Buddy Ryan, American football head coach and defensive coordinator, Died at 85

  Sports

James David “Buddy” Ryan was born on February 17, 1931, and died on June 28, 2016.

He was an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL).

In his 35-season coaching career, Ryan served as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, and the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears and Houston Oilers of the NFL.

He started his professional coaching career as the defensive line coach for the New York Jets of the AFL for the team’s Super Bowl III victory.

Buddy Ryan became the defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings, overseeing the Purple People Eaters.

He then became the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, who won Super Bowl XX.

Whilst he was defensive coordinator of the Bears, he created the 46 defense, and the 1985 team led the league in nearly all defensive statistical categories.

He then, coached the Eagles, served as defensive coordinator of the Oilers, and coached the Cardinals.

Buddy Ryan was the father of NFL coaches Rex Ryan and Rob Ryan.

Doris Ryan was his wife, they had three sons.

He met his second wife, Joanie Ryan in 1968 when the two lived in the same apartment building in Bayside, New York while Ryan was an assistant coach with the New York Jets.

They got married in 1970.

In September 2013, Joanie died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Buddy Ryan passed away at 85 yrs old.