Buddy Ryan, Former Eagles and Bears Coach, Passes Away at the Age of 82

Buddy Ryan, one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history has passed away

Long-time NFL defensive coordinator and head coach Buddy Ryan has passed away at the age of 82. The father of Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, Buddy was the mastermind behind the 1985 Chicago Bears defense.

Buddy Ryan coached in the NFL for over 30 years as a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and head coach for multiple NFL franchises.

Most notably was his time with two of the greatest defenses of all-time, the Minnesota Vikings of the late 1970s, and the Chicago Bears during their dominance in the 1980s.

Ryan won two Super Bowls with Mike Ditka in Chicago before being hired as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1986. He ran a 46 defense, something Ryan stood behind for a long time. “Some say the 46 is just an eight-man front,” that’s like saying Marilyn Monroe is just a girl.”

During his five year tenure as the Eagles head coach, Buddy finished with a 43-35-1 record, but zero playoff victories in three trips to the post-season.

His tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles made him a legend in the City of Brotherly Love. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie called Ryan “arguably one of the greatest defensive masterminds in NFL history and he forever left his mark on the Eagles organization and the city of Philadelphia.”

He briefly served as the Arizona Cardinals head coach from 1994-1995, where he was 12-20 over two seasons.

While his head coaching record doesn’t headline his resume, his work as a defensive line coach and coordinator helped generate the legend that is Buddy Ryan.

Prior to his NFL career, Ryan was a sergeant in the United States Army during the Korean War.

Buddy Ryan also spent time with the Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets during his coaching days.

Ryan was 82 years old.

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