Buddy Ryan, the father of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, is known as one of the best defensive coaches the NFL has ever seen. Now, the former defensive coordinator of the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense is in the midst of another battle.
Rex Ryan told the New York Daily News that his father is battling cancer, but he wouldn’t say specifically what kind of cancer it is.
“It’s going to take more than this to get rid of him,” Rex Ryan told the Daily News. “That’s what he always says.”
Rex Ryan isn’t the only son of Buddy that is an NFL coach. Rex’s brother, Rob Ryan is the new defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.
Buddy Ryan, 77, coached in the NFL for three decades, and although he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Arizona Cardinals, Ryan is known for the job he did as defensive coordinator of the Bears.
That team is considered by many as the greatest defense in NFL history after winning the Super Bowl that season. And his players had so much respect for their coach, that Ryan was carried off the field by the defense after the game.
Buddy Ryan was also the defensive coordinator for the Vikings and Oilers.
