INDIANAPOLIS — In the past the Combine served as a platform for Rex Ryan to offer up his latest prediction of winning the Super Bowl. But more recently he's displayed a much more controlled demeanor while at the podium and Wednesday afternoon was the latest example.
Ryan was hit right out of the gate with what would have been a softball during his early days with the Jets. And while the new Bills coach did take the time for some humor, he immediately shifted to a more serious answer.
Ryan was asked what he thought of the Patriots winning the Super Bowl.
"It was terrible. Next question," Ryan said before quickly turning serious. "No, that was a great game. Obviously a great game, I think it was anticipated that it was going to be a great game. You had two really outstanding teams, both of them really well coached, and obviously it was a really great game."
Ryan was later asked what a guilty verdict on the Patriots involvement in Deflategate might mean to that accomplishment. This time he did bother with any quips.
"Obviously I think they earned the Super Bowl, period," Ryan said. "That's the way I see it."
Continuing down the un-Rex-like road, Ryan was asked about a couple of his former players who could possibly be available when free agency begins in Darrelle Revis and Mark Sanchez. Again, he wasn't biting.
"I knew that was coming from somebody," Ryan said about Revis. "My first year I would have done this, I would have swung at that pitch and probably been fined for tampering or something like that. This time, no way am I going to talk about somebody else's player. So, I refuse to do that."
When the Sanchez question came, he simply turned his batting stance from lefty to righty and echoes many of the same thoughts.
If this is the new Ryan, a calmer, gentler and perhaps even wiser version, then count me among those who'd rather listen to the old Rex.
