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The upstart New York Jets came just one victory shy of making the Super Bowl in 2009. As favorites of many to win on the NFL’s grandest stage in 2010, they won’t be sneaking up on anyone this time around. That’s also true because the Jets have allowed HBO into their locker room to film training camp as part of their “Hard Knocks” series. Jets coach Rex Ryan says he’s allowed the camera crews because he and his team have nothing to hide, including their mentality that they’ll be disappointed if they don’t win a Super Bowl ring this year, with or without holdout Darrelle Revis. Rex Ryan joined Fox Sports Radio with Hartman and Friends to discuss the HBO series, the status of holdout cornerback Darrelle Revis and the goal of winning the Super Bowl.
On having a “Super Bowl or Bust” mentality:
“I do [welcome it]. We have nothing to hide. Our goal is to win a Super Bowl. That’s the only goal we have. We had the same thing last year. The way the game is, everybody has the same amount of money, so how can you tell your fans, ‘Well, just give us two or three years?’ Who’s going to buy into that and why would you buy into it. If Team A is spending this much and Team B is spending this, there’s no way in heck. If you have any confidence in yourself and the people in your organization you’d have the same prediction, the same goal that I have, and that’s to win the Super Bowl.”
On HBO filming “Hard Knocks” with the Jets:
“With HBO and all that, one of our things that we talked about is that we want to have an environment that every player in the National Football League, we want to have wanting to play for the Jets. And we feel the same way about coaches. We feel that this is an opportunity for us to show off a little bit.”
On LaDainian Tomlinson’s potential in New York:
“First off, it starts with that huge chip on his shoulder that he’s going to have. I think it’s great that, you can kind of beat around ‘Oh no, no, no, I don’t really have one.’ Bull. Yes he does. So does Jason Taylor, so does Santonio Holmes, all these guys. … We took some of the premier players in the history of this game and added them to our team. The beauty of it is they have that chip on their shoulder, so we’re going to get everything they’ve got.”
On the progression of quarterback Mark Sanchez and the offense:
“We have a ground-and-pound mentality here, a philosophy. But we also have an all-weather philosophy. That’s one of our things, to have an all-weather offense. I think this team, with the type of players we have, will we throw it more? I think absolutely we will … but I still want to run the football.”
On the status of holdout Darrelle Revis:
“Right now, nothing new to report but I believe Darrelle will be in this lineup and I hope he [is]. But if he doesn’t, we’ve still got enough weapons that we’re going to be one of the best defenses in the league, if not the best, again. We were able to trade for Antonio Cromartie and all he’s done so far is, every day he’s had two or three interceptions. … Hopefully we get Darrelle out there and let’s see what you can do in that passing game now.”
On whether we’ll see a change in Ryan’s demeanor:
“Don’t hold your breath. I said a long time ago I’m going to be true to myself. I know what a blessing it is to get this opportunity. There’s only 32 of these jobs and I was fortunate enough to get one, but I was going to be true to myself. I wasn’t just going to play it the old somebody else or what everybody thinks the coach should say. That’s not who I am. I got here because of being pretty good at what we do … and I’ll be darned if I’m not going to be myself.”
On making a Super Bowl bid:
“Let’s go for it, why not? That’s the only reason you do play is to win a championship. The one thing this game does is it affords you a lot of privileges. You make a lot of money and all that kind of stuff and that’s all great, but what you end up taking away from it at the end of the day is your memories and your ring if you’re lucky enough to get one.”
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