Rex Ryan’s reliance on Rob Ryan cost him Buffalo Bills job

Nepotism is when a person in power favors a relative over others, especially when giving a job. It’s seen as a negative because you can leave qualified candidates behind just so your family member has a prime position. The 2016 Buffalo Bills are another pristine example of this practice writes the NY Daily News.

“According to a well-placed source, Rex Ryan basically dedicated the 2016 season to resurrecting the reputation of his brother Rob, who most recently had been fired by the Cowboys and Saints,” writes Gary Myers. “Rob was not the Bills defensive coordinator but had the run of the place. He was almost the co-head coach. It backfired on Rex and they both got canned. Bills owner Terry Pegula was so anxious to end the Ryan reign of error that he let him go with three years and $16.5 million left on his contract. Rex was so concerned about his brother that the staff became dysfunctional. Rex groupies will find it hard to believe it was his fault, but some of his actions behind the scenes were indicative of a coach with a death wish.”

We knew Rex was loading to rebuild his reputation and his brother’s, but letting him build resentment on the staff doesn’t seem like a great way to do that.

At least one anonymous Bills player backed up this “disaster” in January, telling Tyler Dunne that Rob Ryan was the de facto defensive coordinator, supplanting Dennis Thurman, and Rob “ruined the whole defense.”

Now Rex is working for ESPN, where his charisma will be lost, in my opinion. The best part of his charm was his ability to assimilate to Buffalo culture with the chicken wings and the Hall of Famers and the Bills truck and the Bills draft references. At ESPN, he won’t be able to make those connections with every fan base. (Rob Ryan interviewed for Washington’s vacant defensive coordinator job but remains unemployed.)

At least we’ll always have this video: