CEO Johnson calls Gase ‘brilliant offensive mind’
FLORHAMPARK,N.J.—Christopher Johnson is in too deep to reversecoursewithhisheadcoach.
The Jets CEO will be forever linked to Adam Gase, branding the mercurial coach an offensive “innovator” who was “coaching football to where it’s going” 20 months ago.
Gase’s offense circled the drain invirtuallyeverymeaningfulstatistical category last season before flopping again in Gang Green’s season-opening loss to the Bills last Sunday.
Johnson proclaimed Wednesday he would not issue a playoff mandate for the embattled coach.
“I’m going to want to see this team progress,” Johnson said in hisannualin-seasonmediasession with reporters. “Hopefully, that won’t be too hard from that first game, but I’m looking for real progression over this season. I’m confident that we’ll see that.”
Johnson also doubled down by calling Gase a “brilliant offensive mind.”
“He has a lot more in him as a head coach than some of our fans are giving himcredit for,” Johnson said. “AndIunderstand. Theywant toseesuccess. AndIthinkthatthey will.”
Johnson, who has temporarily taken over day-to-day operations while owner Woody Johnson is serving as the UKAmbassador for the Trump Administration, has been in charge during one of the worst three-year stretches in franchise history.
The Jets are 16-33 under ChristopherJohnson’sstewardshipwith three consecutive losing seasons. Gang Green never had back-toback losing campaigns when Woodywasincharge.
Christopher Johnson has made a series of decisions that have contributed to the Jets sinking to their greatest depths in the past twodecadesamidanine-yearplayoff drought. His inexperience and indecisivenesscreatedadisjointed 2019 offseason.
Ownership’s cash-flow restrictionsingeneralmanagerJoeDouglas’ first offseason also created a less-than-desirable plan with a conservative budget that netted mediocre players and let quality ones out of the building.
AlthoughJohnsonconcededthe Jets were a “mess” in their 27-17 season-openinglosstotheBills, he maintained “this is a roster wecan winwith if westay healthy.”
Johnson isn’t a scout, so it’s unfair to criticize him for his evaluation of players or the roster as a whole. He’ssimplyparrotingwhat Gase and/or Douglas are telling him. That’s part of the problem.
It’s incumbentuponthefootball decision-makers to give the CEO an honest assessment of the roster ratherthanfillhimwithunrealistic expectations.
Even the most optimistic Jets follower will concede that this is a highly flawedroster.
JohnsonechoedDouglas’sentimentthattheJetsaren’tpuntingon the2020season, eventhoughthey operatedwithaseverelyrestrictive budget.
TheJetsoptedtogiveoutalitany of one-year or de facto one-year deals in free agency, traded away their best player, eschewed free agents or available quality players at premium positions of need and ultimately saved a bundle of cash.
“I’ve given Joe complete discretion on how to put this team together,” said Johnson, who admitted he should have fired former general manager Mike Maccagnan earlier.
Douglas was brought aboard after Maccagnan shaped the 2019 offseason via free agency and the draft.