John Clayton on Adam Gase: 'I Respect His Offensive Mind...I'd be Surprised if He Survives This Season'

Almost universally, the New York Jets fanbase is united behind firing head coach Adam Gase. But NFL insider John Clayton doesn’t necessarily get that idea.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame journalist said that firing Gase is simply hitting ‘repeat’ on the team’s rebuilding cycle over the past decade. Since the Jets last playoff appearance in 2010, there have been three head coaches and four general managers that have come through the franchise. The team is in a state of perma-rebuild, constantly reshuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic while all too aware of the iceberg that lies ahead.

And yet, continuing to steam forward with the hopes that catastrophe will be averted.

Clayton thinks that Gase, whose Jets have disappointed with an 0-4 start including two blowout losses, may not last the year but firing him isn’t necessarily the answer.

“Too many coaching changes happen in this league,” Clayton told Sports Illustrated’s Jets Country.

“I like Adam Gase, I respect his offensive mind and everything else. But I would be surprised if he survives this season. Interest in the Jets by Jets fans dropping at a very strong level. You can see, things right now, you wonder, where are the players in the locker room with regards to Adam Gase?”

Part of the issue for the winless Jets is that if they move on from Gase now, it could permanently wreck quarterback Sam Darnold’s development. The 23-year old quarterback, in his third NFL season, has struggled and seen his numbers dip from a year ago.

There is also the message it sends to the rest of the league. This season, the Jets have been hit hard with injuries, a similar story to 2019 where they led the league in missed games due to injury. That year, Gase led the Jets to a surprising 7-9 record and earned praise for that coaching job.

To fire him this season after a strong first season in New York would not be well-received among coaching candidates who would want stability from a franchise that has been turbulent as of late.

“Do you turn it over to Gregg Williams, who has experience as an interim coach – most recently done it, but the six personal fouls he had against the Broncos, that doesn’t look good,” Clayton said.