Jets’ Gase says he hasn’t done enough to help Darnold grow

NEW YORK — It was a coach-player union that made the New York Jets excited about what could be.

Adam Gase was the hotshot offensive guru, and Sam Darnold the young gun quarterback and face of the franchise.

Instead, the Jets can only lament what should have been.

“It’s on me to get him to play better than what he’s played,” Gase said Thursday. “And so far, I haven’t done a good enough job.”

The fallout from that will likely be significant this offseason. With the Jets sitting at 0-11, Gase is almost certainly gone after the regular-season finale. And, with Darnold struggling to progress in his third season, New York will likely move on from him, too.

The Jets currently hold the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in April and it’s looking increasingly more likely that Clemson star QB Trevor Lawrence will be there for them to make a franchise-changing pick. That would mean Darnold will be out the door at some point, too, leaving behind him a trail of unfulfilled potential.

Some of that is on him, of course, for not being able to raise his game and overcome the constant adversity around him. But Gase recognizes he is also at fault for what has transpired — or, hasn’t — the past two years.

“I came here to help him, help him develop his career,” Gase said, “and we haven’t been able to do that.”

Darnold has thrown just three touchdown passes this season and none in his past four games, spanning 19 quarters. He has also been intercepted eight times, making decisions many would argue a thirdyear QB shouldn’t make. And his 64.0 quarterback rating ranks last in the NFL among players who have started four or more games.

The 23-year-old Darnold has also had two separate two-game stints on the sideline because of shoulder injuries. Add that to him missing three games last year because of mononucleosis and three games as a rookie with a foot injury, and the quarterback has only now played the equivalent of just over two NFL seasons at 33 games.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s frustrating for both of us,” Gase said. “I think he’s trying to do everything he could possibly do. It’s hard to control the injury situation this year.”