Sean Ryan Added to Syracuse Football Staff
1/16/2026 11:50:00 AM | Football
Two-time Super Bowl Champion coach Sean Ryan has joined the Syracuse football staff as the team's quarterbacks coach. Ryan has nearly 30 years of coaching experience, including 18 in the National Football League.
Ryan's stops include a pair of Super Bowl wins with the New York Giants, as a member of Syracuse legend Tom Coughlin's staffs and mentoring standout quarterbacks such as Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford, Deshaun Watson, Cam Newton, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and more. He has experience coaching on both sides of the ball in his career, including coaching both quarterbacks and wide receivers with multiple NFL franchises.
"Sean Ryan is a professional," said head coach Fran Brown. "To be able to go and get him from the NFL, especially with the number of NFL teams that would be interested in getting him with all the movement going on, was great for us. He comes with high recommendations from Tom Coughlin, Mike McDaniel and others. To win multiple Super Bowls with Coach Coughlin to have him call and speak so highly of him means a lot. If you look at the quarterbacks he's coached – Eli Manning, Deshaun Watson, Matthew Stafford and the list goes on – it shows you who he is."
"I'm thrilled to be joining the Syracuse staff," Ryan said. "Coach Fran's reputation as a coach and the respect I have for Coach Nixon, plus growing up a Syracuse fan, made this an incredible opportunity." Â
Ryan comes to Syracuse after spending the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins, most recently serving as senior defensive assistant and coaching outside linebackers. In his first year in Miami, the Dolphins finished fourth in the NFL in total defense, holding opponents to an average of 314.4 yards per game – marking the franchise's first top-five finish in the category since 2006.
He spent the 2023 season at South Carolina as an offensive analyst working with quarterbacks. The Gamecocks ranked fourth in the SEC in passing offense and wide receiver Xavier Legette was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
Ryan spent the 2021-22 seasons as the quarterbacks coach in Carolina. Ryan worked with Darnold, who had the second-highest yards per attempt over the last seven weeks of the 2022 season and set the franchise record for most consecutive 300-yard passing games in 2021.
Prior to Carolina, Ryan spent two seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions. His 2020 squad had the eighth-most passing yards in the NFL, led by Stafford, who had over 4,000 yards. In 2019, Stafford was leading the league with 2,499 yards and 19 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury.
Ryan spent the 2016-18 seasons with the Houston Texans, reaching the playoffs twice in that span. He spent his first season as the wide receivers coach, working with Deandre Hopkins and William Fuller V. The Texans won the AFC South and defeated the Raiders in the wild card round of the playoffs.
In 2017, he shifted to quarterbacks coach, working with Watson for his rookie season. Watson set an NFL record for passing touchdowns (19) through a player's first seven games before getting injured. After Watson's injury, Ryan helped quarterback Tom Savage throw for over 300 yards for the first time in his career in Week 13.
His last season in Houston, Ryan continued to develop Watson into one of the best quarterbacks in the league and lead Houston to its second AFC South title in three years. Watson ranked sixth in the NFL with a 103.1 passer rating, throwing 26 touchdowns and making his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Before his stint in Houston, Ryan spent nine seasons with the New York Giants, helping lead the franchise to victories in Super Bowl XLII (2007) and XLVI (2011). Ryan was an offensive quality control coach (2007-09), wide receivers coach (2010-11, 2014-15) and quarterbacks coach (2012-13) during his time in New York.
In 2015, Giants wide receivers combined for 211 catches, 2,855 yards and 26 touchdowns. Odell Beckham Jr. was named to his second-straight Pro Bowl after tying the franchise's single-season receiving touchdowns record (13). He finished with the most receptions (96) and receiving yards (1,450) in organization history. In addition, Reuben Randle set a career high with eight receiving touchdowns.
His 2014 season was instrumental in the development of Beckham Jr. in his rookie season. He became the first Giants player selected as Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in the award's history. In just 12 games, Beckham Jr. had 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, all were Giants rookie records.
Ryan spent the 2012-13 seasons working with Manning as the quarterbacks coach. In 2012, Manning earned Pro Bowl honors after completing 60-percent of his passes for 3,948 yards and 26 touchdowns.
In 2011, Ryan helped the wide receiver corps set a franchise record with 4,734 net passing yards. Wide receiver Victor Cruz broke out, hauling in 82 receptions for a franchise-record 1,536 yards (18.7 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks had 76 receptions for a career-best 1,192 yards (15.7 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Under Ryan, Cruz and Nicks became the first Giants receivers to have more than 1,000 yards in the same season.
In 2010, Nicks led the Giants with 79 receptions for 1,052 yards (13.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Mario Manningham added 60 catches for 944 yards (15.7 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Ryan guided the duo to be the first pair of Giants with at least nine touchdown receptions in a season since 1967.
As a quality control coach from 2007-09, Ryan oversaw a Giants offense that placed in the top 10 in total offense in consecutive seasons (2008-09).
Prior to the NFL, Ryan was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Harvard in 2006. He helped Clifton Dawson become the all-time leading rusher in Ivy League history. Dawson ran for 1,213 yards and 20 touchdowns in his senior season.
He spent three seasons (2003-05) with Columbia as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator for two seasons before spending the 2005 campaign as the quarterbacks coach. He played a key role in the development of Craig Hormann, who threw for 1,481 yards and seven touchdowns, before going on to finish his career with the most completions and touchdowns in school history.
Before Columbia, Ryan spent two years (2001-02) at Boston College, working primarily with the wide receivers. The Eagles won bowl games in each of those seasons, beating Georgia in the 2001 Music City Bowl and Toledo in the 2002 Motor City Bowl.
Ryan was the running backs coach at Colgate in 2000, a graduate assistant at Albany in 1998-99 and started off his coaching career at Siena College as the quarterbacks coach in 1997. He is a member of the Section II Hall of Fame.
A native of Hudson Falls, N.Y., Ryan played defensive back and outside linebacker at Hamilton College, where he graduated and earned his degree in American studies in 1994. He also earned a master's degree in higher education administration from Albany. He and his wife, Jenni, have three daughters; Cecilia, Frances and Lillian.
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Ryan's stops include a pair of Super Bowl wins with the New York Giants, as a member of Syracuse legend Tom Coughlin's staffs and mentoring standout quarterbacks such as Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford, Deshaun Watson, Cam Newton, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and more. He has experience coaching on both sides of the ball in his career, including coaching both quarterbacks and wide receivers with multiple NFL franchises.
"Sean Ryan is a professional," said head coach Fran Brown. "To be able to go and get him from the NFL, especially with the number of NFL teams that would be interested in getting him with all the movement going on, was great for us. He comes with high recommendations from Tom Coughlin, Mike McDaniel and others. To win multiple Super Bowls with Coach Coughlin to have him call and speak so highly of him means a lot. If you look at the quarterbacks he's coached – Eli Manning, Deshaun Watson, Matthew Stafford and the list goes on – it shows you who he is."
"I'm thrilled to be joining the Syracuse staff," Ryan said. "Coach Fran's reputation as a coach and the respect I have for Coach Nixon, plus growing up a Syracuse fan, made this an incredible opportunity." Â
Ryan comes to Syracuse after spending the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins, most recently serving as senior defensive assistant and coaching outside linebackers. In his first year in Miami, the Dolphins finished fourth in the NFL in total defense, holding opponents to an average of 314.4 yards per game – marking the franchise's first top-five finish in the category since 2006.
He spent the 2023 season at South Carolina as an offensive analyst working with quarterbacks. The Gamecocks ranked fourth in the SEC in passing offense and wide receiver Xavier Legette was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
Ryan spent the 2021-22 seasons as the quarterbacks coach in Carolina. Ryan worked with Darnold, who had the second-highest yards per attempt over the last seven weeks of the 2022 season and set the franchise record for most consecutive 300-yard passing games in 2021.
Prior to Carolina, Ryan spent two seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions. His 2020 squad had the eighth-most passing yards in the NFL, led by Stafford, who had over 4,000 yards. In 2019, Stafford was leading the league with 2,499 yards and 19 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury.
Ryan spent the 2016-18 seasons with the Houston Texans, reaching the playoffs twice in that span. He spent his first season as the wide receivers coach, working with Deandre Hopkins and William Fuller V. The Texans won the AFC South and defeated the Raiders in the wild card round of the playoffs.
In 2017, he shifted to quarterbacks coach, working with Watson for his rookie season. Watson set an NFL record for passing touchdowns (19) through a player's first seven games before getting injured. After Watson's injury, Ryan helped quarterback Tom Savage throw for over 300 yards for the first time in his career in Week 13.
His last season in Houston, Ryan continued to develop Watson into one of the best quarterbacks in the league and lead Houston to its second AFC South title in three years. Watson ranked sixth in the NFL with a 103.1 passer rating, throwing 26 touchdowns and making his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Before his stint in Houston, Ryan spent nine seasons with the New York Giants, helping lead the franchise to victories in Super Bowl XLII (2007) and XLVI (2011). Ryan was an offensive quality control coach (2007-09), wide receivers coach (2010-11, 2014-15) and quarterbacks coach (2012-13) during his time in New York.
In 2015, Giants wide receivers combined for 211 catches, 2,855 yards and 26 touchdowns. Odell Beckham Jr. was named to his second-straight Pro Bowl after tying the franchise's single-season receiving touchdowns record (13). He finished with the most receptions (96) and receiving yards (1,450) in organization history. In addition, Reuben Randle set a career high with eight receiving touchdowns.
His 2014 season was instrumental in the development of Beckham Jr. in his rookie season. He became the first Giants player selected as Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in the award's history. In just 12 games, Beckham Jr. had 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, all were Giants rookie records.
Ryan spent the 2012-13 seasons working with Manning as the quarterbacks coach. In 2012, Manning earned Pro Bowl honors after completing 60-percent of his passes for 3,948 yards and 26 touchdowns.
In 2011, Ryan helped the wide receiver corps set a franchise record with 4,734 net passing yards. Wide receiver Victor Cruz broke out, hauling in 82 receptions for a franchise-record 1,536 yards (18.7 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks had 76 receptions for a career-best 1,192 yards (15.7 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Under Ryan, Cruz and Nicks became the first Giants receivers to have more than 1,000 yards in the same season.
In 2010, Nicks led the Giants with 79 receptions for 1,052 yards (13.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Mario Manningham added 60 catches for 944 yards (15.7 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Ryan guided the duo to be the first pair of Giants with at least nine touchdown receptions in a season since 1967.
As a quality control coach from 2007-09, Ryan oversaw a Giants offense that placed in the top 10 in total offense in consecutive seasons (2008-09).
Prior to the NFL, Ryan was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Harvard in 2006. He helped Clifton Dawson become the all-time leading rusher in Ivy League history. Dawson ran for 1,213 yards and 20 touchdowns in his senior season.
He spent three seasons (2003-05) with Columbia as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator for two seasons before spending the 2005 campaign as the quarterbacks coach. He played a key role in the development of Craig Hormann, who threw for 1,481 yards and seven touchdowns, before going on to finish his career with the most completions and touchdowns in school history.
Before Columbia, Ryan spent two years (2001-02) at Boston College, working primarily with the wide receivers. The Eagles won bowl games in each of those seasons, beating Georgia in the 2001 Music City Bowl and Toledo in the 2002 Motor City Bowl.
Ryan was the running backs coach at Colgate in 2000, a graduate assistant at Albany in 1998-99 and started off his coaching career at Siena College as the quarterbacks coach in 1997. He is a member of the Section II Hall of Fame.
A native of Hudson Falls, N.Y., Ryan played defensive back and outside linebacker at Hamilton College, where he graduated and earned his degree in American studies in 1994. He also earned a master's degree in higher education administration from Albany. He and his wife, Jenni, have three daughters; Cecilia, Frances and Lillian.
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