Bills fire head coach Rex Ryan

The Buffalo Bills have parted ways with head coach Rex Ryan.

The news came Tuesday with the Bills sitting on a 7-8 record ahead of a season finale against the New York Jets. Buffalo announced Anthony Lynn would serve as interim head coach on Twitter:

Rex Ryan has been relieved of his duties as head coach. Anthony Lynn will serve as interim head coach. pic.twitter.com/8Vf0fxqwcl

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 27, 2016

This was a rumored move for weeks as the Bills struggled to keep pace in the AFC East. Buffalo started the season 4-2 but quickly fizzled, losing three of its last four when the schedule toughened. The team went from beating teams such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and a Tom Brady-less New England team to taking losses against Oakland, Pittsburgh and Miami, the latter an overtime affair in Week 16 that served as the final straw.

Ryan himself might have viewed that game as his last chance, per Josh Reed of WIVB:

I'm told that after this loss #Bills HC Rex Ryan believes he will be fired. Went into the game thinking this was "the game" to save his job.

— Josh Reed (@4JoshReed) December 25, 2016

Twitter reacted to the news in various ways:

And so Rex Ryan does not get to coach his final game Sunday in Metlife stadium against the Jets.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 27, 2016

Rams gonna hire Rex Ryan now.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) December 27, 2016

The #Bills gave #RexRyan the #JeffFisher treatment lol.

— RJ Davis (@RDDavisJr) December 27, 2016

Ryan joined the Bills in 2015 and ran up an 8-8 record, a strong improvement on the team’s 4-12 record the year prior. After a lack of improvement, though, the former New York Jets coach is on the outs.

Buffalo will look to reshape its image this offseason, perhaps starting at the quarterback position after a so-so year by Tyrod Taylor. Ryan will have plenty of opportunities as a coordinator, though his chances at another spot as head coach seem up in the air at best.

Ryan finishes with a 15-16 record in Buffalo and is 61-66 overall.