On Wednesday, the Jaguars misplaced out on one other prime teaching candidate. If solely anybody may have seen this coming. Oh, wait. We did.
Proprietor Shad Khan’s choice to retain common supervisor Trent Baalke after the crew fired head coach Doug Pederson was considered poorly in early January. Within the weeks because it has was a near-catastrophe that resulted in Baalke’s firing on Wednesday.
Per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen will stay in Tampa Bay after receiving overtures from the Jaguars to just accept their head-coaching opening.
Jaguars’ Sports activities Illustrated beat reporter John Shipley described Jacksonville as “all-in” on hiring Coen, and the search “has now gone off the rails.”
As CBS Sports activities NFL analyst Will Brinson relayed earlier this week, just lately employed Bears head coach and former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson “was positively within the Jaguars gig — that is been a poorly-kept secret across the league for months.”
His choice to just accept the Bears’ opening despite their concerning front-office leadership indicated Baalke’s detrimental affect on Jacksonville’s search.
Whiffing on Coen, who may have parlayed one season answerable for the Bucs offense right into a profitable, multiyear head teaching contract, is the newest sobering reminder that the Jaguars will likely be pressured to battle for scraps so long as they keep their present entrance workplace construction.
Following the information of Coen’s choice to tug out of consideration for the Jaguars’ job, NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote, “It has been no secret that… that the Jaguars would have a tough time attracting a prime head coach in the event that they stored Trent Baalke.”
Jaguars reporter Mia O’Brien shared, “From the second Doug Pederson was fired and Trent Baalke was retained, there was trepidation from Liam Coen’s camp.”
Primarily based on Baalke’s resume, it was simple to surprise how he is had important job safety in his two stints as an NFL common supervisor.
From 2010-16, he served as 49ers common supervisor. He survived a reported energy wrestle with then-head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was 44-19-1 in 4 seasons in San Francisco (2011-14).
In 2015, Harbaugh instructed the San Jose Mercury Information (h/t ESPN), “I did not depart the 49ers. I felt just like the 49er hierarchy left me.”
Baalke’s first main transfer after Harbaugh’s firing was selling Jim Tonsula, the crew’s defensive position coach, to go coach.
In his lone season, he went 5-11 earlier than being fired. Baalke then employed Chip Kelly, who went 2-14 in 2016.
Baalke’s poor observe document with head coaches continued in Jacksonville, the place he was answerable for the City Meyer debacle. He lasted 13 video games earlier than being fired amid a scandal-plagued season in 2021.
It is perplexing how Baalke remained in possession’s good graces for so long as he did regardless of his failures throughout his 4 seasons in Jacksonville. Teaching candidates are rightfully simply as confounded, placing the Jaguars in an unlucky state of affairs.
Nevertheless, with Baalke’s firing, the Jaguars hope they will get again on the best path.
