Seth Ryan, son of Rex Ryan, on being part of Jets' coaching staff: 'This means a lot to our family'

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Seth Ryan always knew he wanted to coach in the NFL, and for the Jets. It’s in his blood.

Ryan, the Jets’ first-year passing game coordinator, is the son of former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who led them to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in his first two seasons. Seth also is the grandson of legendary defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who was on the Jets’ staff when they won Super Bowl III.

Seth jumped at the opportunity to be the third generation of Ryans to coach for the Jets.

“I’m not blind to the fact how much this really means to myself and my family,” Seth Ryan said. “This is an organization I’ve been trying to get to for my career. I grew up here. I went to high school in Summit [New Jersey]. My wife’s from Jersey. This means a lot to our family.”

The first time Ryan walked into the Jets’ practice facility, memories came flooding back.

He was 14 when his father became the Jets’ coach in 2009. Seth was in the building all the time, running around the fields, going to practices and talking with Jets legends Darrelle Revis, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold.

“It’s just a blessing to be here,” he said.

As Jets coach, Rex Ryan was an outspoken character with a great personality who made bold assertions. Seth had no reservations about following in his footsteps — with one caveat.

“In my family, we have a kind of a saying with all the coaches,” Seth said. “My grandfather told my dad, ‘I need you to be a little bit better than me.’ My dad told me, ‘I need you to be better than me.’ So I chose offense to make sure that was going to happen.”

Buddy and Rex were excellent defensive coaches. Seth was leaning toward defense, but that changed when he played wide receiver for Clemson. He started to study and understand offensive concepts and has grown from there.

“It’s all I’ve known,” said Seth, who is in his 10th season in the NFL. “I grew up in it with my dad. He grew up with my grandfather. It’s all I’ve ever known. This is normal for us. I’m glad that I can still be representing the Ryan family in the NFL.”

Seth got his start with the Chargers in 2017 as an intern and then offensive quality control coach under Anthony Lynn, a former assistant on Rex Ryan’s staff. Seth spent the past five seasons with the Lions — four as assistant wide receivers coach and last year as assistant tight ends coach.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn knew Ryan from his time as Detroit’s defensive coordinator. Glenn has been impressed with Ryan’s ideas and how he and offensive coordinator Frank Reich are designing the passing offense.

“Seth Ryan, just keep your eye on him,” Glenn said. “Just telling you that right now. He’s going to be a hell of a coach.”

This comes as no surprise to John Liberato, Ryan’s football coach at Summit High School.

“He was very savvy,” Liberato told Newsday. “He had a good idea of the game because he was around it at such a young age. It made the most sense that, after Clemson, that was going to be the career path that he went into. He had all the pedigree and the desire and the passion to do that. So I knew that was going to happen.”

The New Jersey state athletic governing body ruled Ryan ineligible to play during his senior year because he repeated his freshman year after transferring from a Maryland high school

. He was allowed to practice and play on the scout team, and Liberato described Ryan as “a coach on the field” during that senior year.

Ryan, a cornerback and receiver, embraced this role, and

Liberato said he played “an integral part in getting our guys ready.” On game days, he would spend time with the receivers and defensive backs and give his input.

“It was just natural for him,” Liberato said. “He was helping us out and asking great questions and just being a strong part of our program. Unfortunately, he couldn’t play, which broke my heart, but everything happens for the best. That might have been a real great experience for him at a young age to be like a coach at that point.”

Liberato is confident that Ryan will make an impact.

“He’s going to be a major contributor to the success of the Jets this year,” he said. “It’ll probably be behind the scenes because you got Frank Reich there. It’s great that he’s working with him because I think he’s one of the best OCs around.

“Seth will be climbing the ranks faster now than he ever did before. He knows what he’s doing and he’s very good at what he does. The best part is he knows how to connect with guys.”

That’s part of the Ryan pedigree.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.