If Adam Gase is fired, as expected, by the Jets within the next week, it’s possible he stays in the AFC East.
There’s been lots of speculation lately that Gase may wind up coaching in New England because of his relationship with Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin both theorized the Patriots could look at Gase to take over for former quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch, who took the head coaching job at the University of Arizona.
Gase was an assistant with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels at Michigan State with Nick Saban in 1999. Saban is also a close friend of Bill Belichick’s, who reached out to Gase after the Dolphins fired him to talk about his career. McDaniels also hired Gase as his wide receivers coach when was hired as the Broncos head coach in 2009. John Fox kept Gase on the Broncos staff in 2012 after McDaniels was fired, where he built a relationship with Peyton Manning and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2013.
A move to the Patriots would be the ultimate troll job after Gase’s horrific two-year stint in New York, where his offenses have ranked among the worst in the league. This would only add fuel to the Jets-Patriots rivalry, especially if Gase helped train the next quarterback to dominate the AFC East in New England after failing to develop Sam Darnold over the past two seasons.
This could also just be another reconnaissance play by the Patriots considering Gase’s familiarity with both the Jets and the Dolphins. Both teams will look very different from when Gase coached there, but his knowledge of general managers Joe Douglas and Chris Grier could be valuable for the Patriots.
Regardless, there is a connection between Gase, Belichick and McDaniels that could lead to some sort of partnership down the road.