Buddy Ryan, pro football’s famously combative defensive innovator, who helped propel the Jets and the Chicago Bears to Super Bowl championships, died on Tuesday in Shelbyville, Ky. He was 85.

His death was confirmed by the Buffalo Bills. His son Rex, the former Jets head coach, is now the Bills’ head coach, and Rex’s twin, Rob, is an assistant with the team.

James Solano, Buddy Ryan’s agent, said that Ryan owned a ranch in Shelbyville. He had been treated for cancer in recent years.

In his seven years as a head coach, with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals, Ryan never won a playoff game. But he had already solidified his legacy as an assistant coach with his shifting and blitzing defensive alignments, which confused and clobbered opposing quarterbacks. His bruising “46” defense, in particular, took the Bears to their Super Bowl victory in 1986.