Rampant injuries apparently weren't sufficient excuse to save Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's job. (US Presswire)

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones promised back on Jan. 2 that Dallas would be making some organizational changes and on Tuesday the Cowboys made a big one when they fired second-year defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. 

"I can assure you guys -- I can assure our fans -- it's going to be very uncomfortable for the next few weeks and months at Valley Ranch," Jones said in a recent radio interview. 

In two seasons as the Cowboys DC, Ryan put together defenses that ranked 14th (2011) and 19th (2012) in the league. Prior to his two-year stint in Dallas, Ryan was a defensive coordinator with both the Browns (2009-10) and the Raiders (2004-08). 

Ryan's status with the team had been tenuous since the Cowboys season ended after their 28-18 season-ending loss to Washington on Dec. 30. In that game, Redskins rookie RB Alfred Morris ran for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns. A win would have sent the Cowboys to the playoffs. 

It wasn't an easy season to be the Cowboys defensive coordinator. Ryan had to work with an injury depleted unit and coach Jason Garrett even acknowledged that in his season-ending press conference on Dec. 31.

"If you think about the number of guys we lost on defense -- starting, marquee players who are just simply out -- and the other guys who are battling through injuries and the challenges he had bringing guys from the practice squad up from off the street and on our team and literally playing them two days later. ... I thought he did a really good job managing the situation," Garrett said at the time. "He never blinked."

Ryan, who was fired by Garrett while vacationing in Turks and Caicos, isn't holding a grudge against the team. "I have no sour grapes, I know I did a hell of a job," he told the Dallas Morning News. 

Unforuntately for Rob, he may have been fired just a few hours too late to join his brother Rex in New York. Earlier on Tuesday, the New York Daily News reported the Jets DB coach Dennis Thurman would be promoted to defensive coordinator. 

Even if Ryan doesn't end up with the Jets, he doesn't expect to be out of work long. "I'll be out of work for like five minutes," Ryan told ESPNDallas.com. 

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