Adam Gase will be looking for a job next week after the Jets fire him, which is almost certain. There has been some rumor from Boston that the Patriots may consider him their new defender coach. Jedd Fisch just left that position to take over as head coach at the University of Arizona.
It would make some sense to see Gase land in New England. He and Josh McDaniels go back to 1999, when they were both low-level assistants on the team of Nick Saban in the state of Michigan. Gase worked with McDaniels in Denver as a coach for wide receivers, when McDaniels was the head coach. Patriots coach Bill Belichick always praises Gase too, as he did again on Tuesday, during a conference call with Jets reporters.
“I think Adam did a great job this year, continuing to improve the team with coaching,” said Belichick. “As usual, his excellent game plan and gameplay are problems for the defense. This is a team that is getting better and better. “
The bigger question than whether the Patriots would want Gase is whether Gase would be able to swallow his pride in working for McDaniels. Gase has been a head coach for five seasons. His contract with the Jets lasts for two more years, so he will be making money. It would certainly be a blow to his ego to be a position coach again, especially under the command of someone he worked for 10 years ago.
Gase may not have many other options, but it still seems unlikely that Jets fans will see him on the New England sideline next year.