George Steinbrenner rehired Billy Martin. More than once. So why can’t Woody Johnson bring Rex Ryan back?

This is not a report that the Jets owner will hire the former Jets coach. No one knows at this point how Woody will restart his failed football operations. But some who know how Woody operates believe that given the current state of the team, he might decide to recapture a piece of the (almost) glory days, when Rex got the Jets within sniffing distance of a Super Bowl . .

It’s not all crazy spitballs. First of all, who else would take over the job? No one with options will choose to work for Woody. For Rex, who has been there and done that and might want to go there and do that again, there is no one else clamoring to hire him as head coach. It fits perfectly.

Second, Rex did well for the Jets. Much better than its successors. None of the coaches hired since Rex was fired have even made the playoffs.

Let’s see how it turns out. But there is one way to play this out, with Rex reviving his coaching career by returning to New York and taking the reins of the Jets all over again.

It might not be a success, but it would certainly be interesting.