The Miami Dolphins have hired Adam Gase to be the team’s new head coach, the Dolphins announced on Saturday.
Adam Gase hired as new head coach of the Miami Dolphins
Gase will be tasked with the development of Ryan Tannehill and turning around a Dolphins offense that regressed in 2015.
Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Gase, 37, replaces Dan Campbell, who took over as interim coach when Joe Philbin was fired in October. Gase has the task of turning around the Dolphins after a 6-10 finish in 2015.
Philbin originally came to the Dolphins with the hopes of turning around the offense after five seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. While the offense improved from No. 27 in the NFL in points to No. 11 in two seasons, it regressed in 2015 and finished No. 27.
The top priority for Gase will be the development of Ryan Tannehill, who took a step back after continued progress in his first three seasons. After completing 66.4 percent of his passes in 2014, with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, the Dolphins gave the 2012 first-round pick a six-year, $95.3 million in the 2015 offseason. But he completed just 61.9 percent of his passes in 2015, with 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Gase will also be the primary play-caller for the team next year, the Dolphins announced on Twitter.
Gase has been a quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos during his coaching career before taking over as offensive coordinator of the Broncos and Chicago Bears in the last four seasons.
Of course, the development of Tannehill isn’t the only thing keeping the Dolphins from winning the Super Bowl. The team finished No. 25 in total defense and the offensive line needs to better protect Tannehill, who was pressured on 38.6 percent of his dropbacks, the sixth-highest rate in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Gase spent the 2015 season as the offensive coordinator of the Bears after six seasons as an offensive assistant for the Broncos, following John Fox from Denver to Chicago. Gase was considered a top candidate after the 2014 season, his second as the offensive coordinator for the Broncos, and was reportedly close to becoming the San Francisco 49ers head coach before the team settled on Jim Tomsula.
In Gase's first season with the Bears, the team finished No. 21 in total offense, but he helped Jay Cutler finish with a 92.3 passer rating, the highest of his career. Cutler finished the year with 21 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions after leading the NFL with 18 interceptions in 2014.
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