The former second round pick of the Jets in 1989, Byrd died tragically in a traffic accident near his home in Oklahoma. What makes his story memorable is the long struggle Byrd went through to walk again, after suffering a catastrophic injury while playing for the Jets.
And even though Byrd was long gone from the Jets roster by the time Ryan took over as head coach in 2009, the two crossed paths.
Dennis Byrd is remembered for his courage and perseverance in learning to walk again after breaking his neck slamming head-first into a teammate during a late November game in 1992.