Rex Ryan Is 'Not Going To Put A Muzzle' On LeSean McCoy Following Comments

By Ray Boyd

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- LeSean McCoy has certainly not been quiet this off-season about his feelings regarding his trade to the Bills. On Tuesday, quotes surfaced from McCoy made to ESPN that referenced his perception that Chip Kelly appears apt to letting talented black players go from his program.

"I feel like I always respected him [Kelly] as a coach. I think that's the way he runs his team. He wants the full control. You see how fast he got rid of all the good players. Especially all the good black players. He got rid of them the fastest. That's the truth. There's a reason. … It's hard to explain with him. But there's a reason he got rid of all the black players — the good ones — like that."

McCoy's new head coach, Rex Ryan, addressed media Tuesday in Buffalo to talk about the Bills' off-season and their additions in the draft. Ryan was also asked about the comments McCoy made about his former coach and the perceived level of resentment between the two.

RELATED: Ike Reese shares his thoughts on LeSean McCoy's statements about Chip Kelly

"I just think anything that's brought up that way, with a guy, a player and his past with a different team or something like that, is better addressed with him and not me," Ryan said.

While he stopped short of giving an assessment of the McCoy-Kelly relationship, Ryan did go on to explain that there are a lot of different feelings that a player might have when they abruptly leave a team.

"Sometimes guys leave and they're on, they feel great about it. Some guys leave and they're happy to leave. Some guys are disappointed to leave so again I can't even begin to tell you what happened there."

Ryan also made it clear that he will not stop any of his players from making comments that might create headlines and become a distraction.

"I'm not going to put a muzzle on any of our players," Ryan explained. "We're not saying here's the stance of our football team. We're not always going to be lined up," Ryan said of the opinions of all the different members of his team.

"I think it's better for our fans, just like you guys reporting, this goes to our fans so I'd rather be honest. We're not going to be 100% lined up in this organization.

"I rather just be ourselves. I think the players are more comfortable doing that. I know I'm more comfortable doing that."

If McCoy has more feelings to express regarding his past, Ryan has made it clear that he is free to openly express those feelings in his locker room.

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• Rex Ryan
• NFL
• Chip Kelly