NFL World Roasts Jaguars After Team Fires GM Trent Baalke Weeks Too Late

Not the best look for the Jags.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke on Thursday, April 20, 2023. / Juston Lewis/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired general manager Trent Baalke, multiple outlets reported Wednesday, a decision that is not shocking in and of itself but has led to some online jeering thanks to the timing of it all.

Jacksonville is in the middle of searching for a new head coach, too, but reports have suggested viable candidates weren't interested in working with Baalke. And though owner Shad Khan has now cut ties with his GM of four years, at least two top candidates on the coaching carousel—namely Liam Coen and Ben Johnson—have already moved on. So in waiting so long to give Baalke the boot, Khan essentially lost his chance with coveted options and may have shot himself in the foot.

Take a look at that reaction online:

There might not be a bigger fumble this cycle than how the #Jaguars handled this. Top coaching candidates were never going to Jacksonville with Trent Baalke still in place. Now, after all the top names have turned them down, the team (owner) finally realizes it. What a mess. https://t.co/7gIzAfDC4A

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 22, 2025

Fumbling each of the top candidates because you kept your GM just to fire your GM after they all said no is so funny https://t.co/UTWbMotJZx

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) January 22, 2025

When you can’t hire a coach because it appears they don’t want to work with the GM… https://t.co/XXwMuUkiv0

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) January 22, 2025

There were many people around the league who believed that Jacksonville would be willing to move on from Trent Baalke for the right person…and now he is out as the Jaguars GM.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 22, 2025

This is like letting a ghost haunt your house until it's condemned, and then calling an exorcist. https://t.co/D9LRiZ6t7T

— Robert Mays (@robertmays) January 22, 2025

early contender for funniest story of 2025 in the NFL. maybe in sports, period. https://t.co/gLqvx0gQoB pic.twitter.com/t7nl0tVXHm

— David Helman (@davidhelman_) January 22, 2025

The timing on this is of course bizarre, but retaining Trent Baalke after the season had drawn no shortage of skepticism around the NFL.

The Jaguars now need a new coach and GM. https://t.co/HLIIZIKEO5

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 22, 2025

Ummm, a little late!

But I guess late is better than never? Yikes. https://t.co/ieqJ15172m

— Kevin Patra (@kpatra) January 22, 2025

https://t.co/OBCoif1tBW pic.twitter.com/jy3frOaNH9

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 22, 2025

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer also weighed in:

Better late than never, but the reality is that this was mishandled from the start. My belief is Jaguars owner Shad Khan needed the help from Baalke on the coaching search. And through the process, I know he'd shown flexibility to move on from Baalke to land the right coach. https://t.co/TdudprkkfB

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 22, 2025

The Jags will now have their work cut out for them this offseason, as they'll need to find a new head coach and a new general manager. For what it's worth, both former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham have second head coaching interviews scheduled, per the NFL coaching tracker.

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