Ryan: ‘I'm sure there are things I'd do differently'

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FOXBORO - During three-plus seasons as head coach of the New York Jets, it's become clear Rex Ryan has no filter.

That's been tremendous for consumers and people covering the league because Ryan provides storylines.

But Ryan's mouth and the fallout from what falls out of it hasn't helped his team win. The tire-pumping and chest-pumping and "I can lick any man in the place!" bravado has been an impediment to success.

The Jets' declining win totals since the bloom came off his rose in New York and the circus atmosphere around the team are proof. Further proof is that Ryan himself has tried to tamp down his mouth.

This week, he made mention of the fact he would not be "tweaking" the Patriots leading into the game.

I asked him if he looks back on his Jets tenure and regretted being so loose-lipped.

"Yeah, I dont know," Ryan began. "I mentioned that about the guarantee and all that stuff when I was guaranteeing a Super Bowl, but at the time, thats really what I felt. Then when free agency came (after the 2011 labor strife was resolved) and 17 of our players were free agents when the new CBA was announced, that was probably not the smartest thing to say at the time. Id said it before. But, I really thought if we had the same team back, why wouldnt we think that? We got to the conference championship game. But, either way, Im sure there (are things he wishes he hadn't said)."

Every assistant coach, as he climbs the ladder, thinks to himself, "If I'm ever in charge, I'll do this..."

Ryan clearly committed to making things fun, to being glib, to being transparent. But he acknowledged that he's finding things to be different than he imagined at times.

"I came in the league and I have a ton of experience around football," Ryan explained. "Ive been around football my entire life but I never really sat as a head coach before so its a learning experience, no question. Im sure there are things I would do differently, but that specifically? I dont know. At the end of the day, I think the most important thing a the end of the day is that you are who you are and you believe; and I certainly believe things I tell our team about and everything else. So, Im going to stay the course and thats just how it goes."

Ryan is accepting of the fact that, the proclamations that make for good TV, radio and bandwidth, are always going to be used against him when they blow up.

"Well you know, thats just the way it goes," he said. "We kind of understood that and its just likeI dont put muzzles on the players or anything else. Ive said from Day 1 that we might not be lined up 100 percent or whatever but, this is football, and it doesnt have to be such a button-up type deal. But I know, I get criticized for that and thats fine. My style is a lot different than obviously a lot of coaches."
Coach has seen what kind of both sides can do, Sanchez said. (When) you come out and say something, it almost puts you in a position where youre supposed to win. And if you win, its like, Yeah, you already said you were going to win. So, who cares? So I dont see any point in it. Its never really been my style. Its just a different approach. And Im all for it.

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