NFL: Jets fire Williams after late call costs team first win
NEW YORK— Adam Gase thought through the final agonizing moments of the New York Jets’ stunning loss and tried to not make a rash decision.
The coach got a little bit of sleep before he headed to the team’s facility Monday morning with the same conclusion he had Sunday night: Defensive co-ordinator Gregg Williams had to go.
“I just felt like that was the best thing for our team moving forward,” Gase said during a conference call. “Organizationally, we had a discussion this morning and we felt like this was the best move to make.”
Williams was fired after he inexplicably called for an all-out blitz against Las Vegas on Sunday with the Jets seconds away from their first victory. Derek Carr heaved a perfectly placed 46-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III — who was in man-to-man coverage with rookie cornerback Lamar Jackson — with five seconds left to lift the Raiders to a 31-28 win.
The decision was highly criticized by fans, media and even his own players. It left the Jets players, who only moments earlier were celebrating what appeared to be a win, in shock on the sideline.
The team announced it had “parted ways” with Williams. Assistant head coach Frank Bush, who is also the inside linebackers coach, will serve as the interim defensive co-ordinator.
“I obviously wasn’t happy about that call,” a sombresounding Gase said. “That was a heartbreaking way for our guys to lose a game. For that to happen in that situation, it’s just … we can’t have that happen.”
Gase said he spoke with CEO Christopher Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas and team president Hymie Elhai about what he thought should be done. Gase then told Williams about the decision during a nearly hour-long discussion. “Obviously, he wasn’t happy,” Gase said. “But that’s our profession.”
Team captain Marcus Maye took an uncharacteristic swipe at Williams after the game, saying there should have been a better play call in that situation. Gase insisted Maye’s comments didn’t play a role in his decision.
Gase was surprised to hear the play call by Williams, and acknowledged he has authority to overrule the defensive co-ordinator — but did not.
“I wish I would’ve,” Gase said. “Sometimes during a game, you’re talking through a bunch of situations and that comes up. I wish I would’ve called timeout, but I didn’t.”
The 62-year-old Williams had been the Jets’ defensive coordinator the past two seasons under Gase. The two had a minor clash earlier this season when Williams said the Jets’ scoring average on defence wasn’t just all on his unit — implying Gase’s struggling offence was also to blame.
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams seemed to take exception to the defensive co-ordinator’s firing, using five facepalm emojis in a quote tweet of ESPN’s tweet announcing the move.
Williams has had several stops through the NFL during a 30year career, including with New Orleans, where he was suspended a year by the league in 2012 for his role in the Saints’ bounty scandal.
The no-nonsense Williams has made a career of being an aggressive play caller on defence, but the Jets have struggled this year while ranking 29th in total defence and 30th in scoring defence.
The Jets are 0-12.