Jaguars’ Mike Caldwell To Participate in 2023 NFL’s Coach Accelerator Program
The Jaguars will have some representation at the upcoming NFL Coaches Accelerator Program, with defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell set to be in attendance for the second straight year.
The Coach Accelerator aims to increase exposure between owners, executives, and diverse coaching talent, providing ample opportunity to develop and build upon their relationships according to an NFL press release.
The program is set to take place in Minneapolis at the NFL’s Spring League Meeting on May 21-23. This is the second year of operation, with 40 total participants based on their high potential to be considered for a head coaching position in the future per the release. Caldwell is one of 16 participants that are returning members from the inaugural Accelerator program in 2022.
“In the year since its inception, we’ve been encouraged by the positive response to the Accelerator from both club owners and participants,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “We look forward to continuing to build on an incredible program that supports diverse talent.”
Caldwell’s coaching career began in 2008 with the Philidelphia Eagles as their defensive quality control coach. Since then the 51-year-old has had professional stops with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, serving in a myriad of roles before being hired by the Jaguars in 2022 as the team’s defensive coordinator.
“I thought honestly first time coordinator, he really improved as the season went along. One of the things I thought we did a nice job with our personnel on defense, we kind of figured out where certain guys played and kept them in their spots, and they blossomed from there," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said at the end of last season.
"Darious Williams is one of those guys, moving him back out to corner really helped us there. Of course Tre Herndon going back in at nickel was big for us back half of the season. For Mike, it’s the same thing. He’s like one of those first-year players. He’s going to learn from this season, he’s going to grow from it. He’s going to be better. Now he has a year of defense under his belt that he can go back and refine and retool. Now obviously, is not the time to really figure out your roster because we have time, but it’s more about the scheme and what we were doing. Knowing the guys that are going to be back, the guys that are under contract, did we do the best? Did we put them in positions to help us on defense. That’s all a positive.”
