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Legendary NFL coach Buddy Ryan dies

Rick Massimo | rmassimo@wtop.com

June 28, 2016, 9:01 AM

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan is carried off the field by the team after the Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10, on Jan. 26, 1986 in New Orleans, to win Super Bowl XX. (AP Photo)
Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan is carried off the field by the team after the Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10, on Jan. 26, 1986 in New Orleans, to win Super Bowl XX. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
Buddy Ryan
New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath and defensive line coach Buddy Ryan, appear to be holding a serious talk on Jan. 9, 1969 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida before they left for their practice for the Super Bowl football game with the Baltimore Colts on January 12 at Miami’s Orange Bowl. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
Buddy Ryan
Arizona Cardinals coach Buddy Ryan reacts as Philadelphia Eagles William Thomas intercepts a pass meant for Cardinals Frank Sanders with 40 seconds to go in the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 17, 1995, in Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium. Philadelphia won 21-20. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner)
AP Photo/Chris Gardner
Buddy Ryan
Defensive coach Buddy Ryan and defensive end Richard Dent of the Chicago Bears celebrate after the Super Bowl XX game against the New England Patriots at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bears defeated the Patriots 46-10. (Mike Powell/Getty Images)
Mike Powell/Getty Images
Buddy Ryan
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan signals in a play during a game in 1986, his first season with the Eagles. To Ryan’s right is Jeff Fisher, a defensive backs coach who went on to become a successful head coach with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans. (AP Photo/Mark Elias)
AP Photo/Mark Elias
Buddy Ryan
Randall Cunningham, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles talks with head coach Buddy Ryan during a light training session, Aug. 5, 1989, at London’s Wembley Stadium where they will take on the Cleveland Browns for the 1989 American Bowl. (AP Photo/Gillian Allen)
AP Photo/Gillian Allen
Buddy Ryan
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Keith Jackson, right, and head coach Buddy Ryan laugh at a news conference in Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 1990. Jackson ended an unsuccessful 50-day holdout for a contract renegotiation and is expected to play on Sunday for the Eagles. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner)
AP Photo/Chris Gardner
Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan, father of New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, at the football minicamp Tuesday, June 9, 2009 in Florham Park, N.J (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Buddy Ryan
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, right, walks with his father, Buddy Ryan, before an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010, in Cleveland. Buddy Ryan’s other son, Rob’s twin Rex, is head coach of the Jets. (AP Photo/David Richard)
AP Photo/David Richard
Buddy Ryan
Defensive coach Buddy Ryan of the Chicago Bears hugs linebacker Otis Wilson (55) as they watch the final seconds run off the clock in the Bears game against the New York Giants, on Jan. 5, 1986 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Bears defense held the Giants 181 yards in the game which sends the Bears against the Los Angeles Rams. (AP Photo/John Swart)
AP Photo/John Swart
Buddy Ryan
Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan, left, visits with his father Buddy Ryan before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
AP Photo/Bill Wippert
In this Nov. 3, 2013, file photo, then-New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, left, poses for photographs with his father Buddy Ryan, center, and bother, then-New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, right, before an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J. Buddy Ryan, who coached two defenses that won Super Bowl titles and whose twin sons Rex and Rob have been successful NFL coaches, died Tuesday, June 28, 2016. He was 82. (AP/Bill Kostroun)
AP/Bill Kostroun
Buddy Ryan
In this Oct. 7, 2011, file photo, President Barack Obama stands with the 1985 Super Bowl XX Champions Chicago Bears football team during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Pictured are Buddy Ryan, seated with trophy, Mike Ditka, standing left, and Jim McMahon, seated with headband. Buddy Ryan, who coached two defenses that won Super Bowl titles and whose twin sons Rex and Rob have been successful NFL coaches, died Tuesday, June 28, 2016. He was 82. (AP/Charles Dharapak)
AP/Charles Dharapak
Buddy Ryan
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle, right, laughs as he talks with former NFL head coach Buddy Ryan during the Ravens afternoon workout at training camp in Westminster, Md., on Aug. 10, 2005. (AP/Chris Gardner)
AP/Chris Gardner
Buddy Ryan
Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan accepts the 2002 Bert Bell Memorial Award at the Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002. Ryan was the 41st recipient of the annual award which honors lifetime achievement with the Eagles organization. (AP Photo/Mark Stehle)
AP Photo/Mark Stehle
Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan father of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan walks on the field during their NFL Season Opening Game at MetLife Stadium on September 11, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
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Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan is carried off the field by the team after the Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10, on Jan. 26, 1986 in New Orleans, to win Super Bowl XX. (AP Photo)
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WASHINGTON – Buddy Ryan, who coached in the NFL for 35 years and achieved legendary status as a defensive coordinator, and whose two sons are also professional coaches, died Tuesday, the NFL confirms. He was 82.

Ryan was on the sidelines when the New York Jets upset the Baltimore Colts, 16-7, in Super Bowl III, and was the defensive coordinator when the Chicago Bears used his 46 defense to suffocate the New England Patriots’ offense in a 46-10 win in Super Bowl XX, in 1986. He was also defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers, and gained notoriety when he took a swing at Houston offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride during a game.

He was also a head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals for seven years, compiling a 55-55-1 record in seven seasons.

His twin sons Rex and Rob Ryan are currently head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, of the Buffalo Bills. Rex Ryan has also been head coach of the New York Jets, and served on his father’s staff in Arizona for two years, ESPN reports.

Rick Massimo

Rick Massimo came to WTOP, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child. He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival."

rmassimo@wtop.com

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