REPORT: Jaguars' Failed 2024 Season Took a Turn Due to Leadership, Lack of Fire

ESPN dived into why the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2024 season was such a mess, and it started at the top.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson looks on during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There seems to be no shortage of reasons for why the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2024 season was amongst the worst in franchise history.

A season that started with genuine high hopes and ended with a complete whimper. Despite Jaguars owner Shad Khan saying before the season that he felt like this was the best team in franchise history when taking the roster and the coaching staff into account, the Jaguars' ended the year with a 4-13 record and a firing of head coach Doug Pederson.

According to a story from ESPN's Michael DiRocco on Monday, a few of the issues the Jaguars faced stemmed from leadership -- whether on the sidelines or in the locker room.

"Khan said he left his meeting with Pederson the week before the season finale not liking the coach's plan moving forward -- which, according to a team source, included no major changes. That's when Khan made his decision," DiRocco said.

On the same day the Jaguars fired Pederson, Khan and general manager Trent Baalke met with local media on Zoom to discuss why the move was made and what the path was moving forward. During the Zoom, Khan said that he felt like the Jaguars were the most predictable team in the NFL on both sides of the ball -- a clear criticism of Pederson.

"Khan's assessment on the Jaguars' predictability was shared by Baalke, according to a team source," DiRocco said.

"Last February, Pederson said he would reevaluate playcalling. Khan said in June that he had a preference on who he wanted to call plays but would leave the decision up to Pederson. A team source said Baalke wanted Pederson to call plays in 2024, but did not push the issue."

Aside from Pederson's own gaffes, DiRocco also painted a picture of a locker room that led by quiet example as opposed to leading with fire, and even justified anger.

"Players said the team's leaders -- Engram, Kirk, Lawrence, Hines-Allen and Oluokun -- had a lead-by-example, quieter style. But the Jaguars needed someone more vocal, one player said, especially as the season started to spiral out of control," DiRocco said.

"Nobody's angry," the player said during the middle of the season. "[I] wish there was some of that."

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