Is Jaguars Head Coach Position Still Viewed As 'Consolation Prize'?

Now with Trent Baalke being let go as the Jacksonville Jaguars general manager, will the Jacksonville Jaguars be able to lure in a new head coach for the future?

Jacksonville Jaguars Manager Trent Baalke walks off the field during the third day of an NFL football training camp practice Friday, July 26, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Well, the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach search has not gone according to plan this offseason, as recent news came out about a candidate withdrawing his name from the hat. Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen has elected to stay with the team, ending the Jaguars pursuit.

The Jaguars still have options at their head coaching position, as they have scheduled an interview with Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham for second interviews. However, a trend has been building surrounding the Jaguars situation, mainly in the previous retainment of Trent Baalke as general manager.

"There aren't a lot of people that are lining up to work with the Jaguars right now because of GM Trent Baalke, let's call it how it is," Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said when discussing the Jaguars. "Guys like Ben Johnson, didn't want anything to do with the Jaguars. Other guys want nothing to do with the Jaguars because they retained Baalke."

The Jaguars head coaching position could be more intriguing now that the Jaguars and Shad Khan have decided to let Baalke go as of January 12.

However, the two strong headed candidates in Saleh and Graham must have some interest in the position opening because why else would they accept to do a second interview? Now that Baalke and Shad Khan have agreed to separate from working on the franchise, what does that mean for the head coach search?

It’s been no secret around the NFL since the season ended that the #Jaguars would have a hard time attracting a top head coach if they kept Trent Baalke. They stuck with him — and here we are. https://t.co/pEd5T6TJRq

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 22, 2025

Statement from Jaguars Owner Shad Khan. pic.twitter.com/YDjGHvdn2z

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 22, 2025

"It almost feels like whoever takes this job is getting set up to fail before even getting started," Devin McCourty said. "That's the problem, I think, right now in Jacksonville."

The Jaguars have been moving around head coaches for several years, most recently firing Doug Pederson after a poor season with the Jaguars. Pederson did not exactly leave this Jaguars team in high spirits as they were subjected to the bottom of the AFC South division after finishing in second place a year prior. Baalke can now joining Pederson on the unemployment line.

Looking at the job now, it almost seems that a candidate would take the job because other options aren't available, or they want the title of head coach attached to their name. The Jaguars have some pieces on both offense and defense to build around, but how it sits right now, the team may suffer similar fate in 2025 since Khan is now general manager and head coach-less.

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