Former Bills, Jets HC Rex Ryan interviews with Cowboys for defensive coordinator position

Another former NFL head coach is getting into the mix of the Cowboys’ coordinator search.

The Dallas Cowboys have interviewed Rex Ryan for their vacant defensive coordinator position, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday. CBS Sports first reported the interview.

Ryan was previously the head coach for the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, but has been out of the coaching world since the 2016 season.

In Dallas’ search to replace Dan Quinn, recently hired as head coach of the Commanders, the Cowboys have already scheduled interviews with former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, as well as former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. And now Ryan has joined those men as another former HC throwing his hat into the ring for the DC role in Dallas.

Though he has worked as an ESPN analyst for the last seven years, Ryan did interview for coaching jobs last offseason, and was considered a top candidate to become the Broncos’ DC before Vance Joseph earned the position.

Ryan’s first NFL job was with Arizona Cardinals, working as the DL and LB coach from 1994-1995. He later joined the Baltimore Ravens, working his way up from a defensive line coach starting in 1999 to defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008. From there he took the HC job with the Jets, leading Gang Green to the AFC Championship Game in his first two seasons. But the wins dropped off and he was fired at the end of the 2014 season, finishing with a 46-50 record over six seasons. He then moved to Buffalo, where he coached almost two full seasons before being dismissed there.

In his 12 seasons as a head coach or defensive coordinator, Ryan’s defenses ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed nine times.