PHILADELPHIA -- Pat Ryan, who has not played professional football since he was cut in training camp by the Cleveland Browns in 1990, was signed Tuesday by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ryan, who will turn 36 later this month and who played for the New York Jets for 11 seasons, will serve as a backup to Jim McMahon, said Eagles Coach Rich Kotite, a former Jets' assistant coach.
McMahon became the Eagles' No. 1 quarterback Sunday when Randall Cunningham was lost for the season with a pair of torn ligaments in his left knee.
With only rookie Brad Goebel available to play behind McMahon, the Eagles began the search for an experienced player and brought in former NFL quarterbacks Ryan, Scott Campbell, Turk Schonert and David Archer for workouts.
'His workout was the key thing,' Kotite said. 'We knew he hadn't thrown since training camp last year but we wanted to take the guy who threw the best and he was the one.'
Ryan's familiarity with Kotite's offensive scheme was also a factor, since he will be able to pick up the system more easily.
'He's had extensive experience with the system,' Kotite said. 'He's a veteran and when he was asked to go in the game, he won some big games with the Jets.'
Ryan, who completed 354 of 631 passes for 4,222 yards and 31 touchdowns, along with 31 interceptions, in his tenure with the Jets, said he had thought his career was over.
'I had put in my retirement papers, in fact, and I was waiting for my first severance check,' said Ryan, who has been working as a building contractor in Knoxville, Tenn.
'I was on the golf course on Sunday and somebody told me Randall had hurt his knee. It floated through my mind that it might be an opportunity, but I figured they'd pick up somebody who had been playing.
'But they gave me a call, I came in and I thought I threw the ball well.'
Ryan said he spent most of last season waiting for a telephone call that never came.
'You never hope for anyone to get hurt but in the NFL, people go down,' he said. 'But I never got the call last year and I thought it was all over with. I didn't pursue going to any training camps this year because I didn't think anybody was interested in me. But things change.'
Ryan said he has worked out regularly but the fact remains that he has not played football in more than a year.
'There will be some catching-up to do but I'll be fine,' he said. 'I was in (Kotite's system) for nine years and I knew it well. I think I can pick it up again.'
Considering McMahon has a history of injury problems, Ryan might have to play soon.
'I assume I can play next week if I have to,' he said. 'I can't tell you how well but I'll be prepared to play mentally. It may take me a little while to be 100 percent physically but I'll be ready to play this weekend.'
Ryan will practice with the Eagles for the first time on Wednesday.
To make room for Ryan on the roster, the Eagles placed Cunningham on the injured reserve list.
The team also signed defensive lineman Mike Flores, who was released last week, to a two-year contract and placed offensive lineman Mike Schad on the injured reserve list because of a bad back.
