Just over a year ago as the Saints were playing their third exhibition game, then-defensive coordinator Rob Ryan became a target in an alleged armed robbery plot.
The New Orleans Advocate reported Tuesday the plan might have come to fruition if not for an errant voicemail received by a federal worker in New Orleans. In the voicemail, the caller appeared to go over plans to attack and rob Ryan.
“He don’t got no security,” said the caller, in a male voice, according to a court document obtained by the Advocate. “He’s just a regular football coach. ... He ain’t ... big ... like (rapper) Lil Wayne or nobody ... that got bodyguards everywhere.
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"He just a ... football coach. ... Defensive coordinator of the Saints. He don't have no bodyguards ... in front his house."
The 2-minute, 16-second voicemail, left Aug. 30, 2015, led police to alert the coach of the possible threat and set up patrol cars outside Ryan's house.
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The Advocate reported authorities eventually linked two men — Jockquaren "Jock" Van Norman and Larry "Alz" Quinn" — to the plot, which was part of a broader string of high-end armed robberies in 2015. A grand jury indicted the two men and six others, but not on charges related to Ryan.
Ryan is now coaching in Buffalo with his twin brother, Bills coach Rex Ryan. The Saints fired Rob Ryan last Nov. 16 after the defense allowed 47 points in a loss to the Redskins. New Orleans was giving up 31.5 points per game at the time of Ryan's dismissal.