Darrelle Revis comes to the defense of Rex Ryan’s ‘D’ schemes
Darrelle Revis #24 of the New York Jets reacts before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 24, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Credit: Getty Images / Billie Weiss
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Rex Ryan’s defensive schemes may have been too complicated for some of his former Bills players, but there’s at least one person inside the Jets locker room that couldn’t get enough of Ryan’s intricate designs.
Darrelle Revis.
“Personally, Rex is a great coach to me,” the cornerback said Thursday of his former coach, who was fired by Buffalo’s front office on Tuesday after only two seasons. “I feel, X-and-Os, scheme-wise, he has one of the best defenses out there. It’s very player-friendly in how you can adjust and make certain decisions out there on the field.”
Not everyone agrees that Ryan’s defenses are “player-friendly.” Following Ryan’s firing, Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus told ESPN.com that Ryan’s complex coverages contained “just too much detail for a lot of guys.”
Revis, who played for Ryan from 2009-2012, didn’t want to speculate on the Bills’ situation. But he reiterated how much he “loved” playing in Ryan’s defense.
“I don’t know what kind of adjustments they make or game plans they make on a week-to-week basis,” he said of the Bills. “But I can tell you that I loved playing it. I definitely loved playing in Rex’s defense and a lot of guys did.”
Revis said it was “devastating to hear the news” of Ryan’s firing, which came just days before the Jets-Bills Week 17 matchup. “But at the same time, management wanted to go in a different direction.”
“Rex is definitely dear to my heart [given] the years that we experienced together and working together,” the cornerback added. “I wish him the best.”
