Has Rob Ryan's time arrived? His players say yes.
The defensive coordinator's steady stream of radioactive sound bytes already has Cowboys coach Jason Garrett playing second fiddle in Dallas, and Ryan's players believe it's only a matter of time before he's hired to lead a team.
"I definitely believe so," Cowboys safety Abram Elam told the Dallas Morning News. "I think Rob should've been a head coach. I believe that's his dream and he's definitely been preparing himself for that. He's been a good coach and I believe in him. I think he'll do a good job."
Despite the success of his twin brother Rex, coach of the Jets, some consider Rob's lack of -- well -- diplomacy a liability. Still, if there are concerns about his ability to be the front man for an NFL franchise, the bloodlines earn him instant street cred with his players.
"He's a Ryan," said linebacker Bradie James, "so he has the pedigree, his whole family's been coaching, everybody except his grandmother."
With the firing of Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville, we've entered that unforgiving pocket of the NFL calendar where struggling head coaches from Miami to San Diego wonder if it's time to update the resume and Craigslist the four-bedroom Tudor.
As heads roll, love him or hate him, Rob Ryan's name isn't going away.