JETS OPEN FIRING SEASON; GASE IS GONE
The New York Jets fired coach Adam Gase, ending a frustrating and disappointing tenure after just two loss-f illed seasons.
Hired by the Jets in January 2019, Gase went 9-23 with New York, including an 0-13 star t that was the worst in franchise history — overshadowing even the 1996 squad that went 0-8 on the way to a 1-15 finish, and is generally recognized as the team’s worst.
The move was announced by the team a few hours after New York lost 28-14 at New England on Sunday to end the season 214 — the second-worst record in franchise history.
“While my sincere intentions are to have stability in our organization — especially in our leadership positions — it is clear the best decision for the Jets is to move in a different direction,” Jets chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson said in a statement issued by the team.
The 42-year-old Gase came to New York with high hopes in the organization that he would be the perfect f it to help quarterback Sam Darnold take the next step i n his development and boost the Jets’ offense.
Instead, none of that materialized.
Darnold regressed in his third season before being sidelined twice because of an injured right shoulder, while the offense — ravaged by injuries early — was mostly inept. The Jets struggled until late in the
season to put a consistently competitive offense on the field. Gase even handed off offensive play-calling duties to coordinator Dowell Loggains for a stretch to try to spark things.
Gase shouldered the blame for not helping Darnold enough to develop, and also acknowledged he felt as though he let down the Jets and Johnson.
The Jets will also be facing some key questions: Is
Darnold the quarterback of the future, and will they exercise his f if th-year contract option wor th about $25 million fully g uaranteed? If they keep Darnold, will the new coach be able to tap into his potential in a way Gase simply could not? Or, will GM Joe Douglas and the Jets decide to move on?
Gase wasn’t a popular pick among fans after the Jets f ired Todd Bowles following the 2018 season.
Injury report
At Tampa Bay, star receiver Mike Evans was car ted to the locker room with a left knee injury late in the f irst quar ter and did not return to the Buccaneers’ victory against Atlanta.
Evans was injured one play after a 20-yard reception made him the f irst player in NFL history to begin a career with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. The 6-foot-5, 231
pound receiver was helped to his feet and tried to walk off with assistance from a trainer. Unable to put his weight on the knee, he f inished the trip to the locker room on a cart and was later taken for a MRI.
• Browns defensive end Olivier Vernon suffered an ankle injury in the four th quarter against Pittsburgh. Vernon didn’t put any weight on his leg while being assisted to the medical tent and was then carted to the l ocker room. Rookie wide receiver/punt returner Donovan Peoples-Jones suffered a concussion late in the f irst half.
• Bears linebacker Roquan Smith (elbow) was hurt defending a run late in the f irst quar ter against the Packersand headed to the locker room.
Notable
University of Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is passing on a f ifth season with the Longhorns to enter the NFL Draft.
• Raiders tight end Darren Waller caught pass No. 105 to break Tim Brown’s team record for receptions in a season. Waller etched his name in the record book with his 15-yard catch in the four th quar ter against Denver. Brown had the franchise record with 104 receptions in 1997.
Colts rookie running back Jonathan Taylor ran for a franchise-record 253 yards and scored twice. His rushing total is more than Edgerrin James had at Seattle in October 2004. James had the only other 200-yard game in franchise history, running 204 at Chicago i n November 2004. Taylor also has broken Alan Ameche’s rookie record, 194 yards, against Chicago on Sept. 25, 1955.
• DK Metcalf set a Seahawks single-season record for yards receiving, a mark that had stood for 35 years. Metcalf surpassed Hall of Famer Steve Largent’s franchise record on his second reception on Sunday against San Francisco.