Ravens safety Ed Reed was a guest with Ed Werder’s on ESPN to promote his annual football camp in Louisiana and he shared some interesting insight on Baltimore’s relationship with Rex Ryan.

According to the quotes from Matt Vensel at the Sun, Reed told Werder that the players didn’t want Rex to leave and were hoping he would be the coach after Brian Billick was fired.

“[Ryan was] like a dad, like a brother, man,” Reed told Werder. “We wanted Rex as the head coach in Baltimore. We did not want him to leave. It hurt when he left. We knew he was a great coach. There was a reason why that defense was the way it was. I would play anywhere with Rex — in a dark alley, on the street, in high school football, sandlot, anywhere — because he makes it fun. He loves this game. He truly loves this game and there’s a reason why those guys in New York back him the way they do.”

Rex certainly has seen success, the Ravens went to the AFC championship in 2008, his last year as defensive coordinator, and he’s taken the Jets to the AFC championship in both of his first two seasons.