Why Rob Ryan Doesn't Cut His Hair Even Though It's Keeping Him From Getting A Head Coaching Job

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NFL teams won't consider New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for a head coaching job because of his long hair, multiple executives told ESPN's Chris Mortensen this week.

It's an absurd criticism, and it looks even sillier when you realize why Ryan keeps his locks flowing so long.

According to Fox Sports, Ryan keeps his hair long in order to donate it to the non-profit organization "Locks of Love."

Here's what he told Fox Sports:

"Well, I mean I've done that since I was in Oakland... It all started with my daughter. I went to school and one of her classmates needed hair and all that. So, I've donated my hair about five different times to Locks of Love."

Locks of Love donates wigs to children who suffer from long-term medical hair loss. The organization is designed to help the kids feel more confident while they battle their illnesses.

Ryan has been an defensive coordinator in the NFL since 2004. His most impressive coaching job might have been this year, when he turned what was a historically bad Saints defense in 2012 into the second-best defense against the pass, and one of the top-10 defenses in the league in 2013.

While executives feel his long hair is a reflection of his outsized personality, it seems it's quite the opposite.