Adam Gase has a message for every long-suffering Jets fan, who has endured a lifetime of anguish: He doesn’t care about you.
The Daily News has learned that the embattled head coach has privately told people for months that Gang Green diehards have never mattered to him.
“I’m rich as f–k” has become Gase’s go-to line since taking over 11 months ago, according to sources. Gase has repeatedly said it to anyone that mentions the avalanche of criticism this year. It has become his defense mechanism.
“He’s an insecure guy,” a Jets source told the News.
It’s a slap in the face to every fan, who has invested their time and money in a poor product for years. The last thing someone supporting this franchise needs to hear is the head coach boasting about his bloated bank account.
Gase also has said behind closed doors that his “Give-A-Sh–t meter” is low when it comes to critics since he’s got enough money in the bank now (thanks to Christopher Johnson).
The head coach has also privately told folks he’s not going to significantly change how he operates. There was a hope in the organization Gase would learn from his failings in Miami, but that hasn’t happened.
The most notable adjustment has been Gase’s handling of press conferences this year. At least one influential person in the organization told Gase early in the season he needed to get his act together and not bristle at questions that he didn’t like, the News has learned.
The reasoning? People in the building felt acting like a child (like he had done in Miami too often) in those settings reflected poorly on the organization and him.
So, he begrudgingly relented, according to sources.
However, Gase is the same person he’s always been in just about every other way, according to sources. Although the coach claims he doesn’t read or hear the criticism that has trailed him all year, people in the building don’t actually believe that.
In fact, some people on One Jets Drive are convinced Gase or a family member has a burner Twitter account to monitor what is being written or said about him — and defend him if necessary. Gase didn’t respond to several requests from the News for this story.
Gase has privately made it clear that getting a second head coaching contract has emboldened him, a fear that many had when he got another gig so quickly after the Dolphins fired him. He hasn’t been humbled in any way, according to people around him.
“He’s not changing,” another Jets source said. “He said he’s going to try to win his way.”
That’s a frightening notion given Gase’s track record.
