Rob Ryan

In his first season in Cleveland, Ryan's defense ranked 21st in the league, with 375 points against, as teams averaged 23.4 points per game against them.

The defense improved in his second season, averaging 23.9 points a game, and moving to 25th in the league.

In his first season, the Raiders defense ranked 31st in the league, averaging 27.6 points allowed per game.

Robert Allen Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American football coach who is currently the senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL).

Ryan has served as a defensive coordinator or assistant coach for seven different NFL teams.

He was the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots when they won both Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Ryan is the son of Buddy Ryan and the twin brother of Rex Ryan.

When his parents, Doris and Buddy Ryan, divorced in 1966, Rob and his fraternal twin, Rex, moved with Doris to Toronto.

In 1974, they moved back to the United States to live with their father.

He attended Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

Rob played defensive end opposite his brother, Rex, at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Ryan was a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky in 1987.

Then in 1988, he was an assistant coach at Ohio State.

He then spent five seasons at Tennessee State, where he coached running backs (1989–91), wide receivers (1992) and the defensive line (1993).

Ryan first entered the NFL coaching ranks in 1994 as defensive backs coach on his father's staff for the Arizona Cardinals.

With Ryan as his position coach, cornerback Aeneas Williams earned two trips to the Pro Bowl in 1994 and 1995.

The 1994 Cardinals ranked second in the NFL total defense, second in run defense and third in pass defense.

He also coached Cardinals cornerbacks and safeties in 1995.

In 1995, the Cardinals led the NFL with 32 interceptions and 42 total takeaways.

After being fired by the Arizona Cardinals, Ryan served as defensive coordinator at Hutchinson Community College in 1996.

Ryan's defense led the nation in total defense (228 yards-per-game) and in sacks (56).

They also set a national record by forcing 49 turnovers.

In 1997, Ryan became the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.

While at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys defense continually ranked among the best in the nation, also he was named Coordinator of the Year by The Sporting News in 1997.

It was an over 100-yard improvement per game from the year before and helped the Cowboys produce an 8–4 mark and capping the 1997 season with a berth in the Alamo Bowl.

In 1998, they were second in the nation with 41 sacks.

In his first season at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys defense finished among the nation top-20 in turnover margin, rushing defense, scoring defense, and total defense, allowing just 302.7 yards-per-game.

In 1999, they were ranked 10th in the nation in total defense.

Prior to the 2000 season, new Patriots coach Bill Belichick hired Ryan to serve as the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots, where he spent the next four seasons.

Ryan's unit also contributed to one of the best scoring defenses in franchise history in 2001, as the Patriots allowed just 17 points-per-game and produced Pro Bowlers Willie McGinest and Tedy Bruschi.

During his tenure the Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI over the St. Louis Rams and Super Bowl XXXVIII over the Carolina Panthers.

In 2003, the Patriots ranked first in the NFL in points allowed with 238, while ranking seventh overall in the NFL in total defense.

Ryan was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders prior to the 2004 season.

In 2006, the Raiders ranked third in yards-per-game but 18th in points-per-game.

In 2007, the Raiders defense ranked 22nd in yards- and 26th in points-per game.

In 2008, Ryan's defense ranked 24th with 388 points allowed.

Eric Mangini named Ryan as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns on January 14, 2009.

In 2010, the Browns were 13th in the league with 332 points allowed.

Ryan was officially named the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator on January 19, 2011.

In his first season, the Cowboys were ranked 14th in yards-per-game and 16th in points-per-game.