Bills coach Rex Ryan: 'We're going to build a bully'
The Buffalo Bills introduced Rex Ryan as their head coach Wednesday, and the quote machine did not disappoint.
Ryan, who spent the last six seasons as head coach of the New York Jets, opened his tenure with the Bills by stepping to the microphone and saying with typical bombast: "Is this thing on? Because it's getting ready to be on."
He followed that by promising the franchise and its fans a tough defense, strong running game and utilization of the talent already available on offense.
"Are we gonna do ground and pound? Yeah," he said. "Are we gonna throw it? We got Sammy Watkins, why wouldn't we throw it?
"We're gonna be tough. We'll be loyal to our fans as they are to us. Come September, we'll be ready. Period. That's my guarantee."
He doubled down on building this team into a defensive juggernaut, saying repeatedly, "We're going to build a bully," but also admitted this could be his last shot to be a head coach in the league.
"I have one more shot to be a head coach. I need to get it done."
Later, he added, "This team deserves a loyal coach," a thinly-veiled shot at departing head coach Doug Marrone, who left the team after opting out of his contract at season's end.
Throughout the press conference Ryan attempted to assuage Bills fans' longstanding fears and feelings of inadequacy, preaching loyalty and calling Buffalo a community he understands.
"I'm not going to let our fans down," he said. "I'm not going to do that. I know it's been 15 years (since Buffalo reached the playoffs). Well, get ready. We're going."
In between broad pronouncements, Ryan conducted his entire press conference with his personal brand of flair, swagger and humor.
"Terry Pegula told me we have 'One ego.' I said, 'When you hired me, it got a little bigger.'"
Ryan also made sure to tout a return to the Bills' glory days of the early nineties, mentioning Jim kelly and Thurman Thomas on multiple occasions. He ingratiated himself with some more obscure Buffalo references.
"I actually lived in Toronto for eight years. We used to get the Bills games. I understand the history of the AFL and the Buffalo Bills. 'Looky, looky here comes Cookie' ... I understand it all."