Chargers to Hire Adam Gase as Passing Game Assistant

The Los Angeles Chargers are hiring the former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase as an assistant coach overseeing the passing game, according to ESPN. It marks Gase’s first NFL job since the Jets fired him after a 2-14 season in 2020.

Gase, 47, joins a Chargers staff undergoing notable offensive changes under head coach Jim Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Reuniting With Familiar Offensive Ties

Gase will work alongside McDaniel, the former Dolphins head coach who recently took over as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. The two now reunite in Los Angeles as part of a broader effort to reshape the Chargers’ offensive identity around quarterback Justin Herbert.

Gase likely steps into the role previously held by Marcus Brady, who left to join the Baltimore Ravens as their passing-game coordinator.

The Chargers have also added Butch Barry as offensive line coach and Max McCaffrey as running backs coach as McDaniel builds out his staff.

A Once-Rising Offensive Mind Returns

Gase earned a reputation early in his career as one of the league’s brightest offensive coaches. He worked closely with Peyton Manning as the Denver Broncos’ quarterbacks coach and later served as offensive coordinator in Chicago with Jay Cutler.

That reputation helped him land the Dolphins’ head coaching job in 2016 at age 37, making him the NFL’s youngest head coach at the time. Miami reached the playoffs in his first season, but offensive struggles persisted, and he was fired after three years.

The Jets hired him in 2019 with hopes he could develop quarterback Sam Darnold. Instead, New York finished last in total offense in both of his seasons. Gase compiled a 32-49 record as a head coach between Miami and New York, including one playoff appearance.

A Fresh Start in a Smaller Role

Now returning in a non–head coaching capacity, Gase takes on a more focused responsibility in the passing game — an area where his early coaching résumé once stood out.

For the Chargers, the hire represents a bet that Gase’s offensive acumen can translate more effectively in a specialized role rather than from the top of the organizational chart.

After five years away from the league, Gase gets a chance at a reset — this time without the weight of running the entire team.