The Dolphins interviewed former National Football League coaches Doug Marrone, Mike Shanahan and Mike Smith, along with Miami interim coach Dan Campbell and two other candidates.
Advertisement
The Dolphins watched with interest on Monday when the New York Giants and head coach Tom Coughlin announced their divorce. He also interviewed with the Eagles, Browns and Giants and has been considered the front-runner for the Dolphins job.
Gase departs Chicago after one season and becomes the NFL’s youngest active head coach at age 37. He came onto the radar as a head-coaching candidate while working as Peyton Manning’s quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in Denver and earned positive reviews for his work with Jay Cutler as offensive coordinator in Chicago this past season.
Gase comes to Miami from the Chicago Bears, where he served as offensive coordinator the 2015 season. “He has high-energy is competitive and driven to win with a mindset of teaching and developing players”. He has been their quarterback for four years now and they do not seem to have any plans on letter him go elsewhere at least next season.
“He’s a hot commodity right now”, said Ken Jenkins, who said he’s satisfied with the signing.
Gase will be charged with improving a Dolphins team that finished bottom of the AFC East this season with a 6-10 record. “And then I am going to hire guys on the offensive staff to also help him develop”.
“I couldn’t be happier for Adam and his family”, Cutler told the Bears’ website. His work with quarterbacks is well documented and I know firsthand how good he is.
Dolphins GM Chris Grier (left), owner Stephen Ross, coach Adam Gase and VP Mike Tannenbaum. At the end of the day, Gase is just another OC with limited success that someone is hoping will blossom in the head coaching role.
Some outside Halas Hall have wondered whether Cutler would regress without Gase. “I feel like I’ve been doing it for the last three years, I really enjoy it, I enjoy that aspect of putting the gameplan together with the offensive staff. He’s is ready for this for sure”.
The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since 2000.
Advertisement
Specifically, Cutler threw for 3,659 yards with 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a completion percentage of 64.4 and a passer rating of 92.3.
