Dolphins hire Bears OC Adam Gase to be head coach

The Miami Dolphins are “close” to a deal with Adam Gase to become their next head coach, sources told ESPN.

Even though Chicago’s offense finished 21st in total yards per game, and 23rd in points per game during the regular season, Gase is widely respected in National Football League circles for the work he did with Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning as quarterback coach and offensive coordinator in Denver, and this past season in his first year with Jay Cutler.

Gase has been the offensive coordinator to Bears head coach John Fox the last few seasons, starting with the Denver Broncos in 2013. Widely considered one of the best young heach coaching candidates in the league over the past two seasons, Adam Gase will finally get his chance at the helm of an NFL team.

Gase, who didn’t make any bold predictions during his media address, said the Dolphins’ offense and defense will be modeled around the skills of his players as opposed to making players fit his system.

Packers: Cornerback Sam Shields will miss Green Bay’s wild-card playoff game against Washington on Sunday because of a concussion. Eli Manning has stated a preference for McAdoo to stay with the Giants in some capacity, either returning as coordinator or being elevated to head coach.

From Marshall, Gase went to Michigan State University, before following then-head coach Nick Saban to Louisiana State University to become an assistant at that school in 2000.

But the buzz about Gase, 37, has been building in South Florida all week.

Perhaps most paramount, Gase will be charged with developing Ryan Tannehill, who the team has high aspirations for and believes is a franchise quarterback. He was hired on Saturday by the Dolphins, who gave him control of their 53-man roster.

Gase is the NFL’s hottest coaching candidate among assistants. Replacement Dan Campbell, who improved the team with a 5-7 record, interviewed for the job, as did Doug Marrone, Mike Shanahan, and several others.

Gase spent six years on the Broncos staff, serving as wide receivers coach (2009-10), quarterbacks coach (2011-12) and offensive coordinator (2013-14). “He did some of the work and practiced with us and just didn’t quite recover”.

Gase will be officially introduced as the Dolphins head coach at a 3 p.m. EST press conference later today.