Pat Ryan (American football)

This article is about the American football player. For other uses, see Pat Ryan.

Pat Ryan
No. 4, 10
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1955-09-16) September 16, 1955 (age 69)
Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:Putnam City
(Warr Acres, Oklahoma)[1]
College:Tennessee
NFL draft:1978 / round: 11 / pick: 281
Career history
Career NFL statistics
TD–INT:31–35
Completion percentage:55.4
Passing yards:4,320
Passer rating:69.2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Patrick Lee Ryan (born September 16, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Jets in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL draft. After his playing career, he became a color analyst on the Vol Radio Network, broadcasting games for his alma mater.

Biography

Ryan was born in Hutchinson, Kansas and attended Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[2] He played college football at the University of Tennessee.[3]

Ryan was selected in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL draft by the New York Jets.[4] He played professionally for 13 seasons, 12 with the New York Jets and one with the Philadelphia Eagles.[5]

Ryan was primarily a backup, seeing just 15 snaps in his first four years. His one significant season was in 1984, when he started 11 games for the Jets. He went 6–5 while throwing 14 touchdowns and fourteen interceptions for 1,939 yards.[6] During the 1986-87 NFL playoffs, Ryan started for the Jets against the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round. He threw three touchdown passes in a 35–15 Jets victory, their first playoff win in four years.[7] The following week during the divisional round against the Cleveland Browns, Ryan threw a 42-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker to give the Jets a 7–0 first quarter lead. However, he suffered an injury that knocked him out in the second quarter (leading to the return of Ken O'Brien, who had started the regular season as quarterback), and the Jets would ultimately lose it 23–20 in double overtime, the third longest playoff game in NFL history at that time.[8]

After being cut by the Browns in the summer before the 1990 season, Ryan was working as a general contractor. The Philadelphia Eagles asked him to come out of retirement as starter Randall Cunningham and backup Jim McMahon were injured.[9][10][11] He signed with the team in September 1991 and was deployed in their Monday Night Football matchup versus the Washington Redskins at 36 years old.[12] He completed four passes, threw three interceptions, and was sacked twice in a 23–0 loss.[13][14] Ryan was waived in favor of former Seattle backup Jeff Kemp that October.[15]

Life after the NFL

Ryan was employed as a color analyst on Tennessee Titans radio broadcasts from 1999 to 2004.[16] He is now a home builder in Knoxville, Tennessee.[17] He later worked as a football analyst for the University of Tennessee's Vol Radio Network, cohosting the weekly "Big Orange Hotline," and joining Bob Kesling, Tim Priest, and John Wilkerson on the "Kickoff Call-In Show" prior to UT football games.[18] In June 2021, Ryan became the color analyst for Tennessee Volunteers football following the announcement that Tim Priest would be retiring.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Schuman wins city 4A scoring crown". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  2. ^ McConnell, Jerry (August 27, 1989). "Recovery Is Ryan's Hope Jets QB Eager to Regain Backup Role". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Meece, Volney (October 31, 1984). "Patient Pat Ex-PC QB Ryan Finally Gets Chance to Start in NFL". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "1978 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  5. ^ "Pat Ryan Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  6. ^ "Pat Ryan 1984 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "Wild Card - Kansas City Chiefs at New York Jets - December 28th, 1986". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  8. ^ "Divisional Round - New York Jets at Cleveland Browns - January 3rd, 1987". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  9. ^ "Eagles sign Ryan to back up McMahon at QB". Baltimore Sun. September 4, 1991. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "FOOTBALL; Ryan Catches On With Eagles". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 4, 1991. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  11. ^ Cialani, Joe (September 3, 1991). "Eagles sign Pat Ryan". UPI. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins – September 30th, 1991". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  13. ^ George, Thomas (October 1, 1991). "FOOTBALL; Eagles Lose McMahon as Redskins Dominate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  14. ^ Stellino, Vito (October 1, 1991). "Redskins romp, shut down Eagles and rusty Ryan McMahon hurts knee early in 23–0 loss". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  15. ^ "Eagles sign another QB in Kemp; waive Ryan". Tampa Bay Times. October 17, 1991. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Robles, Dalisa (June 8, 2021). "Vol Network Analyst Tim Priest Retires, Pat Ryan Chosen As Replacement". WBIR.com. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  17. ^ Pearlman, Jeff (July 30, 2010). "Jeff Pearlman: It takes a certain type of player to be successful NFL backup QB". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  18. ^ "Vol Network Additions For 2015". University of Tennessee Athletics. September 2, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2024.