The New York Jets are 2-7, which is not good, of course, but that does not mean sweeping changes are coming.
"I want to assure you there will be no changes in coaches here," Johnson said, per NJ.com. "Adam has the trust of this team. He has the trust of Sam (Darnold). He has (general manager) Joe's (Douglas) trust. He has my trust. He's a good man. He's a good coach."
Johnson delivered the same message to Jets players Wednesday and received a positive response, NFL Network's Kimberly Jones reported.
Gase is in his first season in New York, which couldn't have gotten off to a worse start (thanks in part to Darnold's unavailability due to mononucleosis), but he's enjoying a few days of positive vibes after defeating the Giants in a cross-town shootout of sorts Sunday. The win left Darnold so optimistic, he told reporters the Jets could go on a run to the playoffs.
At 2-7, that seems improbable, but highlights how quickly moods can shift in the NFL based on the outcome of the most recent Sunday. Should Gase win a second straight game Sunday against the 1-8 Washington Redskins, the good feeling should continue to build, even if it's just incremental.
As we all know, turnarounds don't happen overnight in the NFL. For a team like the Jets, which has held onto doomed coaches longer than some franchises in the past, an expression of stability should help the team finish 2019 productively, and perhaps build toward greater success in 2020. Johnson emphasized how he brought in Douglas "to help build the team with Adam" and that there is "a great deal of work to do," which obviously can't be accomplished if one of the two is terminated.
"We're just getting started, but I feel really good about this team moving forward," Johnson said.
That won't appease angry fans, of course, who often call for the jobs of those in charge when they aren't instantly gratified. In the pressure cooker that is the New York market, these drastic shifts are only intensified. Johnson acknowledged as much, but isn't allowing public unrest to influence his decision.
Little or no turmoil is always better than the alternative, though, even if it doesn't immediately show in the win column. As Johnson said Wednesday, "changing systems year and year is a disaster for a young quarterback."
It's tough to swallow now, but the temporary frustration might end up being worth it in the long run.