Not Even Cancer Can Keep Buddy Ryan from Jets-Cowboys Game
Written by Bob Whalon, Monday September 05 2011
New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will face each other on the Sunday night prime-time opener and will have a special guest at the game cheering on both brothers. That would be their father, Buddy Ryan.
While this wouldn't normally be newsworthy, the fact that the elder Ryan was just diagnosed with cancer makes this a big deal.
Apparently Buddy Ryan was diagnosed with cancer in his parotid gland, which is in the neck. He was scheduled for surgery but postponed it so that he could be at the game to watch his twin sons coach against one another.
"They said go ahead and go," Buddy said. "I've got to be able to do something" while waiting for the operation. Buddy plans to fly into New York on Friday and return home to Kentucky on Monday.
"That's just the way he is," Rob said. "This is a big thing for him, a big thing for the Ryans. He's just about the only guy that's beaten cancer about every time. He's been through it about four or five times. I'm sure the prognosis is great for him because he always wins."
The 80-year-old Ryan has previously beaten melanoma in 1968 and 1980 and another form of cancer earlier this year.
Buddy Ryan is a two-time Super Bowl Champion. He was the defensive coordinator of the 1969 Jets team, led by Joe Namath and also the defensive coordinator to the 1985 Chicago Bears, who ran his vaunted 46 defense to perfection.
Buddy was also the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. It was during his time with the Cardinals when both sons were on his coaching staff in 1994 and '95. Since then, both twins have had their own success in the NFL. Rex has led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game the last two years and Rob has two Super Bowl rings himself as an assistant coach for the Patriots under Bill Belichick.
"It's going to be great having him here," Rex Ryan said. "I know this is huge for him. He's looked forward to it for a long time."
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