HOUSTON – New York Jets coach Robert Saleh isn’t the least bit surprised by the meteoric rise of new Texans coach DeMeco Ryans from a star linebacker into an ultra-professional coach who thrives as a leader of men and a consummate teacher.
Saleh was on the Texans’ coaching staff when Ryans was playing in Houston as a Pro Bowl linebacker, defensive captain and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Then, Saleh worked with the former Alabama consensus All-American with the San Francisco 49ers when Ryan was a quality control and linebackers coach before ascending to defensive coordinator when Saleh became a head coach with the Jets.
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Now, Saleh can’t wait to see Ryans put his stamp on the Texans as he’s introduced Thursday as the sixth head coach in franchise history.
“DeMeco is awesome,” Saleh said in a telephone interview after playing a round of golf on a family vacation. “He’s going to do great. This is a really cool opportunity for him. Captain ‘Meco: phenomenal, family man, obviously relatable. As a former player, he has that empathy and relatability. He’s very, very smart. He’s always trying to learn. I think that’s what you appreciate the most out of him.”
Ryans has always had a thirst for knowledge and is never complacent in wanting to improve.
That’s what stands out to Saleh as Ryans has made a smooth transition from playing the game as a hard-hitting, instinctive linebacker into a coach who communicates on a deep level with his players.
“Former players, most of the time, it’s an adjustment,” Saleh said. “You have to learn a way to teach it. The natural instinct is you want to teach it the way you did it, but not everybody is like you. DeMeco was an All-Pro football player. He remade himself into a teacher and learned all the ways that guys can play the game To implement what he learned to maximize all the guys around him, that’s what makes him special.”