What do you think?
Rate this book
Play Like You Mean It: Passion, Laughs, and Leadership in the World's Most Beautiful Game
No football fan will want to be without the book that delivers pure, unfiltered Rex Ryan—head coach of the New York Jets and one of the most popular, outspoken, well-liked, and widely respected personalities in the National Football League.
Rex Ryan is known for his exuberance . . . and Play Like You Mean It explores every aspect of Ryan’s amazing passion for the game of football, plus the lessons he has learned in leadership and motivation during his years in and around the game. In his own words, Ryan takes readers behind the scenes of the NFL as he shares colorful football stories from his experiences with the Jets and the Ravens as well as his years recruiting players, coaching college football, and growing up as a child of legendary NFL coach Buddy Ryan. Rex’s unique brand of enthusiasm and motivation comes through on every page.
Most of all, fans will get insider access to Ryan’s headline-grabbing, brutally honest, and undeniably entertaining views on the NFL . . . and the very human side of the larger-than-life athletes who devote their lives to the game of football. From Ryan’s acceptance of the Jets head coaching job to his success in turning around a team that has long been number two in New York, from his drafting and believing in Mark Sanchez to kicking off the 2010 season with massive expectations (and a target on his back)—this book goes deep, and entertains on every level.
Rex Ryan is known for his exuberance . . . and Play Like You Mean It explores every aspect of Ryan’s amazing passion for the game of football, plus the lessons he has learned in leadership and motivation during his years in and around the game. In his own words, Ryan takes readers behind the scenes of the NFL as he shares colorful football stories from his experiences with the Jets and the Ravens as well as his years recruiting players, coaching college football, and growing up as a child of legendary NFL coach Buddy Ryan. Rex’s unique brand of enthusiasm and motivation comes through on every page.
Most of all, fans will get insider access to Ryan’s headline-grabbing, brutally honest, and undeniably entertaining views on the NFL . . . and the very human side of the larger-than-life athletes who devote their lives to the game of football. From Ryan’s acceptance of the Jets head coaching job to his success in turning around a team that has long been number two in New York, from his drafting and believing in Mark Sanchez to kicking off the 2010 season with massive expectations (and a target on his back)—this book goes deep, and entertains on every level.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
27 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 1, 2011
My five-star review is not based on the literary merit of this book. The writing is basic and the degree of in-depth analysis you'll find between the covers is rather elementary. None of this took away from my enjoyment of Play Like You Mean It. I happen to be a die-hard NY Jets fans so I am the primary audience. But fans of football in general, sports in general, and the motivational process required by a coach in the NFL and beyond will also find this to be a valuable read. If you enjoyed the HBO program Hard Knocks that featured the Jets leading up to their 2010 season, don't walk but run to get a copy of this book. You'll fly through it so quickly you may decide to immediately read it a second time just for the heck of it. Even if you are not a Jets fan I'd think anyone that has heard interviews with or even just brief soundbites from Rex Ryan will find him to be an intriguing figure. Everybody want to have a boss like him, someone who shows such relentless confidence in your abilities that you can't help but fall for his spell and perform at optimum level. His cockiness is contagious because it's built on genuine belief that he has an eye for talent and the ability to get the absolute best out of those who buy into his program. His positive energy would infect anyone but the most cynical of people, and extreme cynics are not the type you want around anyway no matter how talented they may be. Read this book if you're a Jets fan. If you aren't, there's a pretty good chance you will be by the time you reach the last page. Rex makes it quite easy to root for him even if you start off otherwise inclined.
January 24, 2013
Play Like You Mean It: Passion, Laughs, and Leadership in the World's Most Beautiful Gme
To Rex Ryan, the head coach of the New York Jets football team, winning is everything. He’s been the coach of the Jets since 2009 and his team has made it to the AFC championship two years in a row. A lot has happened for coach Rex in the past couple of years. He went from a New York hero by getting the Jets to the AFC championship two years in a row, to a disappointment for not backing up his guarantees of winning the Super Bowl those two years they lost to the Indianapolis Colt and then the Pittsburg Steelers the next year, both loses being one game away from every football lover’s dream of playing in, the Super Bowl.
If you follow sports media you know that Coach Rex is on 24/7. You see his face everywhere, whether it’s good or bad. This autobiography with the help of Don Yaeger, explains all Rex’s ups and downs from the Darrelle Revis situation, Rex’s foot fetish video, losing back to back AFC championship games, to beating the Patriots, celebrations, great games, and making the playoffs. Each chapter covers a big event in the history of Rex and/or the Jets. He can go from talking about his learning from his dad Buddy to his plans for his defense and Mark Sanchez. One of the best qualities about the book is that Rex doesn’t sugar-coat anything for the reader, he talks in the book like he was saying to your face and he mentions in the book that he “doesn’t give a damn”, but the book is ten times better written like that.
The purpose of Rex Ryan writing this book was to air everything out; to explain to everyone interested the things that went on and currently go on in his mind. The book is made for Jet fans, period. It was interesting for me the whole way through reading it because I eat, sleep, and watch the Jets play football. I was learning about one of my heroes and my favorite team in the history of sports. This book answered my questions about the 2009 and 2010 seasons for the Jets and gave me hope for 2011 and the years to come with Rex Ryan leading this team to its second Super Bowl victory. This book isn’t for people that aren’t: 1. Interested in football, 2. Interested in the Jets, or 3. Interested in Rex Ryan because there inst a page in this book that doesn’t talk about these three topics.
I love this book because it is meant for readers like me, who like to read about topics we love and only that. There wasn’t a single boring chapter in this book. Rex doesn’t care about how people feel about him after the book; he cares about defending his players and Jets organizations. When talking about how Hard Knocks, the TV series on the Jets, bad mouthed people he stood up for Antonio Cromartie saying, “I was unhappy they even asked him what the names of his kids are. I was unhappy they even asked him that question and brought his personal situation into the show.” By the end of the book I had so much more respect for Rex Ryan than ever before and I suggest Jets fans all around the world read this inspiring story of failure, success, and hope.
To Rex Ryan, the head coach of the New York Jets football team, winning is everything. He’s been the coach of the Jets since 2009 and his team has made it to the AFC championship two years in a row. A lot has happened for coach Rex in the past couple of years. He went from a New York hero by getting the Jets to the AFC championship two years in a row, to a disappointment for not backing up his guarantees of winning the Super Bowl those two years they lost to the Indianapolis Colt and then the Pittsburg Steelers the next year, both loses being one game away from every football lover’s dream of playing in, the Super Bowl.
If you follow sports media you know that Coach Rex is on 24/7. You see his face everywhere, whether it’s good or bad. This autobiography with the help of Don Yaeger, explains all Rex’s ups and downs from the Darrelle Revis situation, Rex’s foot fetish video, losing back to back AFC championship games, to beating the Patriots, celebrations, great games, and making the playoffs. Each chapter covers a big event in the history of Rex and/or the Jets. He can go from talking about his learning from his dad Buddy to his plans for his defense and Mark Sanchez. One of the best qualities about the book is that Rex doesn’t sugar-coat anything for the reader, he talks in the book like he was saying to your face and he mentions in the book that he “doesn’t give a damn”, but the book is ten times better written like that.
The purpose of Rex Ryan writing this book was to air everything out; to explain to everyone interested the things that went on and currently go on in his mind. The book is made for Jet fans, period. It was interesting for me the whole way through reading it because I eat, sleep, and watch the Jets play football. I was learning about one of my heroes and my favorite team in the history of sports. This book answered my questions about the 2009 and 2010 seasons for the Jets and gave me hope for 2011 and the years to come with Rex Ryan leading this team to its second Super Bowl victory. This book isn’t for people that aren’t: 1. Interested in football, 2. Interested in the Jets, or 3. Interested in Rex Ryan because there inst a page in this book that doesn’t talk about these three topics.
I love this book because it is meant for readers like me, who like to read about topics we love and only that. There wasn’t a single boring chapter in this book. Rex doesn’t care about how people feel about him after the book; he cares about defending his players and Jets organizations. When talking about how Hard Knocks, the TV series on the Jets, bad mouthed people he stood up for Antonio Cromartie saying, “I was unhappy they even asked him what the names of his kids are. I was unhappy they even asked him that question and brought his personal situation into the show.” By the end of the book I had so much more respect for Rex Ryan than ever before and I suggest Jets fans all around the world read this inspiring story of failure, success, and hope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2011
I've been a Jets fan for all of my life and I can't be more excited about the energy and success Rex Ryan has brought to my team. To support the man I thought I would give his book a read and, while not a gem of literature, is an entertaining read for any fan of the green and white.
Ryan talks about his background and his overall philosophies for the game of football. He's an honest guy and while he doesn't cover everything(his foot video, the Revis holdout, locker room turmoil,etc.) he gives an insight into the last two seasons and offers a few nice nuggets of things that were going on behind the scenes. This definitely isn't a tell all though, given he's still with the team.
Like I said earlier, this isn't a well written or profound life-altering memoir, but it certainly gives more insight into the man they call Rex and definitely a nice summer read for fans trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel through this lockout.
Ryan talks about his background and his overall philosophies for the game of football. He's an honest guy and while he doesn't cover everything(his foot video, the Revis holdout, locker room turmoil,etc.) he gives an insight into the last two seasons and offers a few nice nuggets of things that were going on behind the scenes. This definitely isn't a tell all though, given he's still with the team.
Like I said earlier, this isn't a well written or profound life-altering memoir, but it certainly gives more insight into the man they call Rex and definitely a nice summer read for fans trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel through this lockout.
December 4, 2015
Ha! A good read to gain some football knowledge (like what a Cover 1 or Cover 0 is). But I really can't wait to read the squel to this book where Rex has to explain why every single prediction he makes in this book (on Sanchez, Revis, the Jets winning the Superbowl, his coaching tenure, etc.) is totally and utterly WRONG. Also, a word of advice on listening to your twin brother Rob: He is an absolutely TERRIBLE Defensive coordinator. His defenses have ranked in the BOTTOM third of the league since forever. Good luck in Buffalo!
May 28, 2011
I've always enjoyed Rex Ryan. He cracks me up and his bravado seems tempered somewhat. In this book, he makes it understandable just why he is so completely confident. It gives insight into his upbringing, family life, beliefs about the game of football, himself, and those around him. It's actually quite inspirational. I'm not a Jets fan, but I will certainly watch them, and their coach with great interest this year.
December 8, 2011
Definitely worth reading if you are a fan of the NFL. Obviously Jets fans would love it just as they did the HBO series Hard knocks which is referenced is the book a good amount and actually gives some background/does justice for a lot that happened in the show. Rex Ryan is the man and now every time I see the Jets I have a much better knowledge of their organization, and Rex's attitude which leads by example.
July 26, 2016
I quite liked this book. I am a Jets fan so it was nice to get some insights of how Rex Ryan is with the team and some of the characteristics of the players. I like background information, there lots of that as well. I liked getting information that I can share a about the game of football the Jets team. I recommend this book highly to Jets fans or football fans. Because there are great insights of the game....
September 29, 2014
This book was so much fun! Mind, I'm about the center of the target audience: football fan, Jets fan, New Yorker. Part memoir of his history with football (rooted in his dad's coaching years), part discussion of his outlook on life, coaching, etc. This was a fun, easy read. The more I read, the more I liked Rex!
September 2, 2011
Eh..really repetitive and redundant, plus they censor the word fuck...really?! That's how you know Rex Ryan didn't write it. Just a ghostwriter who saw a marketable opportunity to progress his career by cranking out a 275 page about pretty much three seasons. Brutal
Read
May 17, 2011Zero stars. Piece of crap. Read one chapter, that was more than enough.
August 22, 2011
I really would've preferred to read more about Rex's personal life than detailed accounts of his coaching career and individual games.
September 17, 2011
270 pages of Rex, gotta love it.
September 20, 2011
Excellent inside view of an NFL Coach
July 10, 2012
Not exactly a football text but great insight to the man's passion and how it can be used in anyone's life. Passion and purpose win the day everyday!
July 1, 2024
This book didn’t age well… unless I blinked and missed the Jets winning the Superbowl. But, there are still some interesting stories and you gotta hand it to him…. he has unwavering faith in his players and his team.
July 21, 2021
Very dated at this point but still an interesting read into the mind of an NFL coach.
January 28, 2022
I enjoyed it simply because it was about football and non-fiction... definitely not a MUST read but good for football fans.
July 27, 2013
Best line. There are two types of coaches wife's. Great Ones and X ones.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews