To say 2020 has been a disappointment for New York Jets fans would be a colossal understatement. By a number of metrics, Gang Green’s 2020 iteration is on pace to be one of the worst teams in NFL history. At the head of this pathetic team is head coach Adam Gase. Gase has led the team to a 7-20 record since he took over as head coach. That record is atrocious, but perhaps his biggest sin has been the regression of quarterback Sam Darnold. After showing improvement in 2019, Darnold has struggled mightily in 2020. This season he has regressed in almost every major statistical category, and the calls for the Jets to “Tank for Trevor” are now louder than ever. Adam Gase seems destined to coach this team to a historically awful finish, and allow the dream of Trevor Lawrence in New York to become a reality. The question now is, should ownership let him?
Adam Gase Should Not Be Fired by New York Jets in 2020
The Case Against Retaining Adam Gase
On the surface, the argument against Adam Gase closing out the 2020 season seems to be the clear leader. A common retort to the concept of retaining Gase with hopes of losing is the idea that the Jets roster on its own is not talented enough to win a game. That is a valid argument. Aside from the few bright spots, including phenomenal rookie tackle Mekhi Becton, the team has holes in almost every positional group on the field. And Gregg Williams has not displayed the same ability he showed last year to create an overachieving defensive unit.
Additionally, there is no one on the staff who may become the interim, who has an incredible track record of any sort. Gregg Williams may be the best candidate, but with the contentious nature of the relationship between Williams and the team of recent, he seems a bit unlikely. With no interim who would threaten the “tank”, a roster devoid of talent, and an already struggling Sam Darnold, there is a clear case for relieving Adam Gase of his duties. The team should show a desire to be successful, retaining Adam Gase sends the opposite message.
The Case for Retaining Adam Gase
On the other side, there is the group of fans and writers who have ceded the season to Adam Gase’s incompetence. At 0-11, the 2020 season is beyond saving for the New York Jets. What is on the horizon is a generational quarterback talent in Trevor Lawrence. The winless Jets are the clear frontrunners for the Clemson phenom, but the 1-10 Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t far behind. The Jaguars have a clear strength of schedule advantage that would almost certainly afford them the selection in the event of a tie. As such, the Jets will need to have the outright worst record at the end of the season in order to definitively secure the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
This pick goes much beyond simply securing a new quarterback three years after selecting one many believed would be the savior of the Jets. The Jets are a symbol of incompetence at this point, which is not really attractive for prospective free agents or coaches. There is no chance Adam Gase remains coach of the team in 2021, and having Trevor Lawrence moves the Jets away from the Dan Quinn type candidates and towards the types of candidates like Eric Bienemy. Joe Douglas has shown a degree of competence not often exhibited by a Jets general manager. Pairing him with an elite coach would give Gang Green the leadership to overcome some of the shortcomings exhibited by the Johnsons.
Last Word
Firing Adam Gase at this point in the season would be a pride move. It would signal a desire for winning and success within the organization to some degree, but we seem to have reached a point of diminishing returns for that concept. Fans have a short memory, and if Trevor Lawrence can create a spark for the franchise, the Jets should not risk that for pride. There can be debates amongst the Jets fanbase over whether or not Trevor Lawrence is worth a complete organizational overhaul, but there seems to be little debate in league circles. Adam Gase gives the New York Jets the best chance to lose and secure the first overall pick in next year’s draft. Unfortunately, for Jets fans, that is the currently the best thing to root for.
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