Adam Gase's Final Weeks With Dolphins Was Full Of Massive Arguments With Owner Stephan Ross

TheSportster

By Alex Hoegler

Published Jan 3, 2019

Before getting fired by the Miami Dolphins, former head coach Adam Gase reportedly clashed aplenty with owner Stephen Ross.

Dec 30, 2018; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase looks on against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins' decision to fire Adam Gase after a second straight losing and non-playoff season surprised many, but we now have more details as to what led to his demise in South Beach.

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Miami owner Stephen Ross hadn't "pre-planned" firing Gase, and the decision was only made recently to relieve the 40-year-old of his duties. The firing stemmed from a series of arguments and disagreements in what the direction of the franchise should be.

Salguero cited something Ross said in the midst of the 2016 season, when the Dolphins were on way to reaching the postseason for the first time in eight years. Ross complimented the first-year head coach and said Gase "has already changed the culture of the Miami Dolphins."

That made Gase "livid," according to Salguero, since Miami only stood at 5-4 and "basically accomplished nothing" up to that point. That was only one of the first tipping points in their rocky three-year working relationships.

Gase also didn't prioritize upgrading a terrible offensive line, rather deciding Miami needed to invest in its defense, per Salguero. When Ross "challenged" Gase about this, the latter "yelled at the owner about knowing more about football than he did," and a team member had to step in and stop the coach from talking to his owner in such a tone.

And finally, it was disagreements about what the direction of the franchise should be that spelled the end of Gase's tenure. He was ready to fire his defensive coordinator (Matt Burke), and cut ties with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but ownership and management simply decided they wanted to try a different path. Hence, Gase was let go after three years.

What This Means

The Dolphins haven't had much success in the 21st century, and the constant failures by management can be seen as the key reason why. Gase did the most he could with a flawed roster, and it simply wasn't good enough for Miami ownership.

Gase has a handful of head coaching interviews lined up, so it doesn't seem like he's going to be out of work for very long anyway.

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