The New York Jets gave head coach Rex Ryan a multiyear contract extension on Thursday. Ryan will be the Jets coach through 2015 and maybe beyond that.
Ryan’s extension comes with one year left on his contract, which paid him almost $3 million annually. Financial terms of the deal were not revealed. The deal contains incentives for wins in the playoffs. While with the Jets, Ryan is 4-2 in the playoffs, including trips to the AFC championship game in his first two seasons with the team, according to the Associated Press. However the Jets haven’t made the playoffs in three years.
''I know what we all want and we're striving to get there,'' Ryan said in a statement. ''But it's not about me. We're already into our offseason planning. There are a lot of areas where we can improve and we can't wait to get this thing rolling.''
Ryan added, ''I'm no different than any of our fans. I'm an ordinary guy that's been given an unbelievable opportunity. I've said all along: I'm glad to be a Jet. I'm happy to be a Jet. That's never changed.''
Jets team owner Woody Johnson said after their season-ending win against Miami that Ryan would be back in 2014. Ironically the deal comes on the three-year anniversary of Ryan’s last playoff win, which was against the New England Patriots in the divisional round in 2010. In five seasons Ryan is 42-38 with the Jets, which is the second-highest winning percentage in Jets history, according to ESPN, which first reported the deal. Ryan also holds the Jets record for playoff wins with four. Since their last playoff win the Jets are 22-26.
Ryan’s first priority will be to solidify his staff. He lost special-teams coach Ben Kotwica to the Washington Redskins and linebacker coach Brian VanGorder to Notre Dame. Ryan isn’t guaranteed to return to the Jets if they keep missing the playoffs, despite the contract extension. The Jets finished this season 8-8.