Jets fire John Idzik, Rex Ryan

— -- FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik were fired early Monday morning, the first casualties of the New York Jets' fourth straight year out of the playoffs.

Owner Woody Johnson made the decisive, if not surprising moves after his team stumbled to 4-12, its worst record since 2007. Johnson recently called it the most difficult of his 15 season as the head of the organization.

Johnson said in a statement that he made the changes after "extensive thought and reflection about the current state of our football team."

"Both Rex and John made significant contributions to the team, and they have my appreciation and gratitude for their efforts and commitment. Over the years, Rex brought the Jets a bold confidence and a couple of great postseason runs, which all of us will remember," Johnson said in a statement.

He confirmed that former general managers Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf, who he called "two Super Bowl winners with decades of valuable experience" will help him find a new GM and coach. Johnson hasn't hired a coach-GM tandem since 2001.

"We will consider all options to improve the Jets. Getting the Jets back on track is my top priority, and today's decisions are important steps towards achieving our goals," Johnson said.

Ryan's fate was sealed several weeks ago, as the Jets were mathematically eliminated before Thanksgiving. In recent days, he had been telling friends he expected to be fired.

"I'm not afraid of what lies ahead, I can tell you that," Ryan said Sunday after beating the Miami Dolphins.

Until recently, the decision to fire Idzik was less certain, if only because he was hired just two years ago. But when the Casserly news broke last week, it was a clear sign that Johnson wanted to take the franchise in a different direction.

Idzik came under heavy criticism for his conservative spending, his poor 2014 draft class and a rambling, mid-season news conference in which he seemed out of touch with the sorry state of the team. It prompted a group of disgruntled fans to raise money to purchase a "Fire Idzik" billboard near MetLife Stadium.

Ryan and Idzik -- paired by Johnson -- spent two seasons together, raising expectations after a surprising 8-8 finish in 2013. Ryan received a contract extension -- guaranteed money through 2015 -- but the 2014 season was undermined by poor quarterback play and a glaring lack of depth at cornerback.

The Jets lost eight straight at one point, resulting in what Ryan called an "awful" season.

Ryan finished with a 46-50 record in six seasons, the third-longest tenure among Jets' head coaches. He won more post-season games (four) than any Jets coach.

So ends one of the most entertaining eras in team history.

The outspoken Ryan, whose brash style and Super Bowl guarantees turned the New York Jets into a national fascination, was a media darling from Day 1.

In his first news conference, he predicted a celebratory visit to the White House, and he came close to delivering with back-to-back trips to the AFC Championship Game in his first two seasons. But he wasn't able to sustain the success, as the Jets went 26-38 over his final four seasons.

Ryan was brash to the bitter end, vowing last week, "One day, I'm going to win that thing" -- meaning the Lombardi Trophy.

His downfall was instability at the quarterback position. The defensive-minded Ryan started two rookies during his tenure, Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith, resulting in 109 interceptions -- the sixth-highest total over that span.

Ryan probably could've survived a non-playoff season if the Jets had been a .500 team, give or take a win, but they were doomed by a 1-8 start. Johnson has a strong affinity for Ryan, but he told confidantes the plunge to laughingstock status left him with no choice but to make a change.

Idzik was a curious hire by Johnson because he had only a limited background in scouting and personnel; his expertise was in cap management and contract negotiations.

His tenure was marked by controversial decisions, none bigger than trading star cornerback Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the 2013 season. The Jets received a first-round pick in the swap, which they used to select star defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.

Richardson was Idzik's best acquisition in two years, but he left the cornerback position barren for Ryan, whose defense is predicated on man-to-man coverage by the corners. Revis became available last offseason, but Idzik -- with prodding from Johnson -- showed no interest in a reunion, frustrating Ryan and his coaching staff.

Even the team's official website seemed to be piling on, posting a critical review last Friday of Idzik's personnel moves, pondering the question of whether he will be fired.

Idzik never got a chance to hire his own coach, as he was mandated to keep Ryan. But throughout his tenure, he always spoke of Ryan as "our" coach, saying they were a tandem.

"We're in it together," Idzik once said. And now they're out together.