Christopher Johnson – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Adam Gase grateful for Jets CEO Christopher Johnson’s support

Jets HC Adam is glad that Christopher Johnson assured him that his job is safe for 2020.

Jets head coach Adam Gase was naturally pleased with what CEO Christopher Johnson had to say about him on Wednesday.

Johnson said that the Jets will not make a head coaching change before or after this season, meaning Gase will be the coach in 2020. While Gase has never worried about his job security, it was still refreshing for the head coach to hear that his boss has confidence in him going forward.

“To get his support, and for him to see what we’re trying to do, that’s an important step for us,” Gase told reporters.

Johnson told the rest of the team the news before the game against the Giants. The news was well-received.

“If everything works out how it’s supposed to and Adam’s here again, that would be absolutely amazing,” Sam Darnold said. “I think most of the guys on the team, if not the whole team, already had that much confidence in Coach Gase.”

When a coach’s job status is brought into question, it could cause players to be distracted from doing their job on the field. However, Gase hasn’t noticed that in this locker room.

“Nobody in this building, but I can’t speak for the outside,” Gase said. “I’m closed in a little bit.”

People on the outside have certainly called for Gase to be fired. Last week, a group of Jets fans organized for a plane to be flown over New York City that carried a banner that read “Fire Adam Gase!” After the Jets lost to the Dolphins, fans could be heard chanting for the coach to be fired.

That’s not going to happen though, at least not any time soon.

5 reasons why Jets won’t fire Adam Gase after 2019

Jets Wire breaks down four reasons New York has for keeping Adam Gase in 2020.

Adam Gase is going to get another chance to get things right at One Jets Drive in 2020.

Christopher Johnson reaffirmed his faith in Gase on Wednesday, stating that there would be no head coaching change at season’s end. Gase will return.

Between Sam Darnold’s regression and numerous embarrassing losses in winnable games, Jets fans have been calling for Gase’s head for a while now. It seems like there is an endless list of reasons why New York should part ways with its embattled first-year head coach. However, there are still a few reasons why Gase returning in 2020 makes sense.

Let’s take a look at what those reasons could be.

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Christopher Johnson using whatever goodwill he has left on Adam Gase

Chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson publically endorsed Adam Gase despite his 2-7 record, much to the chagrin of fans.

For better or worse, Christopher Johnson is hitching his wagon to Adam Gase.

The chairman and CEO stated Gase will remain the head coach in 2020 despite from fans and pundits alike calling for his firing.

“I want to assure you there will be no changes in coaches here,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “Adam has the trust of this team. He has the trust of Sam. He has the trust of (general manager) Joe (Douglas). He has my trust. He’s a good man. He’s a good coach.”

Johnson explained part of the reason for keeping Gase is continuity with Sam Darnold’s development. Johnson added that Gase’s first year can’t properly be evaluated due to a ridiculous amount of injuries to the team.

“Sam hasn’t been given the best opportunity to thrive,” Johnson said. “We’ve had so many moving parts on the offensive line that I think it has affected his ability to play as he would like. There’s a great deal of work to do. Everyone understands that. And we’re just getting started. But I feel really good about this team moving forward.”

It’s not surprising that Johnson isn’t planning on firing Gase after one season. While it would send a positive message to an angry and win-deprived fanbase, it could cripple the morale of a team that has yet to turn on Gase.

What is surprising, though, is how Johnson effectively gave a ringing endorsement of Gase despite the Jets’ 2-7 record and terrible statistical rankings. Even after a seven-point win over the equally-lowly Giants, the Jets rank 30th in points scored and 32nd in total yards. Even with a bevy of injuries, those numbers are atrocious; they’re nothing Johnson should be publicly praising.

It also sends a bad sign to Jets fans when you basically tell them you’re happy with the job Gase has done in 10 months. Objectively speaking, he’s been a terrible coach in the games he’s lost, and lucky in the games he’s won. He was pitched to fans as an offensive genius, but the Jets have only scored more than 20 points and put up more than 300 yards of offense twice all season. Darnold looks to have regressed and no player looks to have developed under Gase’s guidance. He even cost the Jets their starting inside linebacker by leaving Avery Williamson in a meaningless preseason game in which he tore his ACL.

It would have been easier for Johnson to take Le’Veon Bell’s approach and just continue preaching patience for the future of the team. Instead, Johnson is telling fans he believes Gase is that future, despite every indication that this won’t be the case.

“I understand it. I’m frustrated, too,” Johnson said when asked about fans’ frustrations. “Every player on this team hates to lose. … Losing is a whole new thing and it’s terrible and I want it to stay terrible. Who wants to get used to that? But I can assure you that this entire building is about getting this team to a better place.”

Almost three weeks ago Johnson was caught on camera criticizing the team before a loss to the Jaguars. The next week the Jets lost to the previously winless Dolphins. If Johnson wasn’t happy with the team before, what changed over the past few weeks for him to suddenly support his coach? The Giants win, though great for morale, wasn’t particularly impressive considering the defense blew a two-score lead and were a Jamal Adams fumble recovery for a touchdown away from losing.

This is less about Gase and more about a vote of confidence for the team moving forward. Though the Jets roster is bad and their season awful, there are still solid pieces surrounding Darnold. If players were also calling for Gase’s head, maybe Johnson would change his tune. But with players like Jamal Adams and center Jonotthan Harrison praising Johnson’s decision, firing Gase would decimate the morale of the team for the rest of the year and send the Jets into a bigger tailspin before moving back to square one this offseason.

“It shows [Johnson] has faith in coach Gase, like the rest of us do,” Harrison said. “It shows he sees the potential and he sees where this team is going. Instead of listening to the outside noise — Gase this, Gase that — he said, ‘I have total faith in coach Gase.'”

Adams, who at one point refused to talk to Gase and Douglas after trade rumors, also backed Gase: “That’s our head coach and that’s who we ride with.”

Johnson doesn’t have the best track record as an owner. His hands-on approach and seemingly genuine interest in player causes — a drastic contrast from his brother, Woody — made a strong first impression, but he’s 11-30 since taking over in 2017. He let Mike Maccagnan build the roster through the 2019 offseason and played a role in overpaying for free agents. Gase could be yet another mistake in the Christopher Johnson era, and that’s probably not something he’d like to admit after only 10 months.

“It’s said that you are what your record says you are, and that’s not very impressive,” Johnson said. “But looking forward, I think it’s going to be a good team. I have so much faith in Adam and Joe to put together a great future for us.”

We’ll see about that.

6 takeaways from Christopher Johnson’s Wednesday comments

What did Jets acting CEO Christopher Johnson say on Wednesday? Here are the Jets Wire’s six takeaways.

Christopher Johnson ended his media hiatus Wednesday to deliver an unsurprising bit of news.

Johnson announced that Adam Gase will return as the team’s head coach in 2020 despite his failings thus far. Gase has gone 2-7 and Sam Darnold has struggled under his direction. Instead of listening to reactionary fans, though, Johnson will stick with Gase next season — for better or worse.

Gase, however, was not the only subject Johnson spoke about when he met with reporters. With that said, here are six takeaways from his Wednesday press conference.

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Christopher Johnson makes it official: Adam Gase will return in 2020

Christopher Johnson confirmed with reporters on Wednesday that Adam Gase would return as head coach for the 2020 season.

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After months of absence, Christopher Johnson finally addressed the media on Wednesday.

In doing so, he made major headlines. The Jets CEO made it clear that Adam Gase will return as the team’s head coach in 2020. Gase is not in jeopardy of being fired; instead, he has Johnson’s confidence.

Johnson said he told the team last week that Gase would return despite outside noise of there being a potential coaching change. He also spoke with some players about the decision one on one. Gase is 2-7 in his first season as the Jets head coach. Johnson, however, has not wavered in his support for his first head coaching hire despite some frustrations.

“I want to assure you there will be no changes in coaches here,” Johnson told reporters. “Adam has the trust of this team. He has the trust of Sam. He has Joe’s trust. He has my trust. He’s a good man. He’s a good coach.”

Johnson is understandably frustrated with the team’s progress or lack thereof through nine games but has shown the utmost support for his new regime. He still believes the future is bright.

“There’s a lot of work to do,” he said. “There’s a great deal of work to do. Everyone understands that and we’re just getting started. But I feel really good about this team moving forward.”

The relationships that Gase has built in the building with Sam Darnold and Joe Douglas have not gone unnoticed and played a big part in the decision to bring Gase back next season. He is not solely keeping Gase for Darnold’s sake, but it was a major component in his decision making.

“It’s absolutely important, but that’s not why I’m keeping Adam,” Johnson said of Darnold. “That’s certainly a component. Changing systems year after year is a disaster for a young quarterback, especially.”

As for Gase and Douglas, Johnson said, “Seeing him work with Joe, it’s a whole new dynamic in this building. It’s a really positive dynamic. They have the same vision for this team going forward.”