Miami coach interviewed with Harbaugh in 2015

Gase landed with Bears instead; Dumervil says his ‘body is on track’

For a brief time in January 2015, Adam Gase was looking for a job. The Denver Broncos had just hired Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak to replace head coach John Fox, which meant Gase, who had been the offensive coordinator on Fox’s staff, was a free agent.

But Gase had already drawn interest from teams. He was a finalist for the San Francisco 49ers’ head coaching vacancy that went to Jim Tomsula and was being courted by the Jacksonville Jaguars to become the offensive coordinator.

On the night of Jan. 19, Gase flew to Baltimore to interview with Ravens coach John Harbaugh about the team’s offensive coordinator position. It was an opportunity Gase still appreciates as he prepares his team to play the Ravens on Sunday.

“It was a great experience for me,” Gase, 39, now the Miami Dolphins’ coach, said Wednesday during a conference call with Baltimore-area reporters. “I really enjoyed being able to talk to Coach Harbaugh. It was a late night, I know that. I really appreciate the fact that he didn’t have to squeeze me in when he did.

“So the fact that he did that to at least give me an opportunity to come interview there, that was something I’ll always be appreciative of.”

The Ravens hired former Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman to head the offense, and Gase eventually joined Fox, who was hired as coach by the Bears. On Jan. 9, he succeeded Dan Campbell as coach of the Dolphins.

Harbaugh told Miami reporters that he enjoyed his time with Gase.

“He came in, and I just feel like we hit it off,” Harbaugh said. “We had a great time talking football philosophy. … It would have been great to be able

Tonight’s staff picks

COWBOYS@VIKINGS Jen Badie: Cowboys Edward Lee: Vikings Mike Preston: Cowboys Peter Schmuck: Cowboys Mark Selig: Cowboys Childs Walker: Cowboys Jeff Zrebiec: Cowboys to bring him here, but I think we knew at the time that he was destined to be a head coach very soon.” No setback for Dumervil: Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil fully expected some aches and pains after playing in his first game in almost two months, the Ravens’ 19-14 win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

But his ability to practice Wednesday spoke volumes about the strength in his surgically repaired foot.

“I was able to practice today, so that’s a good start,” he said after practice. “For the most part, my body is on track.”

In his first game since Oct. 9, Dumervil recovered a fumble in the second quarter, and then sacked and stripped Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton in the fourth to seal the victory. Full practice for J. Smith: Two days after Harbaugh said Jimmy Smith was “close” to returning, the cornerback practiced fully in Wednesday’s session, making his first appearance since Nov. 18.

Smith has sat out the team’s past two games with a back injury that prevented him from practicing at all last week. Over those two missed games, the defense has surrendered four passing touchdowns and a .726 completion percentage without making an interception.

Guards Marshal Yanda (left shoulder) and rookie Alex Lewis (high right ankle sprain), wide receiver Kamar Aiken (thigh), tight end Crockett Gillmore (pulled hamstring) and running back Lorenzo Taliaferro (thigh) did not practice. Harbaugh said Yanda was given the day off.

The team got a scare when wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. limped away from a one-on-one exercise after colliding with cornerback Shareece Wright. But after a minute of talking with a trainer, Smith stood up on his own. End zone: Tight end Dennis Pitta has yet to catch a touchdown pass in 11 games, marking his longest drought to begin a season. Quarterback Joe Flacco acknowledged that Pitta’s scoreless streak has been on his mind, but also said he won’t force anything. “There is only so much I can do and he can do,” Flacco said. … After practice, the Ravens and Dumervil announced that the franchise had made a $50,000 donation to New Story Charity to build homes in Haiti destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in October. Team owner Steve Bisciotti matched the donation with $50,000 of his own. Dumervil, whose parents are from Haiti, was touched by the outreach. “Back in Haiti, after seeing what happened with the hurricane, I have no words for it,” Dumervil said. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something like this.” … After becoming the first kicker in NFL history to make three field goals of 50-plus yards in the first half of a game and just the ninth kicker since 1960 to kick three field goals of 50-plus yards in a single game, Justin Tucker was named Wednesday morning as the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. … Miami practiced without three starters: wide receiver DeVante Parker (back), center Mike Pouncey (hip) and outside linebacker Jelani Jenkins (knee, hand).