Rex Ryan Starts War of Words in the AFC East

The New York Jets new head coach has always been known for his bold and brash behavior. However, this year he has started to talk a bit of trash earlier than usual. Rex Ryan has started a war of words between the Jets and the rest of the AFC East and it has left many people wondering just what he could be doing, or seeing, this early in the year. It is only June, and the experts haven’t even made their predictions yet.

We are all used to players shooting their mouths off, and the AFC East is full of cocky and confident players. This might be the first time that a coach has gotten so involved with the trash talk though. Players like Joey Porter of the Miami Dolphins and Randy Moss of the New England Patriots are known for speaking out of turn and making predictions, but coaches have always tended to stay out of the spotlight. Moss has publicly declared himself the greatest receiver of all time and Porter has flown off the handle a few teams when reporters have referred to the Patriots as the class of the division. But really, a coach?

It is much different when a coach gets involved, and especially before training camp has even begun. That is probably why the other coaches in the league are sitting back and wondering why exactly Ryan has spoken up so much and so often so far. Ryan took shots at Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Miami Dolphins Channing Crowder. It started when Crowder made a reference towards Ryan's inexperienced career. While coaches normally brush off the comments, Ryan shot back with a comment, "I have walked over tougher guys going to a fight than Channing Crowder".

It is very unusual, and almost immature and classless, for a coach to get caught up in a war of words this early in the season. Many coaches in the league feel that this is just a way for Ryan to get some publicity and bring the Jets under the spotlight before the season starts. However, what Ryan doesn’t realize is that this may bring the team a lot of unwanted attention as well. Verbally dishing out insults before the season begins can put a big, fat target on the back of a team and have players hitting more and playing harder in order to walk over top of them.

It is obvious that Ryan enjoys the spotlight, just like his father did. However that attitude must be kept in check when you are the head coach of a football team. Being a head coach is a very honored position in the league, and if anyone wants success they need to be willing to put the team before themselves and have an heir of maturity about them. Who knows, maybe this brashness will spark his team into playing harder, but there is a big chance that this could work against Ryan, this year and for the rest of his career.