If the rumors are all correct we are getting ready for a 6th Rex Ryan year. I just wanted to throw this graphic up because some pro-Rex people have felt that the best way to assess how good Rex Ryan has been as a coach is to compare him to past Jet Head Coaches (he looks pretty good in that light). While other, con-Rex Ryan folks (and I think count myself about 40% pro, 60% con with lots of qualifications), don't want to compare Rex's tenure to the many losing seasons the Jets have had, but rather to the NFL itself. They want a top coach, not an average coach. Well, with a just about .500 record it might be reasonable to guess that Rex's 5 years have been average. But just to create a touch point I put a little data together of all NFL coaches coaching for 5 years or more, from 1960 on, just to see where Rex's regular season win percentage ranks in the history of the league. It isn't much of a surprise perhaps that it is right where average is for these coaches.
I'm not making a big point here - and this isn't really anti-Rex - but it is always good to pull back and get a little perspective. For NFL history guys it might be interesting to see what other names Ryan falls near (hey, there is Buddy), which names he is above (hey Herm), and who he is below (Dennis Green). Maybe others will enjoy this perspective.
Here is the complete list:
coach | years | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | win % |
John Madden | 10 | 142 | 103 | 32 | 7 | 0.763 |
George Allen | 12 | 168 | 116 | 47 | 5 | 0.712 |
Blanton Collier | 8 | 112 | 76 | 34 | 2 | 0.691 |
Don Shula+ | 33 | 490 | 328 | 156 | 6 | 0.678 |
Tony Dungy | 13 | 208 | 139 | 69 | 0 | 0.668 |
Sean Payton | 7 | 106 | 70 | 36 | 0 | 0.66 |
Bill Belichick | 19 | 303 | 198 | 105 | 0 | 0.653 |
John Harbaugh | 6 | 95 | 62 | 33 | 0 | 0.653 |
George Seifert | 11 | 176 | 114 | 62 | 0 | 0.648 |
Mike McCarthy | 8 | 127 | 81 | 45 | 1 | 0.643 |
Mike Smith | 6 | 95 | 60 | 35 | 0 | 0.632 |
Mike Tomlin | 7 | 111 | 70 | 41 | 0 | 0.631 |
Mike Martz | 6 | 85 | 53 | 32 | 0 | 0.624 |
Bill Cowher | 15 | 240 | 149 | 90 | 1 | 0.623 |
Bud Grant | 18 | 259 | 158 | 96 | 5 | 0.622 |
Joe Gibbs | 16 | 248 | 154 | 94 | 0 | 0.621 |
Marty Schottenheimer | 21 | 327 | 200 | 126 | 1 | 0.613 |
Bill Walsh | 10 | 152 | 92 | 59 | 1 | 0.609 |
Tom Landry+ | 29 | 418 | 250 | 162 | 6 | 0.607 |
Mike Sherman | 6 | 96 | 57 | 39 | 0 | 0.594 |
Mike Holmgren | 17 | 272 | 161 | 111 | 0 | 0.592 |
Andy Reid | 15 | 239 | 141 | 97 | 1 | 0.592 |
John Rauch | 5 | 70 | 40 | 28 | 2 | 0.588 |
Hank Stram | 17 | 238 | 131 | 97 | 10 | 0.575 |
Don Coryell | 14 | 195 | 111 | 83 | 1 | 0.572 |
Bill Parcells+ | 19 | 303 | 172 | 130 | 1 | 0.57 |
Chuck Noll+ | 23 | 342 | 193 | 148 | 1 | 0.566 |
Wade Phillips | 12 | 145 | 82 | 63 | 0 | 0.566 |
Lovie Smith | 9 | 144 | 81 | 63 | 0 | 0.563 |
Marv Levy | 17 | 255 | 143 | 112 | 0 | 0.561 |
Mike Ditka+ | 14 | 216 | 121 | 95 | 0 | 0.56 |
Chuck Knox | 22 | 334 | 186 | 147 | 1 | 0.559 |
Joe Schmidt+ | 6 | 84 | 43 | 34 | 7 | 0.558 |
Brian Billick | 9 | 144 | 80 | 64 | 0 | 0.556 |
Jimmy Johnson | 9 | 144 | 80 | 64 | 0 | 0.556 |
John Fox | 12 | 191 | 106 | 85 | 0 | 0.555 |
Mike Shanahan | 20 | 307 | 170 | 137 | 0 | 0.554 |
Raymond Berry+ | 6 | 87 | 48 | 39 | 0 | 0.552 |
Pete Carroll | 8 | 127 | 70 | 57 | 0 | 0.551 |
Tom Coughlin | 18 | 287 | 157 | 130 | 0 | 0.547 |
Jerry Burns | 6 | 95 | 52 | 43 | 0 | 0.547 |
Dennis Green | 13 | 207 | 113 | 94 | 0 | 0.546 |
Jim Mora | 15 | 231 | 125 | 106 | 0 | 0.541 |
Chuck Fairbanks | 6 | 85 | 46 | 39 | 0 | 0.541 |
Jon Gruden | 11 | 176 | 95 | 81 | 0 | 0.54 |
Bobby Ross | 9 | 137 | 74 | 63 | 0 | 0.54 |
Jack Del Rio | 9 | 131 | 73 | 63 | 0 | 0.537 |
Dan Reeves | 23 | 357 | 190 | 165 | 2 | 0.535 |
Jeff Fisher | 19 | 293 | 156 | 136 | 1 | 0.534 |
Jack Pardee | 11 | 164 | 87 | 77 | 0 | 0.53 |
Allie Sherman | 8 | 112 | 57 | 51 | 4 | 0.528 |
Tom Flores | 12 | 184 | 97 | 87 | 0 | 0.527 |
Brad Childress | 5 | 74 | 39 | 35 | 0 | 0.527 |
Mike Holovak | 9 | 108 | 52 | 47 | 9 | 0.525 |
Dick Vermeil | 15 | 229 | 120 | 109 | 0 | 0.524 |
John Robinson | 9 | 143 | 75 | 68 | 0 | 0.524 |
Jim Fassel | 7 | 112 | 58 | 53 | 1 | 0.523 |
Ron Meyer | 9 | 104 | 54 | 50 | 0 | 0.519 |
Art Shell+ | 7 | 108 | 56 | 52 | 0 | 0.519 |
Rex Ryan | 5 | 79 | 41 | 38 | 0 | 0.519 |
Steve Mariucci | 9 | 139 | 72 | 67 | 0 | 0.518 |
Ray Malavasi | 6 | 85 | 44 | 41 | 0 | 0.518 |
Bum Phillips | 11 | 159 | 82 | 77 | 0 | 0.516 |
Marvin Lewis | 11 | 175 | 89 | 85 | 1 | 0.511 |
John Ralston | 5 | 70 | 34 | 33 | 3 | 0.507 |
Wally Lemm | 10 | 135 | 64 | 64 | 7 | 0.5 |
Buddy Ryan | 7 | 111 | 55 | 55 | 1 | 0.5 |
Charley Winner | 7 | 93 | 44 | 44 | 5 | 0.5 |
Wayne Fontes | 9 | 133 | 66 | 67 | 0 | 0.496 |
Mike Tice | 5 | 65 | 32 | 33 | 0 | 0.492 |
Lou Saban | 16 | 201 | 95 | 99 | 7 | 0.49 |
Gary Kubiak | 8 | 125 | 61 | 64 | 0 | 0.488 |
Dave Wannstedt | 11 | 169 | 82 | 87 | 0 | 0.485 |
Sam Rutigliano | 7 | 97 | 47 | 50 | 0 | 0.485 |
Nick Skorich | 7 | 98 | 45 | 48 | 5 | 0.484 |
Norv Turner | 15 | 237 | 114 | 122 | 1 | 0.483 |
Joe Walton | 7 | 111 | 53 | 57 | 1 | 0.482 |
Ted Marchibroda | 12 | 186 | 87 | 98 | 1 | 0.47 |
Forrest Gregg+ | 11 | 161 | 75 | 85 | 1 | 0.469 |
Ken Whisenhunt | 6 | 96 | 45 | 51 | 0 | 0.469 |
Ray Rhodes | 5 | 80 | 37 | 42 | 1 | 0.468 |
Jerry Glanville | 9 | 129 | 60 | 69 | 0 | 0.465 |
Dick Nolan | 11 | 156 | 69 | 82 | 5 | 0.457 |
Walt Michaels | 6 | 87 | 39 | 47 | 1 | 0.453 |
Sam Wyche | 12 | 191 | 84 | 107 | 0 | 0.44 |
Jim Haslett | 7 | 108 | 47 | 61 | 0 | 0.435 |
Monte Clark | 8 | 119 | 51 | 67 | 1 | 0.432 |
Chan Gailey | 5 | 80 | 34 | 46 | 0 | 0.425 |
Jim Hanifan | 7 | 93 | 39 | 53 | 1 | 0.424 |
Dick Jauron | 10 | 142 | 60 | 82 | 0 | 0.423 |
Herman Edwards | 8 | 128 | 54 | 74 | 0 | 0.422 |
Leeman Bennett | 8 | 119 | 50 | 69 | 0 | 0.42 |
Alex Webster | 5 | 70 | 29 | 40 | 1 | 0.42 |
Dennis Erickson | 6 | 96 | 40 | 56 | 0 | 0.417 |
Rich Kotite | 6 | 96 | 40 | 56 | 0 | 0.417 |
Eric Mangini | 5 | 80 | 33 | 47 | 0 | 0.413 |
Tommy Prothro | 7 | 88 | 35 | 51 | 2 | 0.407 |
Bart Starr+ | 9 | 131 | 52 | 76 | 3 | 0.406 |
Jack Christiansen+ | 5 | 67 | 26 | 38 | 3 | 0.406 |
Norm Van Brocklin+ | 13 | 173 | 66 | 100 | 7 | 0.398 |
Vince Tobin | 5 | 71 | 28 | 43 | 0 | 0.394 |
Bruce Coslet | 9 | 124 | 47 | 77 | 0 | 0.379 |
Dom Capers | 8 | 128 | 48 | 80 | 0 | 0.375 |
Lindy Infante | 6 | 96 | 36 | 60 | 0 | 0.375 |
Jack Patera | 7 | 94 | 35 | 59 | 0 | 0.372 |
Jim Schwartz | 5 | 79 | 29 | 50 | 0 | 0.367 |
Mike McCormack+ | 6 | 81 | 29 | 51 | 1 | 0.363 |
Ray Perkins | 8 | 117 | 42 | 75 | 0 | 0.359 |
Dan Henning | 7 | 112 | 38 | 73 | 1 | 0.342 |
Romeo Crennel | 6 | 83 | 28 | 55 | 0 | 0.337 |
John McKay | 9 | 133 | 44 | 88 | 1 | 0.333 |
Bill McPeak | 5 | 70 | 21 | 46 | 3 | 0.313 |
Harland Svare | 7 | 74 | 21 | 48 | 5 | 0.304 |
Joe Bugel | 5 | 80 | 24 | 56 | 0 | 0.3 |
Marion Campbell | 9 | 115 | 34 | 80 | 1 | 0.298 |
David Shula | 5 | 71 | 19 | 52 | 0 | 0.268 |
And please, readers don't make a big deal about how this data is assembled, I did it for fun. If you don't like it just make your own fan post with the data you'd like to present. And as always, these are hand-collected stats, there may be errors.