After five years away from the NFL sidelines, Adam Gase is officially back in the league-and he’s stepping into an intriguing situation. Gase is set to join the Los Angeles Chargers as a passing game assistant under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
For Chargers fans, this hire may raise eyebrows. Gase’s last NFL stop was a turbulent one: a two-year stint as head coach of the New York Jets that ended with a 9-23 record and more questions than answers.
His tenure in New York was marred by a lack of development from then-franchise quarterback Sam Darnold, a fractured locker room, and concerns about leadership and communication. He even briefly wore the general manager hat in 2019, adding another layer to a chaotic chapter in Jets history.
But zoom out, and Gase’s coaching résumé tells a fuller story. Before things unraveled in New York, he led the Miami Dolphins from 2016 to 2018, compiling a 23-25 record.
That run included a 10-6 season in 2016 and a playoff appearance-the team’s first since 2008. While Miami couldn’t sustain that success, Gase’s offensive acumen was evident, especially in how he managed quarterbacks like Ryan Tannehill during his time there.
Of course, Gase’s most celebrated work came earlier in his career, as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos during the Peyton Manning era. In 2013, Gase helped orchestrate one of the most prolific offensive seasons in NFL history, with Manning throwing for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns-both still standing as single-season records. That Denver offense was a juggernaut, and Gase’s role in unlocking Manning’s late-career brilliance earned him widespread praise and fast-tracked his rise through the coaching ranks.
He also had stops as the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2015, where he worked with Jay Cutler, and earlier roles in Denver as a quarterbacks coach and wide receivers coach. His NFL journey began with the Detroit Lions in the mid-2000s, and he cut his teeth in the college ranks at LSU.
Most recently, Gase stepped away from coaching and took on a role as a strategic advisor with The 33rd Team, a football think tank and media outlet founded by former NFL exec Mike Tannenbaum. There, he worked alongside names like Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia, staying plugged into the game from a different angle.
Now, he’s back on the field, and the context is fascinating. He’ll be part of a Chargers staff that’s been completely retooled under Harbaugh, and he’ll be working with one of the league’s most talented quarterbacks in Justin Herbert.
That pairing alone is enough to make this move worth watching. Gase has a track record of working with high-profile QBs-Manning, Cutler, Tannehill, even Tim Tebow-and now he gets a shot with Herbert, whose ceiling remains sky-high.
Adding another layer of intrigue: the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator is Mike McDaniel, who, like Gase, is a former Dolphins head coach. That dynamic-two offensive minds with Miami ties collaborating under Harbaugh-could be a key storyline as the Chargers look to finally capitalize on Herbert’s prime.
For Gase, this is a chance at reinvention. He’s not stepping back into the spotlight as a head coach, but rather into a more focused, specialized role-one that plays to his strengths in quarterback development and passing game design. If he can help elevate Herbert and contribute to a Chargers offense that’s long been searching for consistency, it could mark the start of an NFL comeback story.
Time will tell how this reunion with the league plays out, but one thing’s clear: Adam Gase is back, and the Chargers just added another experienced voice to a staff that’s aiming to turn potential into production.