Former Ravens DC Rex Ryan to compete on 'The Amazing Race'

BALTIMORE -- Rex Ryan, a defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens for four seasons and member of the organization for 10 years, is set to compete in the upcoming season of "The Amazing Race," CBS announced.

Ryan, who now serves as an analyst for ESPN, will be paired Tim Mann, a 40-year-old probation officer from Tennessee, to compete against 11 other teams in the around-the-world race for $1 million. The duo, appropriately competing as Team T-Rex, are golf buddies.

"Where our story kind of started was his love for the Buffalo Bills, and the fact that I failed miserably as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills," Ryan joked in a promo video. For the record, the team was 15-16 in his two seasons there, 2015 and 2016.

Mann said Ryan was there for him when his mother was diagnosed with ALS.

"We just became good friends after that, almost like a brother," he said.

Prior to the Bills, Ryan was a head coach with the New York Jets for six seasons, from 2009 to 2014, taking the team to the AFC Championship Game in 2010.

As a member of the Ravens, Ryan served as defensive line coach from 1999 to 2004 and was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2005. In 2006, the Ravens had the No. 1 ranked defense en route to a 13-3 record.

Ryan was one of the only assistants to make the transition from head coach Brian Billick to John Harbaugh in 2008. In addition to coordinator duties, Ryan was named an assistant head coach. Under a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco, the Ravens won 11 games and reached the AFC Championship, where they lost to the hated Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ryan's defense was third-best in the league in points allowed and second-best in yards allowed.

The 34th edition of "The Amazing Race" begins in Munich, Germany and is set to debut Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10 p.m. Episodes will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.