Report: Bill Parcells recommended Rex Ryan to Jets

What do you know, another rotten Tuna surprise.

A year after passing over Rex Ryan for the Miami Dolphins coaching job, Bill Parcells recommended Ryan to be coach of the New York Jets in 2009 while still in his role running the Dolphins, according to Ian O'Connor from ESPNNewYork.com.

Parcells tells O'Connor that Ryan was his second choice to Tony Sparano in 2008, admitting that he would have hired Buddy Ryan's son had he not previously worked with Sparano in Dallas with the Cowboys.

According to the report, if Parcells hadn't shared a strong working relationship with Sparano, a former assistant of his in Dallas, he likely would have hired Ryan on the spot.

"Yes, that's correct," Parcells said.

This is the second recent report that has linked Parcells, while in Miami's employ, to aiding teams other than the Dolphins in personnel searches.

In late December, before the Dolphins' season finale in New England, reports surfaced that 49ers president Ned York would be contacting Parcells to aid in his general manager search. York hired Trent Baalke in January. Baalke began his NFL career with Parcells in the 1990s with the Jets. Likewise, The Big Tuna gave Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum his NFL break, hiring him as a salary-cap expert in 1997.

Parcells, who let Jets linebacker Jason Taylor walk from the Dolphins after the 2009 season, may have earned himself a Super Bowl ring if New York wins its next two games.

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