Led by Franchise’s Only Hall of Famer, Jaguars Trying To Change Definition of Collaboration

Give owner Shad Khan credit for taking new approach, continuing to take swings at breaking down wall

The Jacksonville Jaguars introduce General Manager James Gladstone, left, Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. as he listened to Head Coach Liam Coen, center, talk about how Gladstone was bringing a new level of skills to the organization during the press conference as Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli, right, listened. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025 | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tony Boselli said Monday that when he played in Jacksonville, the definition of collaboration wasn’t several individuals working together to make important decision. Collaboration was Tom Coughlin making decisions by himself.

“There was always full alignment and full collaboration,” Boselli said Monday at James Gladstone’s introductory press conference, drawing laughter. “There were no questions.”

Times have changed in Duval County. The franchise’s first and only Hall of Famer, Boselli is now executive vice president of football operations. He works on the same level with Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen, each reporting to owner Shad Khan. Boselli said he wouldn’t address the past because he wasn’t in his current role but did address the future.

“I'm just worried about where we're going, and where we're going is in the right direction with the right vision with the right people,” Boselli said. “The three of us will work together.

“At the end of the day, James' job, my job, is to support Liam, our coaches and our players to give them all the tools, resources and the ability to go on to the field every Sunday and do the best to try to win as many possible games as we can.” 

Coming together and agreeing to move in a certain direction, whether personnel decisions, player nutrition or even carpet in the building, won’t always be seamless. And when disagreements happen, Gladstone committed to “pure collaboration.”

“We'll continue to get deeper alignment as we continue to grow and evolve together,” Gladstone said Monday. “But there will be disagreements. We welcome that. When there's ever a moment that we can't bridge the gap and find some version of common ground when it comes to evaluating a player, we will have players that we will align on and we'll focus our attention there and move those others off to the side.

“Because what's important is not whether or not those go on to have success. In my mind, it's that the ones that we add to our ecosystem are built to thrive in what we've constructed. So that's really the intent and really why I feel like we've had such success in Los Angeles over the most recent years is because the people that we do bring in are built for our environment and really elevate it and themselves by being amongst it.” 

Logistically, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Gladstone’s purview includes the draft, free agency and roster-building responsibilities. Coen will focus on everything that happens “on the grass” and Boselli will supervise football-support staff such as medical, equipment, travel, strength and conditioning, facilities, PR and travel.

The flowchart is different than when Coughlin led the Jaguars to playoff berths in five of the franchise’s first six seasons during the late 1990s. It’s even different than it was two months ago. Now, the task for Boselli, Gladstone and Coen is to change the results.

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