Jets’ Robert Saleh fires back at Rex Ryan amid criticism

Rex Ryan had a lot to say about Robert Saleh Monday following the Jets’ blowout loss to Buffalo.

Do we have beef between a former Jets head coach and the current occupant of that specific role?

ESPN analyst Rex Ryan, while appearing on ESPN Radio’s “DiPietro & Rothenberg” show Monday, took a number of shots at Robert Saleh and his defense following the Jets’ 45-17 loss to Buffalo Sunday afternoon. Ryan called Saleh’s defense “abysmal” and subsequently told listeners to never “compare this guy to me, this Robert Saleh to me.”

Saleh’s primary task-at-hand is his team’s matchup with the Dolphins this Sunday, but in spite of that, the rookie head coach took the time to respond to Ryan’s comments while appearing on “The Michael Kay Show.”

Robert Saleh, on @TMKSESPN, responds to Rex Ryan criticism. Saleh says he doesn't know Rex, never met him, then adds: "Obviously, if it's that personal for him, he knows where to find me."

Surprised? "Nah, I'm not surprised by him. He's always got something to say." #Jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) November 15, 2021

Saleh isn’t wrong — Ryan has never been one to withhold his opinion about…well…basically anything. He’s long built a reputation of being somewhat of a loudmouth and certainly didn’t surprise anyone with what he said Monday morning.

These latest comments don’t come long after Ryan berated the Jets after their 41-point loss to New England in Week 7.

“Complete embarrassment for Robert Saleh and his coaching staff,” Ryan said on ESPN’s “Get Up” the day after that Oct. 24 defeat. “Here’s the scary thing: they were coming off a bye…So congratulations. There’s no passion, there’s no nothing. You saw a team that knows what the hell they’re doing, the coaching staff, with a rookie quarterback — the New England Patriots. [Quarterback Mac Jones] looks like a seasoned pro. Then you look at the other side, you’ve got a horrendous coaching staff with a quarterback that looks 100% lost.”

From Ryan calling the coaching staff “horrendous” to saying Saleh’s defense is “abysmal” to being disrespectful enough to refer to him as “this Robert Saleh” while bashing him, Saleh firing back is understandable.

We shall wait and see where this goes from here…

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