Just dump him! Poor Rex Ryan is still under Jets delusion after Patriots hire Mike Vrabel

To no few people's surprise, the New England Patriots named Mike Vrabel their next head coach not long after firing his predecessor, Jerod Mayo.

Vrabel stepping into power in New England felt like a foregone conclusion as soon as the Patriots dismissed Mayo after one season at the helm. As a former player named to the club's Ring of Honor in 2023, the former has unequivocally strong ties to the franchise. With little shock surrounding the move, the most surprising outcome may be how ESPN's Rex Ryan reacted to the news.

"Hopefully, I get to kick [Vrabel's] ass twice a year," Ryan stated on NFL Countdown.

Just dump him! Poor Rex Ryan is still under Jets delusion after Patriots hire Mike Vrabel

Of course, Ryan's referencing his desire to return to the sidelines and reunite with the New York Jets. He recently interviewed for the team's head coaching vacancy and has made it no secret. However, intel from SNY's Connor Hughes indicates the meeting might not have gone as well as the NFL analyst has ostensibly projected.

Hughes declared Ryan 'completely out' of the running for the Jets opening on WFAN, adding that it won't happen for good measure. With that in mind, the latter's comments are premature and overzealous.

Ryan coached Jets history from 2009-14 and had one of the most successful tenures in franchise history. Perhaps that's feeding into his confidence in reclaiming the job he once held. Nevertheless, that seemingly couldn't be further from the case.

New York reached the AFC Championship Game in consecutive campaigns with him in 2009 and 2010 and hasn't sniffed the playoffs since. So, you can argue his belief is warranted. But Hughes' remarks indicate he's being a little naive.

Moreover, Ryan proclaimed himself the "best guy" on the DiPietro & Rothenberg Show. He has much more faith than Hughes – and virtually anyone else. Despite his conviction and connection to the organization, no one has considered the 62-year-old a legitimate candidate for the Jets gig.

As badly as Ryan wants to go toe-to-toe with Vrabel on the gridiron, it's looking like a pipe dream. Nonetheless, the Jets are putting him down gently rather than ending his media circuit by shutting down the possibility. Why, you may ask? We're not entirely sure.