Buddy Ryan took a back seat to no one. Neither did his fierce defenses that won two Super Bowls.

The pugnacious coach and defensive mastermind whose twin sons have been successful NFL coaches, died Tuesday. He was 85.

His death was confirmed by the Buffalo Bills, where Rex Ryan is the head coach and Rob Ryan an assistant. James Solano, Buddy Ryan’s agent, said he died in Kentucky but did not give a cause. Ryan lived on a ranch in Shelbyville.

“He was many things to many people —outstanding coach, mentor, fierce competitor, father figure, faithful friend and the list goes on,” Rex Ryan said in a statement. “But to me and my brothers Rob and Jim, he was so much more. He was everything you want in a dad —tough when he had to be, compassionate when you didn’t necessarily expect it, and a loving teacher and confidant who cherished his family. He truly was our hero.”

Ryan was a defensive line and linebackers coach for the 1968 champion New York Jets and coordinated the ground-breaking 46 defense for the title-winning 1985 Chicago Bears, one of the NFL’s greatest defenses. He was a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1986-90 and for the Arizona Cardinals in 1994-95, compiling a 55-55-1 overall record.

“Buddy Ryan was arguably one of the greatest defensive masterminds in NFL history and forever left his mark on the Eagles organization and the city of Philadelphia,” Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie said.

A few years ago, Ryan attended a Cowboys-Jets game, traveling to New Jersey despite cancer to see then-Jets head coach Rex go against then-Dallas defensive coordinator Rob.

“Buddy Ryan was the architect of the greatest defense our league has seen,” Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said. “He was brilliant when it came to the X’s and O’s of the game, but what made him special was his ability to create an unwavering confidence in the players he coached.”

Rams coach Jeff Fisher played for and got his coaching start under Ryan.

“His knowledge, passion for football and the love he had for his players and coaches are traits that have shaped and influenced so many careers, including my own,” Fisher said