Elise Amendola/AP
Mark Wahlberg, left, is close to several members of the New England Patriots, including owner Robert Kraft.
- Mark Wahlberg told a story about how New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick reacted when he said the New York Jets should get rid of coach Rex Ryan.
- According to Wahlberg, they both immediately objected and said "no!" and that they loved him coaching the Jets.
- Wahlberg is close to several members of the Patriots, including Tom Brady.
- Ryan was 4-9 versus the Patriots while with the Jets, but only 1-7 in his final four seasons with the club.
The New England Patriots rarely say anything to motivate opponents in public, but behind the scenes, they were not shy to express how they felt about former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan.
Mark Wahlberg, who is close to several people on the Patriots, was a guest on "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" on Thursday. After Jon "Stugotz" Weiner - a Jets fan - joked that Wahlberg should tell Brady to retire, the Boston native told a funny story about how owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick reacted when he once off-handedly said to them that the Jets should fire Ryan.
"I remember sitting around talking to Kraft and Belichick, and I was like, 'God, you know, the Jets gotta get rid of Rex Ryan,'" Wahlberg said. "They were like 'No! We love him. We don't want Rex Ryan going anywhere!"
Read more: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The NFL coaches during the 2000 season, Bill Belichick's first with the Patriots
Poor Rex.
The boisterous coach was with the Jets for six seasons. During that time, he went 4-9 against the Patriots, but only 1-7 over his final four seasons with the club. If we include his two seasons with the Buffalo Bills, he was 5-12 in head-to-head matchups against Belichick.
Ryan did get the better of the Patriots in their lone playoff matchup. During the 2010 playoffs, the Jets defeated the Patriots to reach the AFC Championship Game. That turned out to be Ryan's last playoff victory.