New York Jets: Top 10 head coaches of all time

5. Rex Ryan

It’s time to give Rex Ryan his due. He’s most remembered for his antics at press conferences and all the promises the team didn’t deliver on for him. For all his brashness and bravado, though, he did do well early on in his tenure with the Jets.

His early tenure began with back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances and a 20-12 record. His biggest mistake, though, was trying to turn the team into a passing team, when it was built around the run and playing good defense. If he had stuck to the smash-mouth style, it may have led to more success toward the end.

Ryan is the only coach in team history to be one step away from the Super Bowl more than once. Even Weeb Ewbank, who led the team to consecutive playoff berths, couldn’t return to the AFL Championship Game in the year immediately after winning the Super Bowl.

His .479 regular season winning percentage is tied for fourth highest in franchise history, and he’s the Jets all-time leader in playoff victories with four. It ended poorly for him, but that doesn’t wipe away the accomplishments the team had under his watch. Regardless of what you think of his antics, he’s still one of the best the team has had lead them.