Former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan is known for his outspoken opinions, but it seems his latest hot take on the Houston Texans was served back to him with a side of humble pie. After dubbing the Texans' wildcard match against the Los Angeles Chargers as a "bye week" for the Chargers, Ryan's words were put to the test, and as it turned out, the Texans weren't listening. Smashing predictions, the Texans trounced the Chargers with a definitive 32-12 victory, prompting Ryan to offer up an apology to the team he'd so casually written off, according to KHOU.
Adding a twist to Ryan's crow-eating moment, Texans running back Joe Mixon broadcasted his post-game celebration live on Instagram, puffing a cigar and tossing Ryan's words back at him, saying, "We smoking on that Rex Ryan bye week pack," an audacious jab that was no doubt heard loud and clear on set at ESPN the next morning. Ryan, on live TV, chewed on both the cigar and his words, admitting, "I'm sorry, Houston," as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Yet, despite his apology, Ryan remained steadfast in his skepticism, quickly adding a reluctant disclaimer, "But if you think I'm gonna, I'm not picking you next week either!" as noted by KHOU.
Ryan's colleagues at ESPN could scarcely contain their mirth in light of his misjudgment, which drew not only laughter but a pointed commentary on Ryan's need to offer up an apology. "Today, Rex Ryan would owe the Houston Texans an apology because of the performance I knew they would put up," fellow analyst Tedy Bruschi chimed in as they reviewed the upset that had everyone second-guessing their playoff brackets, as per a report by the Houston Chronicle.
The former coach managed to find a silver lining in the situation by recognizing Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, a fellow bearer of the Ryan coaching mantle, albeit no relation. Praising the motivational ability of coach Ryans, whom Rex Ryan described as having "not a phony bone in this guy’s body," he acknowledged the genuine connection the Texans' coach has with his team, as mentioned by the Houston Chronicle. It's evident that Rex Ryan's flub may have put him in a tight spot; by throwing a questionable jab, he invited an entire football team to prove him wrong, and, you could argue, they did just that.
