The Jets made a good choice. They needed an ex-head coach.
They hired former Miami head coach Adam Gase as their new head man.
Most Jets’ fans and some scribes –including myself – believed Mike McCarthy was the best candidate for the job.
But after the Jets’ first date with McCarthy last Saturday, it didn’t appear to be a long relationship on both sides.
There were conflicting reports that on both sides about who didn’t believe the relationship would work, but the prevailing feeling was McCarthy didn’t see the Jets as a fit. He announced late Wednesday that he was taking the 2019 season off to spend more time with family.
College phenom Matt Rhule, whose stock took a mercurial rise over the past few days, announced he was staying at Baylor.
Jim Caldwell, the former Colts and Lions’ head coach, suddenly became a non-entity.
So, it is Gase.
But don’t worry… this has the makings of a good match. Think Sam Darnold, $100 million in cap money, and the third pick in the draft.
The Jets finally went back to hiring someone on the offensive side of the ball for the first time since they brought the fabled Rich Kotite on board in 1995. He also is their first head coach to the bill since Bill Parcells in 1997.
Respected a good offensive mind as part of the new young-blood group entering the league – Sean McVay, Matt Nagy, and Kyle Shanahan – the 40-year-old Gase initially brought a floundering franchise back to respectability.
In his first season in 2016, Gase led the team to the playoffs with a 10-6 mark, their first appearance in eight years.
But he argued with owner Stephen Ross and management about control of the roster and eventually lost.
Gase’s offense couldn’t get on track the previous two seasons, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill missed half of his 48 games due to injury. Last season, Miami had 13 players on injured reserve.
He also was reportedly ousted because he had a “win-now” approach, one that can be a productive one in Florham Park.
Gase and GM Mike Maccagnan can spend freely on a “win-now” approach especially with Darnold’s rising stock. Jamal Adams, Henry Anderson, Robbie Anderson, Marcus Maye, and Avery Williamson are other current building blocks that have already formed a foundation in place.
The Jets got the type of coach they need in Gase. Don’t be deflated with his overall 23-25 career record.
Phase one of the 2019 season appears to be an initial success.
Now it is time to complete the rest of the development.