Former Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was the potential target of an armed robbery plot last year in New Orleans that was foiled when a suspect mistakenly left a voicemail mentioning Ryan on the cellphone of a federal worker in the city, The New Orleans Advocate reported Tuesday.
The voicemail, which was left Aug. 30, 2015, led police to station a patrol car outside Ryan's house in the city and alert the coach to the possible threat.
Authorities eventually linked two men -- Jockquaren "Jock" Van Norman and Larry "Alz" Quinn -- to the plot, which was part of a broader string of armed robberies in New Orleans last year. A grand jury indicted the two men and six others on armed robbery, attempted murder and other charges stemming from separate incidents, although the grand jury declined to indict the men on conspiracy charges relating to Ryan.
The newspaper reported, citing court documents, that a U.S. Office of Personnel Management worker was the mistaken recipient of the voicemail, which identified Ryan as a potential target in the robbery scheme.
"[Ryan] ain't like [rapper] Lil Wayne," the voice said in the message. "He just a ... football coach. ... Defensive coordinator of the Saints. He don't have no bodyguards ... in front his house."
Ryan was fired by the Saints last November and was hired in January by his twin brother, Bills coach Rex Ryan, to be the assistant head coach/defense in Buffalo.