Rex Ryan Defends Trip To Clemson On Cut-Down Day
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York Jets coach Rex Ryan defended his decision to spend Saturday at Clemson University with his son while NFL teams made cuts to set their 53-player rosters.
Ryan's son, Seth, is a walk-on at Clemson, which played Georgia at home. The coach said Monday that he spoke on Friday to "several" Jets players who were getting cut, and personnel decisions had been made before he left Saturday.
A photo of Ryan wearing Clemson gear at an airport was posted on Twitter, causing some to speculate as to whether the coach has input on roster decisions. Ryan says he was "very aware of our situation," adding that he wanted to see his son play his first college game.
"I think `played' is not very accurate," he joked. "I saw him stand there. But it was a great deal." Ryan added that he "played Dad there for a day."
Ryan was criticized for skipping town on cut-down day. Jets reporter Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News called it "the exact wrong move at the exact wrong time."
"He's got zero influence," one source told Mehta. "(He) doesn't care and he is letting everyone know. He just shows up for his check... It's a big F.U. to all the players."
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