Buffalo Bills Rumor: With Rex Ryan Wary Over Quarterback Issues, Kyle Shanahan Could Become Next Head Coach

The Buffalo Bills have been tossed into the head coaching rumor mill with the sudden and unexpected departure of Doug Marrone, and it appears that they may have a fast track to one of the hottest assistants.

After Marrone’s decision to exercise an opt out clause and take $4 million to become a free agent, the Bills have been one of the most aggressive teams on the coaching front. They have interviewed seemingly every candidate, but some concerns from one of the highest-profile coaches available could mean an opening for an up-and-coming coach.

The Bills have reportedly expressed interest in interviewing former Jets coach Rex Ryan, but sources say he is leery of the team’s quarterback situation. The Bills found a stopgap quarterback in Kyle Orton this year, but his retirement leaves the team with only unproven second-year quarterback E.J. Manuel.

Rex Ryan just left a messy quarterback situation in New York, and is reportedly not too keen in stepping into another.

As ProFootballTalk reported, this has left Ryan unlikely to jump to his former divisional rival.

“Sure, G.M. Doug Whaley has been talking up Manuel during coaching interviews, blaming his struggles not on the player but on coaching. It’s predictable, given that Whaley needs to persuade someone to take the job on which Doug Marrone walked out.

“It would be a surprise if Ryan walks in. The thinking in some league circles is that Ryan’s first choice has become the Falcons, and that his Plan B entails working at Bristol, for ESPN.”

With Rex Ryan likely off the table, the Buffalo Bills rumors are now pointed toward former Cleveland Browns assistant Kyle Shanahan. Soon after the Browns parted ways with their offensive coordinator, the Bills swooped in and scheduled an interview for their head coaching vacancy.

But Rex Ryan could still play into the plans for the Buffalo Bills. If he signs with the Atlanta Falcons, as many expect, it will likely push other teams into making their decisions quicker to avoid losing out on their favorite candidates. That could leave the Bills with a good chance at hiring Kyle Shanahan, if he’s their man.