Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Rex 'mad as a hornet'

Jetc coach incensed over paper's story

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan has no plans to go anywhere.

Doesn't want to, he said.

The feisty New York Jets coach opened his news conference Friday by denouncing a published report that said he would welcome being fired if owner Woody Johnson doesn't make significant personnel and coaching changes to the offence.

"There was a report that was untrue," Ryan said. "The fact is, and it's simple: This is the only team that I want to coach. Period. This is my team. These are my players. I don't want to coach somebody else's players."

With the Jets (6-9) out of the playoffs for the second straight season, Ryan's job status has become somewhat tenuous in his fourth year. But Ryan said he was "mad as a hornet" when he read the Daily News story, and immediately called Johnson to deny it.

The paper, which quoted unidentified sources, said it stood by the report. The back page carried a picture of Ryan and a headline that said: "Rex Wants Out ... Unless Woody spends on Jets' woeful offence."

"It's a very solid report," said Teri Thompson, managing editor for sports at the Daily News.

Ryan said he was contacted by the reporter Thursday night, but his response wasn't included. Thompson said it was an off-the-record comment and as such was not published.

"There's no bigger Jet than me," Ryan insisted. "I want to be the Jets' head coach for the next 15 years."

Several Jets players said Ryan talked about the story with them in the team meeting earlier in the day, but declined to elaborate on what was said.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 29, 2012 C9

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