Adam Gase May Be Such a Hot Commodity Because He Doesn't Want to Take His Boss' Job
Lots of small men in NFL front offices. Howie Roseman may be one of them.
Mike Florio writes that one of the reasons Adam Gase may be in such high demand this year is because he’s shown that he can blend well with big-name players – Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler – and not step on any toes up the franchisinal ladder:
Whether it’s Howie Roseman in Philadelphia, Mike Tannenbaum in Miami, Jerry Reese in New York, or whoever ultimately will be calling the shots in Cleveland (I’d add Trent Baalke in San Francisco if the 49ers hadn’t already passed on Gase in 2015), Gase apparently has managed to persuade each of them that he has no agenda other than to coach, and that his ability to forge partnerships with personalities as diverse as Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler means that Gase can forge a partnership with his General Manager and/or executive V.P. of football operations.
The stated goal of each coaching hire is to consider the best interests of the team. The unspoken disclaimer is that the folks who stand to lose power or authority are thinking about their own best interests. Gase is hot in the current hiring cycle because the current hiring cycle is conducive to candidates who will stay in their lane.
I can’t tell if this piece is complimentary or dismissive (I think complimentary). But, though Chip Kelly’s reign as GM was a disaster for what it was, I’m not sure a guy who stays in his lane is the sort of person you want to lead your football team to greatness. Again, say what you will about Chip, but he innovated in ways the league will benefit from for years (with sports science), and at least swung for the fences with regard to constructing his own team.
Meanwhile, Jeff McLane reports that Roseman is a fan of Gase:
The feeling is mutual. Gase came away from the 8-hour meeting with a favorable opinion of Roseman, a source familiar with his thinking said. Roseman, the Eagles’ vice president of football operations, will head the personnel department and work hand-in-hand with the new coach.
The little I’ve read about Gase, I like him. But I don’t like that the Eagles appear to be looking for someone who stays in his lane.