Chicago Bears

Bears OC Gase had unusual career path, now focused on Cutler

Published Aug. 25, 2015 9:43 a.m. ET

foxsports

Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase didn't take a traditional path to the NFL sidelines. He didn't play football professionally, nor did he play the game in college. His career began as a graduate assistant at LSU in 2000, and he has spent the last 15 years climbing the coaching ladder.

"I always look at it s I got some lucky breaks," Gase said in a one-on-one interview with Lou Canellis of FOX 32 for the Bears' official YouTube channel. "I've met the right people at the right time."

Heavily influenced by Mike Martz from their time together in Detroit and San Francisco (2006-2008), Gase came to the Bears this offseason from the Denver Broncos with head coach John Fox. There, he helped quarterback Peyton Manning add to his lengthy list of NFL records, including the single-season touchdown (55) and yardage marks (5,477) -- both set in 2013.

"Whenever he gets the feel, he's calling plays, he's all over it," Bears quarterback Jay Cutler told Canellis about Gase. "I haven't had a guy like that, in the moment, while we're playing football, can dial them up the way he can dial them up."

Given the criticism Cutler so often faces, it'll be interesting to watch the impact Gase is sure to have on the embattled quarterback's performance in 2015.

(h/t Chicago Bears)