Jets’ shocking loss results in firing
Adam Gase thought through the final agonizing moments of the Jets’ stunning loss and tried to not make a rash decision.
The head 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 coordinator 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 allout blitz against Las Vegas on Sunday with the Jets seconds away from their first victory. Derek Carr heaved a perfectly placed 46yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III — who was in mantoman, or Cover Zero, coverage with rookie cornerback Lamar Jackson — with five seconds left to lift the Raiders to a 3128 win.
The decision was highly criticized by fans, media and even his 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 and assistant head coach/ inside linebackers coach Frank Bush would serve as the interim defensive coordinator.
“I obviously wasn’t happy about that call, “a somber-sounding 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 — and they agreed it was right to make the decision. Gase then told Williams about the decision during a nearly hourlong discussion.
“Obviously, he wasn’t happy,” Gase said. “But, that’s our profession.”
Team captain Marcus Maye took a swipe at Williams after the game, saying that the defense should have been in a better call in that situation. Gase insisted Maye’s comments didn’t play a role in the firing.
Gase was surprised to hear the play call by Williams, and acknowledged he has authority to overrule the defensive coordinator — 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.”
Williams, 62, had been the Jets’ defensive coordinator the past two seasons under Gase. The two had a minor clash this season when Williams said the Jets’ scoring average on defense wasn’t all on his unit — implying Gase’s struggling offense was also to blame.
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams seemed to take exception to the defensive coordinator’s firing, using five facepalm emojis in a quote tweet of ESPN’s tweet announcing the move.
Gregg Williams has had several stops through the NFL in 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.
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