Sometimes people fall in love because they are the only ones left at closing time. That seems to be the case for the Buffalo Bills and new head coach Rex Ryan, who reportedly coveted jobs in Atlanta and San Francisco before coming to the realization that the team for him was residing in the Northeast.
"Following an extensive search, we are pleased today to announce that Rex Ryan is our new head coach," Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement this weekend, via ESPN. "Rex brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the position that we feel will be a tremendous benefit to our players and the entire Bills organization."
According to the (New York) Daily News, via syracuse.com, the former New York Jets coach had the open Atlanta Falcons job in his sights, but after failing to secure a second interview with the organization, he turned his sights to San Fran.
Ryan's request for a second interview out west was also rebuffed, so he decided to move forward with a second Bills interview Saturday, Jan. 10. There, he reached an agreement on a five-year, $27.5 million contract to coach in Buffalo.
It is no surprise Ryan did not have the Bills high on his list. While the franchise won nine games this season, it has not made the playoffs since 1999 and has not won a playoff game since 1995.
But the 52-year-old coach has not had much luck lately, either. After leading the Jets to two straight AFC Championships in 2009 and 2010, he has not been back to the postseason and was fired this December after a 4-12 season.
"He was very impressive during the interview process, as were many of the candidates to which we spoke, and we feel Rex is the best fit for our team," Pegula said. "We look forward to his leadership and expertise in directing our team to the playoffs and bringing a championship to Buffalo for our fans."
First look at Rex in #Bills gear. Blue and red looks good on him! pic.twitter.com/bwpoeLe8WX
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) January 12, 2015
