Buddy Ryan worked for the Vikings for two years, but his greatest contribution to the franchise was made long after he had moved on.
Legendary former Philadelphia Eagles head coach and Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, a true innovator and one of the great characters in the history of the game, has passed away at the age of 82.
Before being hired by the Bears and becoming a legend, Ryan spent two years as defensive line coach for Bud Grant and the Minnesota Vikings, but his greatest contribution to Vikings history had nothing to do with what he did while actually drawing a paycheck from Minnesota.
The best thing Buddy Ryan ever did for the Vikings was cut Cris Carter. And that happened when Ryan was head coach of the Eagles.
The story has become part of NFL legend. Carter was taken by the Eagles in the supplemental draft in 1987 but struggled with substance abuse issues and clashed with then-coach Ryan, a notoriously crusty, old school guy who had no time for cocky, arrogant young players.
Carter would put up decent numbers in his time in Philadelphia but ultimately his attitude and personal issues would prompt Ryan to cut him.
“All he does is catch touchdowns,” Ryan famously said after cutting Carter, a reference to the young receiver’s unwillingness to do the dirty work.
Or did Ryan actually say “All he wants to do is catch touchdowns?” History has recorded multiple versions of the line. The “All he does is catch touchdowns” variation became famous when ESPN’s Chris Berman incorporated it into his shtick.
For a lot of people, getting cut under those circumstances might have been a career-ending set-back, but Cris Carter would prove to be made of sterner stuff. Carter would clean himself up and resurface with the Minnesota Vikings. And the rest is history.
Carter may have been bitter about Ryan cutting him, but years later he would credit his former coach with helping him turn his life around. At his Hall of Fame induction, Carter took time out to thank Ryan for giving him the wake-up-call he needed (via FTW):
"“Buddy Ryan drafted me, and he tried to grow me up in the league. What Buddy Ryan did was the best thing that ever happened for me when he cut me and told me I couldn’t play for his football team.”"
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Buddy Ryan cutting Cris Carter wasn’t only good for Carter, it was great for the Vikings. That one move by Ryan did more for Minnesota than anything he accomplished while actually employed by the Vikes as an assistant.
Cris Carter and Vikings fans owe Buddy Ryan a tremendous debt of gratitude for his unwillingness to stick with Carter. RIP Buddy Ryan.