Adam Gase - Pro Football Rumors

Adam Gase Denies Power Struggle Led To Mike Maccagnan’s Firing

May 20th, 2019 at 9:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Barely four months after Mike Maccagnan hired Adam Gase, the Jets fired their GM. Gase now stands as the team’s interim GM and is helping with the search for Maccagnan’s successor.

It would appear, given the reports thus far, that the first-year Jets coach won a power struggle. He staunchly denied that Monday and that he will have control of the Jets’ 53-man roster after Maccagnan’s successor arrives.

“I disagree with that … as far as a power struggle,” Gase said, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “Whoever’s going to be hired is going to have the same control: Control of the roster. … I coach the football team. Nothing’s changing in that structure.”

Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said last week Gase would be in charge of the 53 in the interim, so it will be interesting to see how power is divided once a new GM arrives. Johnson, Gase and Jets VP of business affairs/general counsel Hymie Elhai will conduct the GM search, with Mehta adding it will be the team’s new HC that will play the lead role in selecting the next GM.

Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah have been mentioned as candidates, though interviews have been requested with neither.

“That’s what it was,” Gase said (via NJ.com’s Darryl Slater), indicating he was surprised when Johnson told him of Maccagnan’s ouster. “He’s the owner. In this business, (expletive) like that happens all the time. It happened to me last year. I think that’s what it is. I mean, I work for (Johnson). That’s how we’re aligned, is the GM and the head coach both report to the owner.”

Over the weekend, Mehta reported Maccagnan heavily restricted Gase’s pre-draft input, leading to Gase moving his chair away from cameras during the draft and essentially letting the since-fired GM run that operation. Gase denied a large-scale rift existed.

“Since we’ve started, we just constantly were in communication, whether he’s coming down to my office or I’m going to his office,” Gase said of his work with Maccagnan. “That’s all we’re trying to do, is just make sure we’re on the same page all the time and making sure that we’re trying to put this thing together as well as we can in a short period of time.”

Jets Draft Led To Mike Maccagnan’s Firing?

May 18th, 2019 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

While disagreements about the free agency cost of Le’Veon Bell and C.J. Mosley came up in the wake of the Jets breaking up their newly formed Mike Maccagnan–Adam Gase decision-making duo, the team’s draft appears to have played a bigger role.

The Jets’ pre-draft process did not consist of much input from Gase, with Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reporting Maccagnan did not want his new head coach affecting his scouts’ views on prospects. Gase then remained quiet during the Jets’ draft-related meetings and was not a factor in the team’s decision-making on draft night.

“It pissed Adam off,” a Jets source told Mehta of Maccagnan limiting his input before the draft. “Mike didn’t want him to speak up too much. It’s a weird philosophy.”

While Mehta adds Maccagnan used this strategy with Todd Bowles as well, Gase took his discontent to another level. The new Jets HC, who “badly” wanted to make recommendations on the types of players he wanted for his system, voiced frustration to many in league circles and prior to the draft moved his seat in the team’s war room — which was captured on video for the networks airing the event — away from camera view.

Draft weekend did not feature any Gase objections to Maccagnan’s picks and scant input from what Mehta refers to as a “detached” coach. This marked Maccagnan’s fifth and final draft with the Jets.

“(Gase) literally took his seat and moved it,” a Jets staffer in the war room informed Mehta. “That was extreme.”

The Jets, who currently have Gase in the interim GM role, have taken understandable heat due to the timing of this firing. Some members of the franchise’s brain trust would have given the go-ahead for CEO Christopher Johnson to fire Maccagnan in January, when Bowles was axed, but Johnson was leery of his ability to conduct simultaneous searches for a new coach and a new GM, Mehta reports. However, the awkwardness in the Jets’ draft room looks to have pushed the relatively new decision-maker to break up the Maccagnan-Gase duo.

Jets Interested In Peyton Manning For GM?

May 17th, 2019 at 9:20pm CST by Micah Powell

The Jets made news earlier in the week when they fired general manager Mike Maccagnan following free agency and the draft. They could make even bigger news with his replacement, as the team is reportedly interested in filling the role with Peyton Manning, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes.

Florio reports that “rumors are flying within league circles” that the team intends to make a run at the future Hall of Fame quarterback, who has ties to new head coach Adam Gase from their time together in Denver. Earlier in the week, Jets CEO and chairman Christopher Johnson told reporters that he wants “a great strategic thinker” for the position rather just a player evaluator.

“I want a great manager, a communicator, who can collaborate well with the building. I’m convinced we’re going to find that person,” he said.

If they want an excellent communicator and a strategic thinker, Manning would seem to be a good fit. One thing remains to be seen and that’s if Manning has any interest in the job. Long thought of for a front-office role or as a commentator on Sundays, Manning undoubtedly has had plenty of opportunities open to him if he wants to get back into the game.

If these rumors turn out to be true and the two sides work to a deal, Manning would be joining a team looking for a fresh start with a young, promising quarterback in Sam Darnold already in tow. Even with a few intriguing pieces, the Jets remain the only team in the NFL to not win at least six games in any of the last three seasons.

Jets Le’Veon Bell, HC Adam Gase In Contact

May 17th, 2019 at 1:47pm CST by Zachary Links

New Jets head coach (and interim GM) may not have wanted Le’Veon Bell, but the two have been in constant contact this offseason, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post. Furthermore, Costello hears the conversations have been positive.

Armed with $100MM+ in cap space, the Jets used a big chunk of their available money to ink the running back to a four-year, $52MM deal. Gase didn’t want the club to spend big bucks on any rusher, but GM Mike Maccagnan got his way and landed one of the league’s most dynamic offensive talents with an average annual value of $13MM. This week, the Jets sacked Maccagnan in a curiously-timed move.

Meanwhile, Bell seems committed to making the relationship with Gase work.

“There’s been a bunch of false reports and speculation about me in the past about things I’ve said and done, so I’m used to this,” Bell tweeted earlier this week. “I don’t jump to conclusions when I hear or see a story that may affect me. Even if reports are true, that won’t stop me from doing what I came here to do…everyone has a job to do, and I’m gonna do mine whether people “like” me or not. I’m here to win football games.”

Bell and Gase have little choice in the matter as both men are set to be together through at least the 2022 season. The running back did not show for the start of the Jets’ voluntary workouts in May, but he is expected to arrive for mandatory minicamp in June.

Latest On Jets’ Firing Of GM Mike Maccagnan

May 15th, 2019 at 3:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, the Jets fired GM Mike Maccagnan. Maccagnan was known to be on the hot seat, but the timing of his dismissal was an absolute head-scratcher.

On Wednesday afternoon, team CEO Christopher Johnson took questions from local media, though he didn’t give a ton in the way of answers. Here are the highlights from Johnson’s presser and the latest on the newly created vacancy:

The issue of control over the 53-man roster figures to be a major issue for top candidates, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) hears. As it stands, head coach Adam Gase has final say on the roster. For what it’s worth, Gase reportedly wants the Jets to hire Eagles exec Joe Douglas, so he could conceivably be willing to cede control in order to bring his old Bears buddy on board.
Meanwhile, Johnson says Gase will remain in charge of the 53-man roster (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
Johnson did his best to downplay talk of a serious rift between Gase and Maccagnan. “I think there was very good synergy (between Maccagnan and Gase), but it was not everything that I was hoping for. I made the decision I want to find a better fit for this building,” Johnson said (Twitter link via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano).
The CEO said he made the decision to fire Maccagnan “in the last few days,” (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). He then added: “I’m not going to get into a lot of specifics about why we’re moving on from Mike.“
Johnson said he’s looking for more of a “strategic thinker” with the new Jets GM and “someone who could collaborate with the building,” (Twitter link via Vacchiano).

Jets’ Adam Gase Didn’t Want Le’Veon Bell

May 15th, 2019 at 11:48am CST by Zachary Links

Try this one on for size – the Jets’ new head coach and recently appointed interim GM Adam Gase “absolutely” did not want the team to sign running back Le’Veon Bell this offseason, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). Of course, he lost that battle, as Mike Maccagnan inked Bell to a four-year, $52MM contract.

There were previous rumblings that Gase wasn’t thrilled about the Bell expenditure, but that came with further word that Gase’s dissatisfaction with the Bell signing and Maccagnan on the whole was “overblown.” Now that the Jets have canned Maccagnan, we know that the Gase-Maccagnan beef was real, and that likely goes for disagreement over the Bell signing as well.

Gase wasn’t just opposed to signing Bell – Mehta hears he didn’t want to spend a lot of money on any running back. Regardless, the two are tied together for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, Gase’s preferred choice to be the next Jets general manager is Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas, Mehta hears (on Twitter). Douglas and Gase have history together dating back to their time with the Bears and he’s already said to be a top candidate for the job.

Jets Fire GM Mike Maccagnan

May 15th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have fired GM Mike Maccagnan, according to a team announcement. New head coach Adam Gase will take over as the team’s interim GM.

“This morning, I informed Mike that he was being relieved of his duties as General Manager of the team, effective immediately,” Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said in a statement. “Mike helped to execute the strategic vision of the organization during the last four seasons and especially the past few months. However, I came to the decision to make a change after much thought and a careful assessment of what would be in the best long-term interests of the New York Jets. I will start a search for our new General Manager immediately. In the interim, Coach Gase will be the acting General Manager. I would like to thank Mike for his time and efforts during his tenure, and I wish only the best for him and his wife Betty.”

Maccagnan has long been rumored to be on the hot seat in New York, but few saw the longtime exec getting the hook after the initial waves of free agency and the draft. The GM had two years to go on his deal and the assumption was that Maccagnan would be given at least one more year to turn things around.

Still, Maccagnan’s misses have been glaring. While he has hit on early draft picks such as defensive tackle Leonard Williams and safety Jamal Adams, he’s missed badly in the lower reaches of the draft, which is especially disappointing given his previous track record as a talent evaluator.

The Jets have also whiffed in free agency under Maccagnan’s watch, including the 2018 offseason in which the club failed to land quarterback Kirk Cousins and settled for a monster deal with cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The former Rams standout struggled all season and his five-year, $72.5MM is already looking like a misfire.

Despite all of that, Maccagnan was entrusted to allocate $100MM+ in cap room this offseason and use the team’s No. 3 overall pick in April. The Jets used a big chunk of their cap space to sign Le’Veon Bell, giving the franchise an elite running back in his prime for the first time since Curtis Martin. Meanwhile, Maccagnan used the No. 3 overall pick to select Quinnen Williams, who may prove to be the best overall talent in the 2019 class.

Vice President of Player Personnel Brian Heimerdinger will follow Maccagnan out the door, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

Latest On Jets’ Adam Gase, Mike Maccagnan

May 11th, 2019 at 9:26am CST by Ben Levine

We heard last month that there was friction between Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan and new head coach Adam Gase. Maccagnan had already downplayed the reports, and Gase also dismissed those whispers yesterday.

“I don’t know who decides to put that stuff out there,” Gase said (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “It kind of pisses me off a little bit. We have discussion on everything. That’s our job. We have to work through so much stuff. That’s what we have to do. That’s all we’ve done since we’ve been here.

“Since we started, we’ve been in constant communication whether he’s coming down to my office or I’m going to his office, that’s all we’re trying to do is make sure we’re on the same page all the time. We’re trying to put this thing together as well as we can in a short period of time.”

The initial report said that Maccagnan and Gase disagreed over the Jets’ free agent strategy. CEO Christopher Johnson subsequently visiting team facilities to “observe the dynamic between the coach and general manager.”

Costello acknowledges that the duo hasn’t always seen eye to eye during their brief stint together. Specifically, the two had differing opinions on how much the organization should pay star free agent running back Le’Veon Bell. Ultimately, the writer says that the “issues were settled and things were overblown.”

Changes Coming To Jets Front Office?

April 27th, 2019 at 8:48am CST by Ben Levine

Many in the league expect changes in the Jets front office after the draft, Mike Lombardi of The Athletic hears. Lombardi notes that GM Mike Maccagnan is on the hot seat, which could lead to a shakeup in the scouting department. It’s not immediately clear whether Maccagnan himself could be in jeopardy after the draft wraps up, though it would be a shock if the GM were to get the axe before the start of the season.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Rich Cimini echoes other reports of friction between Maccagnan and new head coach Adam Gase. Specifically, Cimini says the two had disagreement over free agency strategy, with CEO Christopher Johnson visiting team facilities to “observe the dynamic between the coach and general manager.” Predictably, the GM downplayed the friction between the two.

“Actually, I think Adam and I have worked very well together,” said Maccagnan. “I’m sure, like in any process, there are times where … you know, you work through the process.

“It’s just like in a scouting meeting. You might have different opinions on a player. But, from my standpoint, I’ve actually had a very good working relationship with Adam. Quite frankly, as I’ve said before, he has a very good sense of humor. He makes me laugh quite a bit, which is one of the reasons why I like working with him.”

While some pundits ran with Lombardi’s story and assumed that Maccagnan’s job was in jeopardy, Cimini says “from all indications, the Jets have no plans to make a change.” The general manager naturally wouldn’t discuss his job security, noting that his focus is on the draft.

“I don’t think I’m really going to sit here and comment about my job,” Maccagnan said. “I’m focused on the draft. I feel good about the situation we’re in. I feel very good about working with Adam going forward.”

AFC Notes: Steelers, Brown, Jets, Texans

February 8th, 2019 at 7:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We first heard earlier this week that Steelers receiver Antonio Brown had been involved in some sort of domestic dispute last month. Shortly after details came out, and Brown was accused of having shoved his daughter’s mother to the ground, with the NFL announcing they would investigate. Brown denied any wrongdoing, and today his attorney pushed back even further. Brown’s lawyer forcefully denied Brown did anything wrong, accusing the mother of being in the wrong in the situation regarding Brown’s daughter, and said Brown did not get violent in any way, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (Twitter link).

The lawyer also elaborated that Brown is now filing for custody of his daughter in court. It’s yet another dramatic chapter in the saga surrounding the Steelers, and while the situation is still very murky as of right now, we’ll almost certainly have more details soon.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Speaking of organizational drama, the Jets have found themselves in a mini controversy of their own. It was reported a few days ago that there was already some tension between new head coach Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, as the team objected to Williams bringing his son Blake Williams onboard as a coach. While the team eventually relented and added the younger Williams as a defensive assistant, the drama doesn’t end there. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com has a great breakdown of the situation unfolding, as Gase hired his own father-in-law Joe Vitt as an assistant coach as well. Vitt and Williams have a longstanding beef, as both were members of the Saints’ coaching staff during the infamous bountygate scandal. According to Cimini, Vitt testified against Williams during the league’s hearings on the scandal, and accused him of lying. They’ll now be serving on the same staff together again, and it’ll be very interesting to see if the bad blood has been put to rest.
Last week, the Texans promoted Tim Kelly to offensive coordinator. Head coach Bill O’Brien has called plays in the past, but O’Brien left the door open for Kelly to call plays during a recent radio interview, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). “There’s no doubt in my mind that Tim Kelly is ready to call plays”, O’Brien said, before adding that it would be “a collaborative effort.” Kelly was previously the team’s tight ends coach.
In case you missed it, suspended Patriots and Raiders receivers Josh Gordon and Martavis Bryant may apply for re-instatement in the next couple of months.