Buddy Ryan; Legendary Coach Dies at Age 82

Legendary coach and defensive mind, Buddy Ryan, has passed away at the age of 82.

The football community awoke today with a heavy heart, as we learned that, Buddy Ryan, arguably the greatest and most impressive defensive mind in NFL history, has passed away at the age of 82.

Buddy Ryan’s 35-year long career began right here in Buffalo, with the University at Buffalo Bulls defensive line in 1961. The Jets picked him up in 1968, where Ryan helped them along to win Super Bowl III. From there, a brief stop with the Vikings in ’76-’77 before he was hired to coach the Bears’ defense in 1978.

Ryan flourished. He found himself as a coach, and really caught his stride. We all know the achievements of the 1985 Bears, a team most will argue was one of the best teams in NFL history, if not the best. The Bears’ formidable defense, led by Ryan, is largely the reason why they will be remembered as one of the greatest teams to ever play the game.

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How often have you seen a defensive coordinator, carried off the field alongside the head coach? After winning Super Bowl XX, that’s exactly what happened, as the team carried off Head Coach, Mike Ditka, and the orchestrator of their incredible defense, Buddy Ryan.

Offenses dreaded the weeks where they had to square off with Ryan’s defense. His intensity laden zeal and sheer ferocity as a competitor appeared to give every defense he touched a special energy. As though his own competitive spirit simply willed his defense to overwhelm every opponent with an aggressiveness never before seen, causing chaos, and wreaking havoc between the sidelines.

Perhaps, his most well-remembered moment, though, came a few years later, at the end of 1993, with the Houston Oilers. Here we saw the Ryan attitude we all have grown to love and appreciate prominently on display, when he took a swing at his Offensive Coordinator, Kevin Gilbride, on national television.

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

Buddy Ryan is survived by his twin sons, Rex Ryan and Rob Ryan, head coach of the Buffalo Bills and Assistant Coach to the Buffalo Bills, respectively. Rex, heading into his second year as head coach, hired his twin brother, Rob, reuniting the pair for the first time in over a decade. In an interview with TheMMQB.com published in May, Rex is quoted as saying this is a “go for broke” year, with Buddy Ryan’s health declining.

Rob Ryan told TheMMQB.com, “[Buddy Ryan] is not going to be able to watch us coach for much longer, I don’t think. But hopefully, he can see this one because we have got big plans. Bring Belichick on. We got him.”

must read: Rob and Rex Ryan make This A Season to Billieve

Unfortunately, that was an accurate statement. The Ryan twins are heading into this season more focused than ever before, and are sure to produce a defense with a whole new energy, and at the same time, strangely familiar, as we remember the greatness of their father, Buddy Ryan; the man and the legend.

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