New York Jets: Is Adam Gase the right head coach?

The New York Jets have chosen then next head coach, former Dolphins head man Adam Gase. Is he the right man for the job in New York, though?

The New York Jets have hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase to succeed Todd Bowles, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, as the 19th head coach in franchise history. Before jumping off a cliff, let’s look at some positive things, first in terms of the history of the franchise.

Of the 16 head coaches hired to be full-time coaches (not on an interim basis), only three have had previous head coaching experience in the NFL. Both coaches who had playoff experience at previous stops led the Jets to at least the AFL/AFC Championship Game.

Weeb Ewbank, who won two NFL championships with the Baltimore Colts, led the Jets to their only Super Bowl victory was one. Bill Parcells, who won two Super Bowls with the Giants and led the Jets to the 1998 AFC Championship Game, was the other and may have even made it to the Super Bowl had it not been for Vinny Testaverde rupturing his Achilles tendon.

Gase went to the playoffs in his first season in Miami. Sure, Gase was overall unsuccessful in Miami, but quarterback Ryan Tannehill was in and out of the lineup in all three season he was head coach, and there wasn’t any stability at the quarterback position.

When he was the offensive coordinator in Denver, the Broncos had a top-10 passing and overall offense in the NFL. Yes, he had Peyton Manning in Denver, but with Gase as offensive coordintor, Manning set tied his career high in completions, set an NFL record for touchdowns in a season and had his second-fewest interceptions and second highest completion percentage.

It’s been up and down for Gase in his career, but the situation in Miami should be taken with a grain of salt.

It didn’t end well in Miami, though. After he was fired, players question his schemes, play calling, and the identity of the team. According to SB Nation’s The Phinsider, Ja’Waun James actually said the didn’t have an identity.

"“We never honestly had an identity. When you don’t have an identity as an offense it’s hard because you don’t know what to go to when things go wrong. You’re just trying stuff.”"

This also looks like the Jets are settling on a coach, because no one else wanted the job. The last few hires since Parcells retired looked good at the beginning and fizzled out. This looks bad now, and may turn out to be the opposite. Only time will tell whether this hire is good or bad.