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Listen: Remembering Buddy Ryan On 94WIP

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles family lost one of its most beloved coaches on Tuesday.

Buddy Ryan passed away at the age of 85-years-old. He coached the Eagles for five seasons (1986-1990) and is known as one of the most iconic defensive minds in football history.

SportsRadio 94WIP remembered the legendary coach throughout the day.

 

Angelo Cataldi

 

 

"There was never, in my entire life — talking about Buddy Ryan — who polarized the city more. No individual ever did in my experience than Buddy Ryan. People that liked him, loved him blindly. And he came out the first year and said he was going to sweep the division games. The Eagles were not good the first year he was here. And he was going to take over, and he came in — I came remember the first day the media was covering. And he said to us — no coach has ever said this to me anywhere else in my life — he said, 'If we lose a game, and I don't expect to, and the player who screwed doesn't directly say to you as a reporter that he screwed up, I want you to let me know. Because my players own up to everything they do, good or bad, that's the why I run my football team.'"

Merrill Reese

 

 

Michael Barkann and Ike Reese

 

 

"Obviously I wasn't here when Buddy Ryan coached here, but I think my introduction to Eagles football was certainly under Buddy Ryan's coaching," said Reese, who played for the Eagles from 1998-2004. "That's when the Eagles first came into my life.

Photos: Remembering Buddy Ryan

"Buddy Ryan -- his defense of the '85 Bears -- one of the most iconic teams in NFL history," Reese continued. "The '85 Bears. How many times does it get references? The '85 Bears. That team wasn't known for 'Sweetness' in Walter Payton. It was known for that defense. And the architect for that defense, the 46 -- which is another iconic term -- the 46 defense was Buddy Ryan's."

 

Mike Quick

 

 

Seth Joyner

 

 

Ray Didinger

 

 

Josh Innes

 

 

Eric Allen

 

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