Rex Ryan has a ways to go if he wants to make our list of the seven greatest coaching meltdowns in NFL history. Still, a season with Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith and the New York media could easily propel the Jets coach into these rankings.

7. Mike Singletary, 2008

In his first game as interim coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Mike Singletary benched a quarterback and banished star tight end Vernon Davis to the locker room. He explained why after the game, with accusatory language rarely heard from NFL coaches.

6. Herm Edwards, 2002

The “you play to win the game” quote has reached legendary status, but the whole press conference isn’t nearly as funny as you may think. Part of that could be because Edwards has been unsuccessfully trying to replicate this routine on ESPN for years and it’s grown tiresome by now.

5. Mike Ditka, 1998 (?)

Next.

4. Jerry Burns, 1989

Given that the Vikings coach drops more f-bombs than your average Scorsese movie, we’ll only link out to his forgotten 1989 epic. But — hoo boy — it’s a doozy. The greatest part of his tirade? It came after a victory.

3. Jim Mora, 2001

(See No. 2)

2. Jim Mora, 1996

While most would have you believe the “playoffs?!” rant is Mora’s greatest, we have a slight preference for his 1996 press conference with the Saints. Though both preceded his eventual ouster, Mora’s “sucked” presser was his final one as Saints coach. But there is no wrong answer when ranking “playoffs?!” and “sucked.” It’s like trying to choose between Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper’s.



1. Dennis Green, 2006

After a Monday night meltdown by his Arizona Cardinals, Dennis Green had one of his own. It’s all here; yelling, cursing, podium slamming, theoretical taunts about ursine coronations. But the greatest moment is the brief pause Green gives after his tirade, when he’s deciding whether to take another question or storm to his office, where he’ll inevitably ponder the crown that should have been his.