Bob Wylie, Browns coach and hater of stretching, began his NFL journey with the New York Jets, serving as the tight ends coach for two seasons.
Every legend has an origin. For Bob Wylie, it was the New York Jets.
The modern-day Cleveland Browns offensive line coach has become a media sensation, thanks to the long-running HBO documentary series Hard Knocks, which has descended on Browns camp to capture the everyday happenings. Premiering in 2001, the series, which travels to a different NFL training camp every summer, has made stars out of coaches and players alike for their uncut and uncensored soundbites captured during camp.
A prime example is defensive end William Hayes, who was with the Los Angeles Rams when the show descended upon the City of Angels in 2016. He became infamous for expressing his belief in mermaids and disbelief in dinosaurs, while Rex Ryan’s various profane sayings became the stuff of legends when the Jets were featured six years prior.
Wylie has seen his own legend grow, thanks to a prominent mustache and profane rant against stretching, declaring that the concept wasn’t the priority of the heroic soldiers of each World War, particularly speaking up for the troops that stormed Normandy Beach in June 1944.
“Stretch is way overrated,” Wylie tells Browns tackle Geoff Gray. “Did you know, World War I, World War II, all those guys that fought in that war … they did pushups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, climbed off, and ran. But none of this fancy (expletive).” As Gray, a Canadian lineman trying to make the team, continues to listen, Wylie continues, saying, “They won two World Wars … two World Wars doing jumping jacks, pushups, and sit-ups … you think they were worried they were running across Normany about (expletive) stretching? Are you kidding me?”
In the series’ most recent episode, Wylie drops off his white Maserati with valet parking and warns the valet “no Ferris Bueller (expletive) with this thing,” referring to a scene from the 1986 teen comedy where a pair of valets abscond with the protagonists’ priceless Ferrari.
BOB WYLIE IN A MAZ DROPPING FERRIS BUELLER JOKES SHUT IT DOWN ITS OVER. pic.twitter.com/UEP7BijstB
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) August 22, 2018
Wylie, 67, began his NFL journey all the way back in 1990 with the Jets.
After a decade coaching at the college level, holding jobs at Brown, Holy Cross, Ohio, and Colorado State, Wylie took the tight ends coach job with New York’s green team. He guided Jets starter Mark Boyer, a 1990 acquisition from Indianapolis, to the best numbers of his career, tallying 334 yards on 40 receptions. Among his other pupils was Ken Whisenhunt, who was on the team in 1991. Whisenhunt would later become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, leading the former to the NFC championship in 2009.
Wylie has been with the Browns since 2017. Longtime Browns lineman Joe Thomas took to Twitter to express his shock that it took so long for Wylie’s name to enter the mainstream sports cycle.
1) 1. So happy they introduced the real Bob Wiley…And his Wileyisms!! Historian, magician, anti-stretcher extraordinaire. I hope we get more next week.
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) August 22, 2018
I’ve been saying for months, Bob Wiley is amazing and should be featured much more often on Hard Knocks…especially cause it will cost him big ?? in kangaroo court OL fines. “That’s a lot of calamari!” https://t.co/8GhcgOvvhO
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) August 22, 2018
The outspoken Wylie, who has spent time with numerous teams on the NFL and CFL level, also has developed a strong resume off the field. According to his Wikipedia page, Wylie is also a “licensed pilot, accomplished musician and an amateur magician.” He has also served as a contributor to the playbooks in the Madden NFL video game franchise.
Hard Knocks airs new episodes on Tuesdays at 10 pm ET on HBO. Past episodes are available to stream on the HBO Go and HBO Now apps. The Browns will conclude their preseason slate on Thursday night, taking on the Detroit Lions (7:00 pm ET, NFL Network).
