Trevor Pryce chose the Jets because of Rex Ryan

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Veteran defensive end Trevor Pryce chose the New York Jets over the Baltimore Ravens for one big reason: swaggering Jets coach Rex Ryan.

Pryce was cut by the Ravens on Wednesday and was expected to rejoin the team Monday, but the possibility of playing for the Jets and reuniting with Ryan was intriguing to him.

"I'm humbled that Rex wanted me to play here," Pryce said during a press conference this afternoon. "When this opportunity pops up, you go, 'Ah, I don’t think I'm going back.' "

Pryce said he spoke with Ravens coach John Harbaugh about returning, but noted that the Ravens took a risk by releasing him.

"John was very cool about it," Pryce said. "He was as positive as he could be. It was a half-hour talk. He said I really didn't want to do it, but I need that spot until Monday. John was very candid that they were bringing me back Monday My agent knew that if Rex called, that is where I was going."

The four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher is due a $2 million salary from the Ravens as well as his new one-year deal with the Jets.

"If you stay around the NFL long enough," Pryce said. "Some other teams called. He's such a loyal guy to his guys. They were only casting me off for a week. It came out of nowhere. It you are vested, you get to pick and chose.

"I was brought here as a pass rusher. I don't think they were surprised. They took a calculated risk. I think they thought teams would call, but I don't think they thought things would happen so fast. Looking at their playbook, it was really, really similar to our playbook."

Pryce, 35, said he didn't expect to play much as a pass-rush specialist with the Ravens since Baltimore was having issues on first and second downs.

"We couldn't stop water from running," he said. "We had some stuff to work out."

Pryce said that Ryan was the major selling point for the Jets.

"He instills confidence in you that you don't have," Pryce said. "I got released from Denver, that whole thing went down, and he just thought I was more than I knew I was. And by doing that, you don't want to let somebody like that down."

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