I don't think anyone has questioned Ryan's ability to coach (well, to coach defenses) or motivate...guys probably like playing for him. You get the sense that he's really into it, like hugging and jumping around with his players after something good happens. Small things like that. It's always been his inability to avoid the circuses of his personal life, Sanchez, Tebow, etc. Plus his tendency to run his mouth...although that even stopped once the reality of the last few seasons sunk in up there.
If the Jets would start winning again you'd have no one making fun of his foot fetishes, his Sanchez tattoo, etc. It's all dumb shit that the media loves when the team is awful.