'Didn't See This Coming' - Fans React To Rob Ryan's New Coaching Gig
01/18/2025 02:28 PM
The NFL playoffs are in full swing, and the divisional round is set to kick off with two games on Saturday. Elsewhere around the league, teams are filling coaching vacancies and setting up their staffs for next season.
One of the league's most notable personalities is set to start a new job, and fans can't believe it. Longtime defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has been hired as an assistant head coach for defense and linebackers at USC, where he'll work under head coach Lincoln Riley.
Fans are reacting to Ryan's new job on social media.
We got our guy🤝
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) January 18, 2025
NFL veteran coach and 2X Super Bowl champion @flowlikerob has been hired as Assistant Head Coach for Defense/Linebackers coach🏈 pic.twitter.com/qX8OgT3oro
"Betting the over in every Trojan game next year," one fan said.
"How does this guy keep getting jobs," said another fan.
"Why do my teams keep hiring this guy?," asked one USC and Las Vegas Raiders fan.
"This is a huge hire for Riley and SC that defense better be LOCKDOWN next season," one fan demanded.
"I'm not gonna lie…unexpected cause the hype was crazy. I would love to be proven wrong and will ride. But I expected more," another fan said.
"Definitely was not expecting him," said another fan.
"Wasn't expecting Rob Ryan college coaching news this morning," another fan said.
Ryan is heading back to the college level after spending the better part of the last three decades in the NFL with several different teams. He won two Super Bowls as a linebackers coach with the New England Patriots, spending four seasons with the team in the early 2000s.
Ryan worked with the Las Vegas Raiders this season as a senior defensive assistant, a role he held since the 2022 season. Prior to his time with the Raiders, he had short stints with the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills.
As a defensive coordinator, Ryan's last job was in New Orleans with the Saints. He worked as the team's DC from 2013 through 2015, eventually opening the door for future head coach Dennis Allen as his replacement in the role.
We'll see how things go for Ryan at USC, but it's clear that the Trojans will be one of the more interesting teams to watch in college football with all of the personalities on their coaching staff.
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