The New York Jets fired Adam Gase on Sunday night, ending a disappointing tenure after just two loss-filled seasons.
Gase came with high hopes in January 2019, despite being fired by Miami after three seasons, he would be the perfect fit to help quarterback Sam Darnold take the next step in his development. Instead, Gase’s Jets went 9-23, including an 0-13 start this season that was the worst in franchise history.
“While my sincere intentions are to have stability in our organization — especially in our leadership positions — it is clear the best decision for the Jets is to move in a different direction,” Jets chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson said in a statement issued by the team.
“To our fans, it is obvious we have not been good enough,” Johnson continued. “We are committed to building a strong organization, on and off the field, and will continue to provide the necessary resources to field a team that you can be proud of.”
Darnold regressed in his third season before being sidelined twice because of an injured right shoulder, while the offense — ravaged by injuries early and not to mention the impact of the pandemic — was mostly inept. The Jets struggled until late in the season to put a consistently competitive offense on the field. Gase even handed off offensive play-calling duties to coordinator Dowell Loggains for a stretch to try to spark things.
There was some optimism after the Jets finished 7-9 last year following a 1-7 start that was marked by Darnold missing three games with mononucleosis. But Darnold and the offense struggled mightily.
“We knew there was a lot of work that needed to be done when Adam joined us in 2019,” Johnson said. “Our strong finish last year was encouraging, but unfortunately, we did not sustain that positive momentum or see the progress we all expected this season.”
Report: Anthony Lynn likely out with Chargers
Fox Sports reported early on Sunday that Chargers coach Anthony Lynn could be fired as soon as Monday. The Chargers finished with four straight wins, including a 38-21 victory over resting Kansas City, and Justin Herbert has emerged as their franchise quarterback, but Lynn’s fate may have been sealed weeks ago when they were eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive year.
“As of right now I’m still under contract. That’s how I feel,” said Lynn, who is 33-31 in four seasons. “I think we’ve done a good job here, under the circumstances. Yeah, I’d like to be the head coach here. But right now I’m under contract.”
Herbert made it clear Lynn has his support: “I believe in him,” he said. “I believe in this coaching staff. I believe in this team.”
Here is the Mike Evans left knee injury. pic.twitter.com/XdeXtvkk77
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 3, 2021
Mike Evans injured in Tampa victory
Star Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans was carted to the locker room with a left knee injury late in the first quarter and did not return for the remainder of the Buccaneers’ 44-27 victory over the Falcons.
Evans was hurt one play after a 20-yard reception made him the first player in NFL history to begin a career with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He went down trying to make a catch in the end zone and was carted to the locker room after first trying to walk off with assistance from a trainer.
“It meant the world for him to get that record and, then, to have an easy touchdown,” Bucs coach Bruce Arians said. “The turf was really slick in the end zone. It was just a freaky thing. Knock on wood, we don’t think there is any serious damage, but we will know more in the next 24 hours.”
Odds and ends
⋅ With both Cleveland (since 2002) and Tampa Bay (2007) ending their playoff droughts this season, the Jets now have the unenviable streak of going home early for the most consecutive years, beginning in 2011.
⋅ Emmanuel Sanders needed eight catches for New Orleans to reach an incentive clause in his contract and earn $500,000 for catching 60 passes this season. He finished with nine, reaching his mark late in the third quarter of the rout of the Panthers. “We really wanted to get him eight catches,” quarterback Drew Brees said.
⋅ Detroit’s Matthew Stafford — playing with ankle, rib and thumb injuries — was 20 of 31 for 293 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in his team’s loss to Minnesota. “I got two years left on my deal here,” said Stafford, declining to speculate about the possibility of playing elsewhere next season.
⋅ Philip Rivers’s lone touchdown pass of Indianapolis’s win against Jacksonville was No. 421 in his career, breaking a tie for fifth on the NFL’s list with Dan Marino. Rivers also passed Eli Manning for No. 6 in league history in career attempts (8,134).
⋅ Lamar Jackson rushed for 97 yards and threw for 113 before taking a seat in the third quarter of Baltimore’s blowout of Cincinnati. He has run or passed for at least one touchdown in 36 straight starts, the longest active streak in the NFL.
⋅ DK Metcalf set the Seahawks’ single-season record for yards receiving with 1,302 yards. Hall of Famer Steve Largent held the mark for 35 years, with 1,287 yards in 1985. Teammate Tyler Lockett also went over 1,000 yards for the season on a 26-yard catch to start the second quarter. Joey Galloway and Brian Blades in 1995 were the only Seahawks teammates to accomplish that feat in the same season.
⋅ Las Vegas tight end Darren Waller caught pass No. 105 to break Tim Brown’s 1997 team record for receptions in a season. Earlier in the game, Waller became the first tight end in team history to turn in back-to-back seasons with 100 or more catches and 1,000 or more yards.
⋅ Aaron Rodgers threw a 3-yard touchdown to Robert Tonyan on the first play of the period against the Chicago Bears, giving Green Bay 205 second-quarter points this season. They finished with 219, breaking the 2007 Patriots’ NFL record for second-quarter points in a season of 199, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
⋅ Denver honored Hall of Famer Floyd “The Franchise” Little with a moment of silence before its game with Las Vegas. Little died Friday after a long battle with cancer.