Two of the best defensive players of this century both believe San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans would be a fantastic head coach in the NFL next season.
Following the San Francisco 49ers' wild-card win over the Seattle Seahawks, NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate Nick Bosa explained why the man who helped lead him to two straight 15-plus-sack seasons is built to be a head coach.
“He’s gonna be an unbelievable head coach at some point. He just knows the feel of the players and he listens to players when he needs to, and he makes his calls. He’s as good as it gets. I said a couple of weeks ago he’s the best defensive coordinator I’ve ever been around, hands down.”
Another elite talent who came out publicly to support DeMeco Ryans is a man who played with him during the final season of his impressive run in Houston, JJ Watt. The future Hall of Famer took to his Twitter on Friday to praise Ryans’ influence and leadership.
“As a rookie in Houston, I bought my first house across the street from DeMeco because if Meco thought it was the right place to live, it was the right place to live for me. Captain, leader, smart, tough, personable, crushed it as DC. He will be a great head coach.”
In just two seasons as a defensive coordinator in the league, the former Houston Texans Pro Bowler Ryans has made a serious impression on executives around the NFL. The 49ers defense was impressive in 2021, and utterly dominant this season. They are the major reason why the team has won 11 straight and are serious contenders to reach the Super Bowl.
That is why it is unsurprising that the 38-year-old has become one of the hottest head-coaching candidates on the market in 2023. Ryans reportedly has interviews lined up with the Panthers, Broncos, Cardinals and Texans.
Receiving glowing endorsements from two of the best defensive players to do it over the last 10 years says a lot about the level of respect the San Francisco 49ers coordinator has around the NFL.
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