ESPN analyst Rex Ryan arrested after allegedly striking 2 pedestrians with his truck, running over their feet

Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan turned himself in to Nashville police Wednesday morning, six days after an incident that has drawn national attention both for the charges and for the uncomfortable echo of a decade-old tabloid episode. According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Ryan was making a right turn from Fourth Avenue onto Broadway shortly before midnight on November 5 when his pickup truck struck two pedestrians who were crossing with a walk signal. The truck ran over both victims' feet and made contact with one person's leg, causing what police described as minor injuries.

Instead of remaining at the scene, Ryan continued driving but stopped at a red light at Broadway and Representative John Lewis Way. The pedestrians flagged him down, and Ryan allegedly got out of his truck to argue with them before getting back in and leaving. The victims photographed the license plate, which was registered to Ryan, and reported the incident. Police subsequently issued six misdemeanor warrants: two counts each of leaving the scene of an accident, failure to give information or render aid, and failure to obey a traffic control signal. Ryan's bond was set at $6,000, and jail records show he was released early Wednesday.

The case resurfaces a peculiar thread in Ryan's public history. In 2010, during his second season as Jets coach, a video surfaced showing his wife Michelle dangling her feet from a car window while Ryan appeared to encourage her not to put them up. The footage ignited a tabloid frenzy around an alleged foot fetish, which Ryan dismissed as a personal matter. In the years since, he has occasionally referenced the episode with self-deprecating jokes on ESPN, where he has worked as an NFL analyst since 2016. The Nashville incident — in which the specific injury cited by police is to the victims' feet — has inevitably revived that narrative, with the New York Post framing the arrest under a headline that explicitly links the two events.

ESPN issued a brief statement acknowledging awareness and saying the network is in touch with Ryan, but has not announced any change to his on-air role. Ryan, 63, most recently appeared on the Nashville-based podcast "Bussin' with the Boys" on November 1, which may explain his presence in the city. His coaching career spanned eight seasons with the Jets (2009-2014) and two with the Bills (2015-2016), compiling a 61-66 regular-season record and two AFC Championship Game appearances with New York. The legal process is in its early stages; Ryan has not publicly commented on the allegations, and it remains unclear whether he will enter a plea or contest the charges.