JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan is being criticized almost universally across the National Football League for firing head coach Doug Peterson while keeping GM Trent Baalke.
At a joint press conference conducted through Zoom on Monday, Khan explained how he reached that decision, while Baalke gave some insight into how the front office will conduct the organization’s search for a new head coach.
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“We’re all in this together,” Khan said. “That includes me, Trent, everyone on the football side...[but] coaching is where we need the most change.”
The Jags owner went on to explain that a complete overhaul of the organization is unnecessary, saying the administrative arm of the Jaguars franchise is “just fine.”
“I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” Khan noted. “We have a lot of things that are working, [things] that can always be improved, and there are other things that need to be working [and] need to be fixed.”
Some of the things that Khan considers as “working” include the health and wellness of players, the Jags medical staff, statistical analysis, and even the team who negotiates contracts.
Conversely, Khan believes that a “predictable” offense coupled with a significant regression from the defensive unit are two areas that require immediate attention, and if fixed, could lead to a quick turnaround.
Shad Khan says what he wants in a new head coach: "Right now we are the most predictable team on both sides of the ball." Says the team needs some unpredictability in its playcalling.
— Justin Barney (@JustinBarneyTV) January 6, 2025
Meanwhile, General Manager Trent Baalke was asked if he was surprised that he remained in his position with the Jags, despite multiple requests from fans for him to be fired.
“I don’t know if surprised is the right word,” Baalke explained. “Ultimately that’s not my decision, and I certainly respect the decision that was made, and I don’t take the job lightly, the bottom line is we weren’t productive on the field we didn’t win enough games.”
Regarding the search for a head coach, Baalke said, “We’re going to move quickly to get some people lined up to talk to...The process will take as long as it takes to identify the right individual.”
News4JAX Sports Anchor Jamal St. Cyr says the 2025-2026 season is Baalke’s last chance to get it right.
“He’s got to figure out a way to fix this roster, they’ve got to win games,“ St. Cyr stated. ”Last year’s draft class was really good, but the free agents weren’t impactful on the field, and that created all the problems with the roster.”
Baalke has been the Jaguars' general manager since 2021 and will soon be working with his third head coach of the franchise after 2021’s debacle with Urban Meyer and Pederson’s recent dismissal.
The trend is similar to Baalke’s time in San Francisco but without the postseason success. During his time with the 49ers, Baalke watched Jim Harbaugh walk out the door to the University of Michigan after three consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances and unsuccessfully brought in Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly to right the ship following Harbaugh’s exit.
Now, fans will have to endure at least one more season of the Khan-Baalke regime as they turn their attention to the 2025 NFL Draft, where they have the fifth overall pick, the fourth time the organization has picked inside the top 10 within the last six years.