The New York Jets fired Adam Gase following Sunday's season finale. Now the questions turn to Sam Darnold's future with Gang Green.
After Gase was hired to shepherd the young quarterback's career, a new coach could mean a new signal-caller.
Asked Monday what went wrong the past two years under Gase, Darnold placed most of the blame on his own shoulders.
"Personally, I didn't play consistent enough," Darnold said, via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. "I think that's the one thing I'm going to stick to because it's true. I didn't play well enough."
"The relationship we've built the last few years has been very special. It's obviously very sad news," Darnold added of Gase's firing.
The former first-round pick regressed in two years under Gase.
Darnold finished with a career-worst in losses (10), pass YPG (184.0), TD-INT ratio (9-11) and passer rating (72.7) in 2020. In two years under Gase, Darnold ranked in the bottom six among QBs versus the blitz, under pressure, no pressure and on passes of 10-plus air yards, per Next Gen Stats. Darnold generated a -137.5 total pass expected points added (EPA) in the past two years, last in the NFL.
Despite the struggles, the third-year quarterback reiterated his desire to remain in New York.
"Very important to me," Darnold said of sticking with the Jets. "I said it once I got here I want to be a Jet for life. I want to turn this thing around. I know we can. I definitely want to stay here, hopefully for the rest of my career."
Holding the No. 2 overall pick, the Jets will decide in the coming month whether to give Darnold another shot with a new coach or start over with the latest hot-shot young signal-caller.
If it's the end of the line for the former No. 3 overall pick with the Jets, it was an inglorious finish.
