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Justin Herbert will be coached by new Chargers passing game coordinator Adam Gase
The Los Angeles Chargers shook up their offensive coaching staff when they fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and replaced him with former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.
On Monday the Chargers made another big-name hire, adding former Dolphins and New York Jets coach Adam Gase. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Gase will serve as an assistant coach with a specific focus on the passing game.
Los Angeles Chargers adding Adam Gase to the mix is another attempt to elevate QB Justin Herbert
GettyJustin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, but his lack of postseason success is becoming glaring. Now six years into his career, Herbert has yet to win a single playoff game, with three losses in the tournament. His postseason statistics are just as unimpressive, completing just 54.7 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions.
Now that McDaniel and Gase are aboard the coaching staff, perhaps they can unlock whatever has been missing in Herbert’s game. McDaniel has been one of the most creative offensive minds in the NFL over the past several years, and Gase has worked with big-name quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Jay Cutler, and new Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold.
Adam Gase’s coaching background
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Gase has coached under some brilliant offensive minds, such as Steve Mariucci and Mike Martz. When Gase became the Denver Broncos‘ quarterbacks coach in 2011, people started taking notice of him. Manning had some of the best statistical seasons of his career under Gase, which led to Gase becoming Denver’s offensive coordinator in 2013.
After two years as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and one year with the Chicago Bears in the same role, Gase landed the head coaching job with the Dolphins in 2016. That season was promising, as he led Miami to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. Unfortunately, Gase followed that up with back-to-back losing seasons in 2017 and 2018, leading to his firing.
However, Gase got a second chance at being a HC with the Jets in 2019, although it would prove disastrous. New York went 7-9 that season, then 2-14 in 2020, which included an 0-13 start. He was fired at the conclusion of that year.
Gase has not been with an NFL since, joining the Chargers after a five-year hiatus. It’s clear that being a HC isn’t the right fit for Gase, but that doesn’t mean he has no value as an assistant. Being able to focus on one specific part of the game should be beneficial for him, and he brings plenty of experience to the table.
It will be crucial for Gase and McDaniel to gel and be on the same page schematically. If Herbert takes the next step in his development, both Gase and McDaniel could see their stocks quickly rise. It’s an ideal scenario for Gase specifically, as his expectations are more under the radar than McDaniels’. In the case that McDaniels moves on from the Chargers organization quickly for another HC gig, Gase could slide into the OC role.
Nick Roesch Nick Roesch covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, with a focus on the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Chiefs for USA TODAY Sports’ Chiefs Wire, and all 32 NFL teams for A to Z Sports. Roesch’s career in sports media spans 10 years. More about Nick Roesch
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