Former New York Jets head coach and ESPN analyst Rex Ryan has been arrested after allegedly running over two pedestrians with his pickup truck in downtown Nashville before getting out to argue with them and driving away.
Ryan, 63, surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning, November 11, after police issued six misdemeanor warrants in connection with the disturbing incident, which left two people injured.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the alleged hit-and-run occurred shortly before midnight on Thursday, November 5, near the busy intersection of Fourth Avenue and Broadway, a popular entertainment district packed with bars, restaurants and tourists.
Investigators say two pedestrians were legally crossing Broadway with a walk signal when a pickup truck allegedly driven by Ryan made a right turn from Fourth Avenue, running over both pedestrians’ feet and striking one person’s leg.
Both victims suffered minor injuries, police confirmed.
But what allegedly happened after the collision has drawn additional attention to the former NFL coach.
Rather than stopping immediately to check on the injured pedestrians, Ryan allegedly continued driving until reaching a red light at Broadway and Representative John Lewis Way.
The two pedestrians approached the vehicle and confronted the driver about what had happened.
According to police, Ryan stepped out of his truck and began arguing with the victims before climbing back inside and driving away without providing his information or rendering aid.
Fortunately, the pedestrians managed to photograph both the driver and the pickup truck’s license plate before he left.
Investigators later determined that the vehicle was registered to Ryan, helping authorities connect the former coach to the incident.
Ryan turned himself in nearly a week later and was booked on six misdemeanor charges, including two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of failing to provide information or render aid, and two counts of disobeying a traffic control signal.
A judicial commissioner initially set his bond at $6,000. However, Ryan qualified for pretrial release under nonfinancial conditions and was released from custody.
He is scheduled to appear in court on December 18.
The arrest marks an unexpected legal controversy for one of professional football’s most outspoken and recognizable personalities.
Ryan became a household name during his six seasons as head coach of the New York Jets from 2009 to 2014.
Known for his fiery personality, bold predictions and aggressive defensive strategies, he led the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances following the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
After leaving New York, Ryan spent two seasons coaching the Buffalo Bills before departing the NFL coaching ranks in 2016.
He subsequently became a prominent football analyst for ESPN, appearing regularly on the network’s NFL programming, including Sunday NFL Countdown and Get Up.
Ryan appeared on ESPN’s Get Up as recently as Monday, November 9, several days after the alleged incident.
Following news of his arrest, ESPN acknowledged the situation in a brief statement.
“We are aware and are in touch with Rex,” the network said.
ESPN has not publicly announced whether the charges will affect Ryan’s broadcasting responsibilities.
Ryan, whose father Buddy Ryan was a celebrated NFL defensive coach, has remained a familiar presence in football media nearly a decade after his last NFL coaching job.
Now, instead of discussing games and players, the former coach is facing legal proceedings over an alleged incident involving two pedestrians on one of Nashville’s busiest streets.
Police have not publicly indicated that alcohol or drugs played a role in the collision, and Ryan has not issued a detailed public statement addressing the allegations.
All six charges are misdemeanors, and Ryan is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.