NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Rex Ryan, a former NFL coach, turned himself in to Nashville police on Wednesday due to misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident where he allegedly struck two pedestrians with his truck in a busy downtown area last week. Police reported that the encounter occurred on Thursday night in Nashville's vibrant honky-tonk and music district.
According to officials, Ryan was driving a pickup truck when he ran over the feet of both pedestrians, who were legally crossing a main street at the time. Following the incident, the individuals managed to flag down Ryan at a subsequent red light, prompting him to exit the vehicle and argue with them. During this confrontation, they took a photograph of Ryan and noted the truck's license plate for identification purposes, as stated by police.
Ryan, who is currently an ESPN football analyst, appeared on the network for the NFL pregame show on Sunday and again for a morning show on Monday, both of which are recorded in New York. After becoming aware of the charges against him, Ryan "immediately surrendered" to law enforcement, according to his attorney, David Raybin. Raybin emphasized that Ryan has been fully cooperative and intends to continue doing so as the legal proceedings progress, although he mentioned that they had limited information at that stage due to just receiving the warrant.
The court records indicate that Ryan faces multiple charges: two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of failing to provide information or render aid, and two counts of failing to obey a traffic control signal. All charges are classified as misdemeanors. A judicial commissioner set Ryan's bond at $6,000; however, he qualified for pretrial release under non-financial conditions, as per the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. He is expected to make a court appearance next month to address these allegations.
Rex Ryan is well-known for his history as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets. During his tenure with the Jets, he led the team to the AFC Championship game in back-to-back years following the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Ryan gained considerable popularity, especially during his early years with the Jets, due in large part to his bold and charismatic presence in press conferences that attracted significant media attention.
Although he has not coached since his dismissal from the Bills with just one game left in the 2016 season, Ryan has expressed an ongoing interest in returning to coaching. In 2025, he reportedly interviewed for the Jets' head coaching vacancy, which ultimately resulted in Aaron Glenn being hired for the position.
It is noteworthy that Rex Ryan comes from a coaching lineage; his late father, Buddy Ryan, was legendary in NFL coaching circles and is famously recognized for coordinating the defensive strategies of the 1985 Chicago Bears, a team noted for having one of the most remarkable defenses in NFL history. In addition, Seth Ryan, one of Rex's two sons, is currently serving as the Jets' passing game coordinator.
Presently, Ryan is primarily known for his work as an analyst on ESPN's NFL pregame show. In response to the recent events involving their employee, ESPN released a statement confirming their awareness of the situation and indicating that they are in contact with Rex Ryan as the matter unfolds.
