INDIANAPOLIS – A mean elbow nearly had Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan tapping out.
The elbow, courtesy of a masseuse at the shopping mall adjacent to the Indianapolis Convention Center and RCA Dome – home to the NFL scouting combine – could have worked out the offseason's tension.
The massage hurt, but Ryan didn't submit, enduring it until his twin brother, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, took his turn under the elbow and apparently liked it.
After a 12-minute session, Rex was ready for a second go.
Similarly, Rob Ryan is ready for another round of whatever life with the Raiders will dish out, undaunted by the speculation about his job security that was rampant last month.
That's when head coach Lane Kiffin reportedly fired Ryan with the rest of the defensive staff and Ryan was said not to care because he had a job lined up with the New York Jets. Multiple sources and media outlets reported Kiffin wanted to make the move because the Raiders' defense was ranked 22nd in the NFL in 2007, a season after finishing third.
Contrary to those reports, though, Ryan said he was never told he was fired. He classified as urban legend a story that he went to thank Al Davis for the opportunity to be a defensive coordinator after being fired by Kiffin.
"That was a hell of a conversation, but it never happened," Ryan said. "I could see that happening one day down the road. I hope it never does."
Ryan said his relationship with Kiffin is fine, but there's no denying who is in charge.
"The Raiders are unique, and Al Davis is the boss," Ryan said. "You don't have to have certain titles. Al Davis is in charge of the Raiders, always has been.
"I know who I work for, and I work for the Raiders. Lane Kiffin's the head coach, and he's got a hell of a job ahead, and I have a hell of a job to do as a defensive coordinator."
Ryan said he tried to ignore the blame his defense received for the Raiders' 4-12 season, which also was characterized by offensive struggles, especially passing and scoring.
Davis and players rallied to support Ryan when it appeared he was finished after four seasons with the Raiders.
Ryan admitted Friday the stories "(ticked) me off."
"You can't help but to be human and things bother you," Ryan said. "I'm sitting there having dinner with my wife and kids … the TV going, and I'm fired on ESPN. We're just sitting there laughing, saying, 'Well, that story's a little off.' "
Ryan said the Raiders have players to succeed on defense and he loves the play of linebackers Kirk Morrison, Thomas Howard and Robert Thomas. Further, he says cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is the best cornerback in football, and Stanford Routt had a good season playing opposite Asomugha after claiming the starting job the third week of the season.
But the key to the defense could be a motivated Derrick Burgess at left defensive end.
After 27 sacks and two Pro Bowls in his first two seasons in Oakland, Burgess missed two games with a calf injury and finished with only eight sacks last year. Ryan wants to see more – literally – of the 6-foot-2, 260-pound team captain.
"We want to do more things with Derrick," Ryan said. "Hopefully, he can come back a little bit bigger. He's so strong, but that could help us a lot."
If Burgess is stronger, he could be next in line to put a therapeutic elbow in Ryan's back. After all, it has been an offseason that would give Ryan reason to be tense.
Read Jason Jones' Raiders blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
