FLORHAM PARK, NJ – After months of intense speculation and fan turmoil, the New York Jets finally ended the Adam Gase era by firing the coach on Sunday night after just two seasons.
Christopher Johnson, Jets CEO, who called Gase a “brilliant attacking spirit” at the start of the season, made the announcement after the Jets finished 2-14.
“While it is my sincere intention to have stability in our organization – especially in our leadership positions – it is clear that the best decision for the Jets is to move in a different direction,” Johnson said in a statement. “We knew there was a lot of work to be done when Adam joined us in 2019. Our strong finish last year was encouraging, but unfortunately we didn’t sustain that positive momentum or see the progress we all expected this season.
“It is clear to our fans that we have not been good enough. We are committed to building a strong organization both on the field and off it and will continue to provide the necessary resources to support a team. what you can be proud of. “
Gase, whose contract runs through 2022, was 9-23, including a franchise-record of 13 games losing streak to start 2020. This is one of the lows for the franchise, which has gone five seasons in a row without a winning record and 10 straight without a playoff appearance.
That Gase survived the season was a surprise given the Jets’ disastrous start. The Johnson family, who have owned the franchise since 2000, never fired a coach during the season.
Gase said last week that he had not discussed his future with Jets ownership. Asked if he had a gut feeling about his fate, he said, “Nothing I worry about.”
Ironically, Gase can be remembered as the coach who won those two games too many. Through 13 games, the Jets had the worst record and were in position to take the # 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft and a chance to pick Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Record aside, Gase failed to build a competitive offense and take quarterback Sam Darnold’s play to the next level – the main reason he was hired in 2019. lowest-ranked quarterback in the NFL.
“It pisses me off,” Gase said of the offensive battle last week. “If there’s one side of the ball I want to make sure it’s right, it’s that one. It didn’t happen, and that’s up to me.”
The dysfunction peaked on December 7, when Gase fired defensive coordinator Gregg Williams after the defense allowed a long touchdown pass in a final second loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Gase’s tenure was also marked by personality conflicts with the declining Le’Veon Bell and security Jamal Adams, both of whom were jettisoned, and a lack of competitiveness on the field. Fifteen of his 23 losses were double digits. The Jets have topped the Jets by 214 points this season, one of the worst-scoring margins in franchise history.
Hailed as an offensive innovator and quarterback guru, Gase led an offense that came in 32nd place in 24 of the 34 regular weeks of the season as of the start of 2019. In October, Gase relinquished playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, but he secretly returned to an active role as the weeks passed.
Gase sparked controversy from day one. At his introductory press conference in January 2019, his wandering eyes sparked viral memes. A few months later, he won a power struggle with general manager Mike Maccagnan, who was instrumental in Gase’s hiring. In a surprise move, Maccagnan was fired after the 2019 NFL draft, leading the Jets to hire Gase’s favorite pick, Joe Douglas.