Jaguars HC Doug Marrone Reflects on the Firing of Tom Coughlin and What It Means for His Own Future

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When Doug Marrone took the head coaching job with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017, he was able to finally work for one of the men he respected the most in all of football in Tom Coughlin.

Now, Marrone has to move on without the legendary coach in the background of Jacksonville's football operations.

Coughlin was relieved from his role as executive vice president of football operations by Jaguars owner Shad Khan on Wednesday night, a move Khan said in a statement would have come at the end of 2020 anyways, but had to be made now. It can be theorized that Khan's decision was accelerated by the recent lashing from the NFL Players Association, but the move still sent shockwaves throughout Jacksonville.

"I wanted to make sure I was available for you, and obviously the people out there that support the organization and our sponsors, and answer whatever questions I can with whatever information I have," Marrone said during a Thursday press conference at TIAA Bank Field.

Marrone said he actually found out about Khan's decision to fire Coughlin from the fired executive himself. The two had one last conversation before Coughlin left the confines of Jacksonville's facility for presumably the final time.

"I can't remember the exact time. I was working on goal line and short yardage, and then coach Coughlin walked in and he said that 'Shad had just let me go,'" Marrone said. "We have been through this. Unfortunately in coaching, it happens. We have been through it before. I kind of just took a step back and asked coach, 'Is there anything that I can do for you?' And coach was as professional as you guys know he would be. That was it."

Marrone was asked about his and Coughlin's relationship during their three seasons in Jacksonville, with one question suggesting the two's ability to work together had become strained.

But, Marrone said, this wasn't the case. Marrone said he respected Coughlin so much that he was always willing to humble himself and accept that he may not have all of the answers.

"I have gotten a call from someone saying I hadn't spoken to Tom, which is really a joke. We talked every day. I wouldn't use those terms that the relationship was strained because I have so much respect for him and I listen," Marrone said. "If anything, I see the relationship had gotten stronger the last three years."

But despite the respect Marrone had for Coughlin and the admiration he has always held for him, Marrone admitted he doesn't quite have the chance to sit and reflect on his feelings. Instead, he has to figure out how to get his 5-9 team a victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

"There is not a lot of time really for me for reflection because I have to lead these coaches and lead this team," Marrone said. "My focus is on getting the coaches better and the players better, because we all know that we have to play better than we have been playing."

Was Marrone given any status update on what Coughlin's firing means for his own future with his job status hanging in the balance? Marrone confirmed he spoke to Khan, but there were no discussions about 2020 or who would or wouldn't lead the team.

Khan said in his statement that Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell would both report to him on an interim basis to close out 2019, with Marrone noting Thursday that this was the first time he had ever reported to Khan.

"Pretty much Shad brought me into his office afterward and said that he let coach go and for the time that I will be reporting to him, and that he expects me to be focused on the next two games," Marrone said. "I said 'absolutely' and that was that conversation."

After three years of working with one of his football heroes, the Marrone-Coughlin working relationship has ended. How Marrone navigates these final two weeks without Coughlin in the picture will be telling, as well as a vast change from the past three years.