Doug Marrone Not Worrying About Job Status During Losing Streak
After losing for the third consecutive week by 20 points or more for the first time in Jacksonville Jaguars history, head coach Doug Marrone's job security has become one of the major question marks surrounding his 4-7 team.
But right now, Marrone isn't trying to worry or focus about the questions about how hot his seat is. Instead, he is trying to figure out how to turn the Jaguars' season around.
"I can’t speak for all the other head coaches, but I don’t worry about it," Marrone said following Sunday's 42-20 loss to the Tennesee Titans. "It is what it is, and if you don’t win you will always have a chance to get fired, and if you win, still have a chance to get fired if you don’t win well enough."
"So, you just work your butt off and it’s up to other people to handle that. I just leave it up to them," Marrone continued. "What I am going put my time in (to), is how we can coach them better and how we can play better."
During its three-game losing streak, the Jaguars have been outscored 101-36 and every loss has come to an AFC South opponent. The Jaguars are losing must-win division games and they are losing them in monumental fashion, so it is no surprise that Marrone is facing questions about his job.
To Marrone's credit, he appears cognizant of the fact that he is likely on the hot seat. It would probably take some strong naivety to not face that reality, but Marrone has said publicly that he has already addressed it with his team.
Marrone also knows his job isn't the only one hanging in the balance. When a team plays as poorly as Jacksonville has over the last month, the security of most of the roster, sans a few key players, comes into question as well.
"But, at the end of the day I told the players the same thing I’m going to tell you – it’s going to be the same questions about jobs, switching quarterbacks, changes, players and all of that stuff," Marrone said Sunday. "I still believe, I don’t know what happens in this league but we’re going to work our ass off to get this team right, somehow, someway. That’s the job. Put your head down."
Marrone, who was visibly frustrated during his post-game press conference, did not try to mince words about how he feels about his team's performance, either. He knows it isn't good enough, and he likely knows his time in Jacksonville is likely up soon if things don't dramatically change.
"Am I pissed? Yes. Am I embarrassed? Yes, I am that," he said. "I’m not speaking for anyone else, you’re going to have to tell them, but I promised them that I am going to do a better job and I’m going to work my butt off to get this thing right."
