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Make no mistake: new Washington Redskins inside linebackers coach Rob Ryan is a treasure.
He's a wild man, from a family of wild men, and there really can't be much about his story that's surprising anymore.
Yes, in high school, Rob lent his twin brother, Rex, a contact lens during an at-bat on the baseball team. Rex hit a home run.
Yes, in 2013, he quit his job as defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams after five days on the job.
Yes, in 2015, a plot to burglarize (or rob) Ryan was broken up by the FBI.
Yes, in 2017, he was arrested alongside his brother for getting in a bar fight in Nashville.
Yes, in 2019, he called the Redskins (not the other way around) about a job. Naturally, he got it.
So it shouldn't be any surprise that Rob Ryan had a creative solution to his unemployment in 2018.
Following the 2016 season, Rob Ryan lost his assistant coaching job in Buffalo after Rex and his entire staff got fired. He took 2017 off, his first season away from coaching since 1986. In 2018, Rob got bored and turned to the naval yard near his home for employment.
Oh, for a follow-up question. How did he pass a background check? What job did he have? How did Ryan's wild-man look mesh with military personnel?
In all seriousness, that's an awesome way to get away from football, and probably find some deeper meaning in life. After a few months on the docks, Ryan returned to football via the broadcast booth (working for Sky Sports), and is finally back where he belongs, on the sidelines and meeting rooms.
There is no guarantee that Ryan will make the Redskins better on defense this season, but he is certainly a character worth watching.