Rex Ryan Confirms He Told Jets He'd 'Punch' Belichick

On Tuesday he said on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast that turning the matchup into a personal battle relieved pressure on players and helped spark the Jets’ 2010 playoff upset.

Overview

Ryan acknowledged the remark on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast on Tuesday when a host read LaDainian Tomlinson’s 2013 quote and Ryan confirmed he told players he would “punch him right in the face.”
He said the line was a deliberate motivational move to change the story after New England beat the Jets 45-3 earlier that season and to make the game about him versus Bill Belichick.
New York answered on the field by beating the 14-2 Patriots 28-21 in the 2010 AFC Divisional Round at Foxborough, a result that Ryan cites as vindication for his approach.
Ryan said owner Woody Johnson worried the comments went too far but that the coach took responsibility and planned to credit his players after the win.
Reporters frame the podcast confirmation as a retrospective detail of Ryan’s confrontational style that has informed his later work as an outspoken TV analyst rather than a new controversy.