Rex Ryan recently criticized Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. He blasted him for having the confidence to claim he was good enough to start in the NFL. Ryan told Sanders to “quit being an embarrassment” and to stop running his mouth. But here’s the irony: Rex Ryan has never been one to keep his own mouth shut.
Amazingly, Ryan is the one telling someone else to stay quiet. When, as a head coach, all he did was run his mouth. Jets fans haven’t forgotten his infamous introductory press conference, where he promised a Super Bowl. Instead, he delivered just a couple of good years in New York. Afterwards, the Jets missed the playoffs in each of their final four seasons.
When he arrived in Buffalo, Ryan once again rolled out the bold talk. He promised to “build a bully,” guaranteeing a playoff appearance and hyping up the Bills’ fan base. The result? An 8–8 record in his first season, extending the league’s longest active playoff drought at the time.
Worse, Ryan failed at the very thing he claimed to specialize in: defense. He inherited a Bills unit ranked 4th in the NFL in 2014. However, under his watch, that defense collapsed to 19th in just two seasons. By the end of 2016, the team had posted a 15–16 record with zero playoff appearances. Ryan was fired before the season finale.
So when Ryan calls Sanders “an embarrassment” for showing confidence, it rings hollow. Sanders has played in just one preseason game, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. That’s hardly a reason to dismiss him.
Ryan’s problem isn’t with Sanders’ talent—it’s with his confidence. And that speaks volumes about how the NFL establishment treats outspoken players, especially Black quarterbacks. The league seems far more comfortable with the quiet, “yes, sir, no, sir” types. Sanders, like his father Deion, doesn’t fit that mold—and that’s exactly why the spotlight keeps finding him.
If Rex Ryan wants to talk about embarrassment, he might want to start by looking in the mirror.