Report: ESPN Lands Rex Ryan For NFL Show

Rex Ryan

Rex Ryan, who was fired by the Buffalo Bills after just two seasons, has been hired by ESPN to a multi-year deal, even as the network grapples with budget cuts and looming layoffs that has some staffers on edge.

His brother, Rob Ryan, who failed to land the job as Washington's defensive coordinator, won't be joining him, according to philly.com.

Ryan will join the network’s Sunday NFL Countdown show, which saw its ratings decline last season after replacing longtime hosts Tom Jackson, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson and Cris Carter with Randy Moss, Matt Hasselbeck, Charles Woodson and Trent Dilfer.

Critics of the new crew say it lacked some of the personality Ditka and Carter brought to the show, something of a strength for the outspoken Ryan, whose boisterous and sometimes profane press conferences and speeches were often picked up by national news outlets. As viewers of the New York Jets’ season of HBO’s Hard Knocks can attest, Ryan on television is gold, which is why his services were highly sought by many sports networks, including Fox Sports.