly since then, becoming faster, more pass-heavy, and increasingly driven by offensive innovation.
Any return to the sideline in 2025 would have required meaningful changes to Ryan’s football philosophy. Still, Cromartie believes that Ryan possessed the adaptability and football intelligence to evolve with the modern game and succeed in a new era.
While Cromartie is convinced Ryan would have succeeded, the Jets and their fans will never know what a second act in New York might have looked like.