New York Jets' Coach Rex Ryan Will Pay for Altercation With Fan
Rex Ryan, New York Jets’ coach, told off a fan who questioned his coaching ability and is now paying the price.
During the Jets’ Nov. 13 loss to the New England Patriots, a fan compared Ryan to the coach on the opposing team.
“Rex, (Bill) Belichick is better than you," the fan said.
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The Jets’ coach responded while watching his team give up a touchdown by saying, “Shut the f--- up!"
On Monday, Ryan was ordered by the NFL to pay $75,000 for his outburst which went viral after being caught on camera.
Ryan offered an apology the next day, admitting that his emotions got the best of him.
"I was emotional, it was an emotional time, I obviously made a mistake. I was full of emotion and just popped off,” the Jets’ head coach said. “Obviously, I know I represent the National Football League, I know I represent the Jets, and I know it was a mistake. I apologize for it.”
The fine is the largest to be issued to a head coach in four years. In 2007, Belichick was ordered to pay the largest fine in NFL history, $500,000. In 2005, Vikings’ coach Mike Tice was caught scalping game tickets which resulted in a $100,000 fine.
However, Ryan’s current incident was not his first issue with a fan in recent history. The head coach received a $50,000 in 2010 for making an obscene gesture to a fan during Super Bowl week in Miami.
Ryan admitted that his competitive nature fueled aggression, and that he needed to work on overcoming the qualities that got him in trouble.
“This is who I am, I'm about as big a competitor as there is and, at that time, I was in no mood to hear anything, but I also understand I have to handle that better," he said.
