Jets CEO: Gase’s job safe for ’20

Adam Gase is staying put as the Jets coach.

Not just this season. But, next season, too.

Team chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson announced Wednesday that Gase’s job is safe and he will remain the coach in 2020 despite the team’s 2-7 record. Johnson cited Gase’s positive work with QB Sam Darnold and collaborative efforts with GM Joe Douglas to try to improve the struggling franchise.

“I want to assure you, there will be no changes in coaches,” Johnson said during a brief meeting with reporters during practice. “Adam has the trust of this team, he has the trust of Sam, he has Joe’s trust, he has my trust. He’s a good man, a good coach. I brought in Joe earlier this year — he hasn’t been here very long — to help build the team with Adam. There’s a lot of work to do. There’s a great deal of work to do. Everyone understands that. And we’re just getting started.

“But I feel really good about this team moving forward.”

Johnson told the team of his decision on Nov. 6, and it was met with a positive response from players and coaches.

Now public, the news might further frustrate some fans who were already calling for Gase’s job despite him being just nine games into his tenure with the Jets. Fans have flocked to social media and sports talk radio to voice their displeasure with the team and Gase, in particular. One group even paid for a plane to tote a banner over Manhattan last week with the simple message: “Fire Adam Gase Now.”

Instead, Johnson was in the unique position of defending his coach midway through his first season with the team — and giving a vote of confidence that extends to next year.

“This team isn’t where we thought we’d be,” Johnson acknowledged. “It’s exceedingly frustrating. But I’m here watching this team grind away every day, the coaches grind away every day, getting better. The thing that’s so encouraging is that there has never been a moment of finger-pointing. There’s never been a moment that somebody casts blame on somebody else.

“I think that speaks very highly of the character of this team and the effort of the coaches.”

Gase replaced the fired Todd Bowles in January, and Douglas was hired to replace Mike Maccagnan as GM in June.

Stafford still out: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford didn’t practice with teammates a few days after hip and back injuries stopped his streak of 139 consecutive starts counting the playoffs. Stafford watched Wednesday as Jeff Driskel and David Blough took snaps. Driskel started in place of Stafford in a 20-13 loss to the Bears, giving the Lions their fifth loss in six games.

Extra points: The Texans claimed former Buccaneers CB Vernon Hargreaves off waivers, ESPN reported. Hargreaves, 24, was released by the Bucs.