Jets coach Adam Gase says reports of rift with GM Mike Maccagnan made him angry
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets had to endure a not-so-fun story line during last month's NFL Draft, when there were multiple reports and rumors of friction between general manager Mike Maccagnan and new coach Adam Gase.
Maccagnan denied the rift back then. Gase got his chance to do the same Friday, and took it a step further saying the reports angered him.
"It kind of pisses me off a little bit, because we have discussions on everything," Gase said Friday at Jets rookie orientation where he met with reporters for the first time since the draft.
Gase said he's been in lockstep with Maccagnan since taking the job in January — Maccagnan and Jets CEO Christopher Johnson led search that ended with Gase replacing the fired Todd Bowles. He emphasized that they've worked together to build a new team that fits both their mindsets and where the Jets are trying to go.
"That’s our job, we have to work through so much stuff," Gase said of him and Maccagnan. "That’s what we’ve got to do. And that’s all we’ve done since we’ve been here, since we’ve started we just constantly were in communication, whether he’s coming out of my office or I’m going to his office. That’s all we’re trying to do is just make sure we’re on the same page all the time, making sure that — we’re trying to put this together as well as we can, in a short period of time."
That's not to say that they agree on every decision. Gase admitted that sometimes, they haven't agreed on certain players or decisions, but said that's natural.
"If it wasn’t, what are we doing this for?" Gase said. "If everybody just agreed on everything it would be boring. You need to have a little excitement every once in a while."
The reports of friction centered around disagreements during free agency. Gase said he wasn't frustrated by the decisions that were made as the Jets added players, but he admitted that he did not enjoy the process. At all.
"I mean, the plan was — we knew what it was going into it, so we’ve just got to execute it and move on to the draft," Gase said. "It was just about, can we get the guys we’re talking about getting. You just never know because there’s 31 other teams competing against you, you don’t really know who’s telling the truth, what agents are BSing you, which ones are shooting you straight. Free agency’s a nightmare procedure."
Email: vasqueza@northjersey.com