I was at Dick Vermeil’s Golf Tournament last week and Jim Solano, who was my agent during the last five or six years of my NFL career, showed me a picture of Buddy with Seth Joyner and Clyde Simmons. The picture had been taken a couple of weeks ago and I could see that Buddy wasn’t in good health. They had gone to visit him and we all knew he didn’t have much time left.
I loved playing for Buddy. You always knew where you stood with him. He was a great coach to play for especially as a defensive player.
Buddy was a committed friend, who would be forever loyal to you, if you went to battle for him on the football field. Buddy was a fighter, so he liked coaching fighters. I think that’s why the city of Philadelphia still loves him so much is because Buddy was a fighter.
I remember distinctly the Eagles training camp of 1986 at Westchester University. It was by far the hardest training camp I’ve ever been through. We hit for two hours in the morning and then we hit again in the afternoon throughout July and August. It was Buddy Ryan’s first year as head coach of the Eagles and I will never forget it.
There were veteran players, who just couldn’t handle the workload. These were vets with families, who couldn’t handle all the hitting so they packed up in the middle of the night and left camp. These guys had families and bills to pay, but they couldn’t take the intensity of Buddy’s training camp.
There was a method in the madness for Buddy because he wanted to build a hard-hitting close knit team and this was his way of creating it. He loved aggression by his defensive players.
I was sorry to hear about his passing and I’ll always remember his coaching brilliance as a defensive coordinator. He was ahead of the NFL for a number of years and that’s why the 1985 Bears dominated the NFL that year and won the Super Bowl. Their defense seemed to score more points than they gave up. They had the entire NFL intimidated to the point where nobody wanted the ball against them. Buddy had designed a defense that was always on the attack and he will always be remembered for it.
The Eagles defense he put together would grow to be nearly as formidable with the likes of Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Seth Joyner, Clyde Simmons, Eric Allen, Byron Evans and company.
RIP Buddy Ryan who was one hell of a Defensive Coach and Players loved to do Battle and Play for him.. Defensively, he changed the Game with his “46” Defense and All-Out Blitzes and Pressure he would apply to opposing Teams OL & QB’s .. He brought a sense of Pride back to the Eagles and Philly that went missing after Vermeil Retired.. He was 0-3 in Playoff Games when the Eagleshad some Good Teams and Seasons..
Prayers go out to his Family, Former Players & Coaches and to the NFL for he was a one of a kind Coach & Personality that had Teams reflect his Personality
He will be missed by many..
no paulman , vermeil quit on the team citing burnout, which left 7 yrs yrs of awful football as we were irrelevant, until Buddy came, although he didn’t win a playoff game, Buddy had much more competition ( especially in the division ) than Vermiel or Reid ever did. Buddy is responsible for making the birds relevant again and that continues to this dsay
R.I.P Buddy!! You are one of the reasons why I became a die hard Eagles fan. You will be missed!!
Thanks brother!!!!
Man, reading those names at the end of this article almost makes you want to cry……WE never won anything with Buddy however, out of the 40 years I’ve been watching football… I had the most fun, I couldn’t wait for Sunday to get here to watch BUDDY’S BOYS!!!!!!!!!!! I would like to take the time to thank Buddy for making my Sunday a little brighter……… NEVER have I been so proud to be a Philadelphia Eagle’s fan during Buddy era…..
Well said summup. My thoughts exactly.
***Phillies News***
Phillies Prospect Pitcher Matt Imhof lost his Right Eye in a Freak Accident when a Piece of Metal lodged into his Eye crushing his Orbital Bone and Right Eye causing him to lose eyesight in his Right Eye..
Imhof was a 2nd Round Draft Pick in the 2014 Draft and Pitching in Single A + Clearwater and goes at 6-5 220lbs and is a Left-Hander and Pitching well
There is no timetable of his Return once he gets his prosthetic eye put in
Congrats to Mid-Major Coastal Carolina of Conway,Sc (Which is just outside of Myrtle Beach,Sc off Hwy 501) for Winning the NCAA College World Series with a 4-3 Victory over Arizona to Win the World Series 2 Games to 1
Arizona had Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 Out and their Pinch-Hitter Struck out to end the Game and Series and the College Baseball Season
RIP Buddy…you will be remembered fondly by all true Eagle fans