Before becoming the head coach of the Dolphins, current Jets head coach Adam Gase formed a formidable duo with quarterback Peyton Manning during his time with the Broncos.
It's well known that Gase rose the coaching ranks via Manning. That helped Gase land his current gig with the Jets. Quarterback Sam Darnold is aware of it, too. That's caused Darnold to ask one question pretty often, according to ESPN.
During their meetings, Gase said that Darnold often asks him, "How would Peyton do this?"
Manning, who retired following the 2015 season, is certainly a good role model to look up to. His career is littered with MVP awards, All-Pro honors, and Super Bowl titles.
In Gase's first season at the helm of the Jets, the most changes to the team were expected on offense since his predecessor, Todd Bowles, was a defensive-minded coach. In focusing on the offense, Gase has introduced more of an up-tempo style of offense, which puts a lot of responsibility on the quarterback, which circles back to Darnold's questions about Manning.
Known for his abilities at quickly moving an offense up the field with ease, changing the play at the line, and yelling out "Omaha," Manning is one of the best QBs to steer the ship under center. While not putting himself in the same category as Manning, nor close to it just yet, Darnold did say he's in favor of the changes.
"[The changes] got me excited because I've been in an offense where last year was more slow-paced," Darnold said. "(In 2018) I thought we executed well at times. In high school and college, I was in those fast-paced, no-huddle offenses. I just kind of felt more comfortable doing that kind of stuff. It's going to be a lot of fun this year."
But this type of change is easier said than done. It takes plenty of work on and off the field from both QB and coach to accomplish it. But despite that, Darnold told SNY earlier this month that Gase's best advice to him so far is to just keep calm and carry on.
And trust the offense.
"I think one of the best things, especially in this offense, is for me to keep calm," Darnold said. "People talk about it all the time, quarterbacks have to be that... even keeled, steady mindset. And that's kind of the biggest thing he's helped me with. I've always been that way, but on the field, just like really calming down my mind, really just thinking about the things that I need to think about, and not paying attention to any outside noise."