I was saddened to hear that, Buddy Ryan, who was my head coach for two years when I played with the Eagles, is battling cancer. Buddy’s son, Jets head coach Rex Ryan says his father will be fine.
“He’s 80 years old, but he’s doing great. He’s tougher than s—,” Rex Ryan said. “He’s had other things in his life. He overcame encephalitis. He’s overcome cancer twice. He’s tough.”
We all pray that Buddy gets back to full health.
While we’re on the subject of Buddy Ryan, I might as well give you my take on the accusations by former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson that Buddy had used the N-Word in his presence while he was playing with the Bears.
Of course Duerson killed himself recently by shooting himself in the heart. He had been complaining about headaches and loss of memory because of damage that had been done to his brain as result of the head collisions he had experienced while playing NFL football.
Back to the accusations of Buddy using the N-Word, I wasn’t there so I can’t say that what happened between Buddy and Duerson, but I do know that the Buddy Ryan whom I know would have never used that word. One of the things that endeared Buddy to all of us 
was that you could tell that Buddy cared about you.
If anything it seemed that the African-American players loved Buddy the most. He was like the father that most of the guys didn’t have. He was that Dad, who you wanted to make proud. Buddy pushed you but you know he was doing it to make you a better player.
He got through to the players because he was genuine. Buddy might have cussed at you on the field because of you making a mistake, but he would make it a point to joke with you to let you know that he was still with you. I could give you a list of players, who just smile at the mention of his name because all the guys felt the same about him.
We became family when playing for Buddy and most of the players were black.
We all saw him when he was angry at different times and he never said or acted like he had any racial animus at all. Buddy coached for years, but Duerson is the only person whom I’ve ever heard accuse Buddy of something like that. Ryan coached thousands of black players over the years and the guys all loved playing for him.
I’m not calling Duerson a liar, but I am standing up for the man I know. I think I”m a decent judge of character and Buddy was always brutally honest with all of us. He’s a good man.
Let me say again that the Buddy Ryan whom I know would never use the N-Word.
Wishing Buddy a full and speedy recovery.. I didn’t realize he is 80 years old now.. A great Coach indeed who was a great fit for Philly…
I never much understood concept of why other black people use this word with each other if it so bad.
Lets see, a professional football head coach…who is 80 years old and happens to be white…I dont buy it one bit, that he never said or thought of saying the N word! We’re talking about an 80 year old man, who grew up when the N word was commonly used and racism was commonly taught.
@runtheball09
When a black man uses it, it means something totally different. Its not a derogatory word when used speaking slang. If you ask a white person what is a N…I bet all of them will not say “ignorant individual”…This name will always follow blacks, the black man should be able to do what they wish with it!
RealTalk!
The word comes from the same thing adrian peterson spoke about no? why is it ok for any person to keep using this then? american culture is either confusing or borderline retardation
run – not the same thing as AP’s use of the word slavery at all. It was the COMPARISON between the NFL labor situation and slavery that was the problem, not the use of the word.
There’s nothing particularly taboo or offensive in our country, for example, about talking about slavery. It’s taught in classes. If you were talking about the movie Roots, you’d say, it’s about slavery. No taboo. Nobody would say ‘whoa, you just said the ‘s’ word…. Nope.
It’s not a ‘bad word’. it’s just something you don’t make casual off-base comparisons to.
There’s a slight similarity, but it’s not at all the same thing. The ‘n’ word is WAY more ‘charged’, and it really only has 1 or 2 meanings depending on your view. Slavery however, is much more versatile broad in meaning, and can suggest different topics. (Though it’s clear that both Peterson and Weaver were referring to the same context).
God Bless Buddy Ryan!
Best to Buddy and Eagles #60:
Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik is in serious condition in a hospital near his Pennsylvania home.
A nursing supervisor at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem would not provide additional information on the condition of the 85-year-old former star.
Bednarik played linebacker and center for the Eagles long after the heyday of two-way players. His game-saving tackle helped the Eagles capture the 1960 NFL championship, the last title won by the franchise.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
Real, that is some real talk, no way Buddy never said the word or thought of using that word, and yes, whites still utter that word to describe ignorant people of all types and colors, but it should get you killed if you have the stupidity to say it to a black person to his face, at least where Jakedog roams
God Bless Buddy and Chuck, may they have full recoveries and continue to enjoy life. We’re not ready for them to leave us yet.
Buddy Ryan brought us some exciting football. After some down years, he came in from a great Bears team and quickly built a defense that kicked butt. Even though he never won a championship in Philly, he made us feel like champions. He was like Reagan coming in after Jimmy Carter. Gave the fans their self respect back! He was brash and took no prisoners! Bounty bowl!
And Chuck Bednarik was the heart and soul of the 1960 Eagles and made us champions! A tough player on an exciting team! Ah yes, Van Brocklin, McDonald, Peaks, Dean, Brookshier, Baughn, ….
I wish Buddy a speedy recovery and my prayers are with him.
Let me say though, and I don’t mean this to be offensive, but Buddy Ryan gives off the type of image that would make him seem like he is the exact type of guy that would use this word.
G – First thanks for commenting on these stories. To me it is important to hear from African-American players who were coached by Buddy and can speak first hand. Second, I do wish Buddy well and for a speedy recovery. I doubt cancer has any chance in a fight of wills with Buddy Ryan.
I wish Buddy Ryan a speedy recovery. I also recognize that he may be or may have been racist at one point in his life. To be honest I know a couple of people that work well African-Americans in a public work space, but in private you could easily confuse them with people that wear white sheets and burn crosses on the weekends.
Racism has been transformed into a covert, widespread plague in this country, probably since the 1960s. Even though the jury is still out on Buddy Ryan it comes as no surprise to me that one person could describe someone as racist and that same person could be described as anything but by another. Unfortunately that’s a part of reality in our age.
So far I only know of a couple of ways to expose covertly racist people. Since Buddy Ryan doesn’t have any daughters and isn’t really looking for a job it’s hard to tell. Not being able to support one’s family and/or protecting one’s daughter(s) are usually the touch points that force a person’s true self out into the open. If either of those two conditions were true I would want to know what Buddy Ryan might think of a young Reggie White he met when he started his career with the Eagles marrying his daughter, or what kind of response would filter out through the media if Ryan had been replaced by a Black coach instead of Rich Kotite. (for the record I definitely am one of the people that saw the hiring of Kotite as clueless management