NFL Headlines

IN THIS STORY:
play PSD fantasy sports Team Home
Rumors
Roster
play PSD fantasy sports Team Home
Rumors
Roster
Ryan makes up with Lewis, challenges Ravens

"When the Ravens celebrated the 10th anniversary of their 2000 Super Bowl team over the weekend, one of the assistant coaches to come back was New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Ryan said he participated in a dinner Saturday night. He left afterward, heading back to New York, because the Jets began preparations for their game this weekend against the Green Bay Packers. It would have been interesting to see the crowd reaction Sunday if Ryan were introduced with former Ravens assistants Jim Colletto and Matt Simon.

"The event was great," said Ryan, a former Ravens defensive line coach and coordinator. "I stay close with of a bunch of these guys like Tony Siragusa, Rob Burnett and Larry Webster. I coached Brad Jackson in Cincinnati and I hadn't seen Jelly Roll [ Lional Dalton] in a while. The current guys were just coming out of a meeting so I got a chance to say hello to Haloti [Ngata], T.J. Housh [Houshmandzadeh] and Joe Flacco."

Ryan also said he got a chance to talk with Ray Lewis, and they settled any differences they may have had heading into the season opener in New York. The Ravens beat the Jets, 10-9.

"The kiss-and-makeup thing went well," said Ryan, laughing. "I spent 10 years with Ray, and I know what happens going into the week before a big game. No one has to tell me how competitive he is, and we just needed to make sure it wasn't personal.

"Ray is a Baltimore Raven, he is an icon, which is why it was funny to hear people say I tried to bring him with me," said Ryan. "I wouldn't have done that, but that didn't mean I didn't think about it.

Ryan took a lot of criticism after the Ravens loss, but the Jets have won five straight.

"Like I said, this organization treated me well," said Ryan of the Ravens. "I applied for the job here and didn't get it, which was bull. But everything turned out well. I think fans in New York have learned that I am not right all the time, but just about 90 percent of the time.

"We're a lot better team than we were in the first game because all our guys are here," Ryan said. "Nobody is going to want to play us. Maybe we'll see the Ravens again, and we'll see who outplays who and who outcoaches who.""


Top NFL Headlines