ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Rex Ryan couldn’t resist an opportunity to needle New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
And the Buffalo Bills new coach had much stronger words for New York Jets tight end Jace Amaro on Wednesday.
Ryan poked fun at Brady for bouncing the ceremonial first pitch into the dirt before the Boston Red Sox’s home opener this week.
At least, Ryan noted, the pitch he threw at the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons’ season opener got to the plate.
"I would say, ‘Hey, Tom, take a practice toss out there on that mound,’ maybe," Ryan said with a wide grin in opening his weekly news conference. "And Tom likes taking advice from me I know. So I’m sure he’ll be working at that."
It was all in fun, said Ryan, who noted it’s not often he gets an opportunity to rib someone he considers a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
"If he ever does something wrong, oh yes, I’ll be all over him," Ryan said. "But it doesn’t happen very often."
As for Amaro, the coach dismissed comments the tight end made to SiriusXM radio, by suggesting the Jets lacked accountability under Ryan last season.
Ryan, who was hired by the Bills in January two weeks after being fired by the Jets, stood by using several profanities to dispute Amaro’s accusation made in a Sports Illustrated article published this week.
Acknowledging that Amaro’s comments stung, Ryan waved his hand and said, Amaro "is the least of my worries."
Ryan’s willingness to publicly engage with opposing players and coaches — particularly AFC East rivals — is nothing new. Upon being hired by the Jets in 2009, Ryan famously said he didn’t take the job to kiss Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s Super Bowl rings.
The brash and bold-talking coach has so far been no different in Buffalo.
"I don’t take myself too seriously," Ryan said. "It’s just who I am."
And it means little to Ryan if other teams might use his comments as potential bulletin board material.
"You better be worried about my players instead of me," he said. "If they think they’re out there competing against me, they’re sadly mistaken. But I will say this: I will have my team prepared, though."
Ryan has become an immediate fan-favourite in Buffalo since replacing Doug Marrone, who used an opt-out clause in his contract to step down as coach on Dec. 31.
Ryan vowed to "build a bully" during his inaugural news conference in taking over a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in 15 seasons — the NFL’s longest active drought.
The Bills have spent the off-season stockpiling talent through free agency and trades.
The splashes began early last month, when Buffalo acquired running back LeSean McCoy in a trade with Philadelphia. The Bills followed up by luring tight end Charles Clay away from the Miami Dolphins and signing free-agent receiver Percy Harvin.