Rex Ryan is often seen as a loud, outspoken character, but he showed a more empathetic and emotional side of himself on Sunday NFL Countdown.
The show aired a segment about Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn opening a school in Tanzania. Following the piece, Ryan, who coached with Lynn in his stints with the Jets and Bills, got choked up with emotion.
Rex Ryan got emotional talking about how proud he is of his friend and former assistant coach, Anthony Lynn. pic.twitter.com/MtJv4dxyrN
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 1, 2019
“That’s who he is,” Ryan eventually managed to say while holding back tears. “He’s a difference maker, he will win a Super Bowl. I was with him for eight years, I’m so proud of him.”
Louis Riddick also chimed in and explained that it’s Lynn’s leadership and ability to have a positive impact on people that lead to reactions like Ryan’s.
“It puts like a big pumpkin in your chest and in your throat because you know what’s happening there,” Riddick said. “And that’s not sports, that’s just humanity at its finest.”
Lynn was on Ryan’s staff with both the Jets and Bills, and he served as the interim head coach in Buffalo after Ryan was fired in 2016, which set up the Chargers hiring Lynn as their head coach the following offseason. He has credited Ryan with helping him become a coach in the NFL.
This was a classic moment that was far bigger than sports. This was about humanity, and how one person can impact and inspire another in such a positive way.
