JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it…

Michael from Orange Park, FL

Are you $$))$)##ing kidding me? Really?

I'll assume this references Jaguars Owner Shad Khan on Monday morning dismissing Doug Pederson as head coach and retaining Trent Baalke as general manager, a decision that came a day after a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2024 regular-season finale. That this decision was not received particularly well by a vocal portion of the fan base was unsurprising; when a team finishes 4-13 after entering the season with far loftier expectations, anything less than a clean sweep and/or tossing all those responsible into rivers is unacceptable. I'll say this first: I didn't know what Khan would decide entering the weekend and any combination of Baalke/Pederson staying/leaving was possible. I also have consistently said that I didn't love the Jaguars' free agency approach during the 2024 offseason and that the Jaguars' plan moving forward should skew far away from free agency – and more toward trusting drafted players. It's just as true that the Jaguars have a better roster with more potential now than when Baalke took over as general manager in 2021, and that the Jaguars improved dramatically from 2020-2021 to 2022-2023. Khan's reasoning for his decisions was clear and simple – that he likes the progress and structure overall of the Baalke-led football administration, and that the major short-term fixable issue with the Jaguars was the coaching staff. A coaching change therefore was needed. That's the plan. That's the path forward.

Jorge from Edmonton

Well, every time us fans think we hit rock bottom, it keeps getting worse. Have you seen or covered a bigger debacle than what took place Monday? How is there any more defending Shad after what went down? Every media member local or national is having a field day.

I received many emails along these lines Monday. Answering all would be repetitive and therefore not particularly entertaining or informative. Many fans won't like this move – or non-move. Many will lose faith in Khan and the organization. That's often the reality of staying the course in difficult times. Such moves are often judged harshly in the short-term. How they are judged in the long-term depends on the results and how history judges this move will depend on how the Jaguars will fare in the coming seasons. That's the good thing for Baalke and Khan in this. What is said now and in the coming months ultimately won't matter. What will matter is winning and losing. That will be the measure.

Tim from Jacksonville

Did I imagine it? Or did Khan leave the door open for an executive vice president?

It's not your imagination. Khan on Monday absolutely said hiring an executive vice president of football operations remains possible.

Ben from Santa Rosa Beach

Why Pederson and NOT Baalke?

Khan on Monday: "I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We have a lot of things that are working, that can always be improved and will improve, and there are other things that are not working that need to be fixed. The coaching is an area that we need to fix now. But certainly, over the last few years, we built a football administration and a lot of things are working well there."

Tommy from Jacksonville

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. Trent needed to be held accountable for this dumpster fire, too. Very disappointing.

A lot of fans and observers see it that way. Khan didn't see it that way. That's not the definition of insanity.

Joe from Fleming Island

If Pederson is fired why not Baalke? It seems to me the free agent and draft choices certainly could have been better except for a few.

Baalke's drafts overall have improved the young talent level on the roster. The free agency moves in 2022 were for the most part strong and players such as linebacker Foye Oluokun, wide receiver Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram by any measure were good acquisitions. The team did little in free agency in 2023 and the free-agency moves in 2024 were not nearly as productive as the ones in 2022.

Chris from Fernandina

I am speechless. If this does not illustrate how little Khan does not care about winning. I do not know what does. What coaching candidate with other options would want to come here and work for a general manager like Baalke?

Many people were surprised with Monday's events. Khan cares about winning; if he didn't, he wouldn't support the team financially to the degree that he does. Caring about winning doesn't always mean doing the popular thing. I expect the Jaguars to be able to hire a front-line head coach during the coming weeks.

Jimsure from DBS

King of all Funk, I'm sure you'll get tons of emails about the firing. What is most surprising to you about keeping the GM who is hated much more than Doug? Will he get fired later or not?

Most general managers and coaches get fired. It's the nature of the NFL. I expect Baalke to be the Jaguars' general manager in 2025.

Sam from Orlando, FL

John, I was shooting off fireworks in the front yard with my dad when we got the team. But I'm out till Baalke is gone. And I'm taking Don with me. We've all had enough. We all deserve better. Retaining Baalke a few years ago limited our head coaching choices and it's doing it again this year. People are right for wanting Shad to sell this team. I'll be back when he's gone.

Khan isn't going to sell the Jaguars.

Cole from Jacksonville

"I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and deserve to be rewarded." Khan is either completely out of touch with this fan base or he's a liar. Keeping Baalke is a horrible decision and absolutely against the fans' wishes. I have supported the Khans since the beginning, but I'm done. Literally anyone with an understanding of how the NFL works would tell an owner they are handicapping themselves by trying to hire a new coach with the same failing general manager staying on. My family will not purchase another Jaguars ticket until Khan proves me wrong.

OK.

Ron section 440 from Jacksonville

Two years ago, Pederson was the runner-up for coach of the year now all of a sudden he can't coach. They fired the wrong person.

It's always coaching in the NFL. Coaches succeed one year. They struggle the next. They finish in the Top 10 in statistical rankings one year. They finish at the bottom the next. They make the postseason one season and are out the next. They are geniuses one season and idiots the next. They are loved one year and fired the next. The resurface elsewhere and the cycle begins anew. It is this way because change must be made when teams lose. This is how it is at almost every NFL franchise. It's always coaching in the NFL.

Mike from Lakeland

It's players, not plays, yet the guy in charge of finding players has built a team with a 25-43 record in his tenure here. Maybe it's time to find somebody different to find the players.

Khan sees it differently. Khan sees Baalke has having built a strong football side of the organization, and that changing coaching will yield different results.

Rob from Pittsburgh, PA

Hey, Zone. What's up. Do you think Trevor will have a say in the Jags' next head coach and ask him what kind of offense he like to operate? #iwatj

Khan when discussing this Monday said this won't be Aaron Rodgers 2.0. I expect Jaguars quarterback Lawrence will have a voice in the sense that Khan will have spoken to him. I don't expect Lawrence's voice to be a prevailing one.

Adam from Saint Johns, FL

So you disagree with Shad right? Players not plays. Always coaching in the NFL.

I think Pederson is a very capable NFL head coach. I thought that in 2022 when the Jaguars were winning, and I thought that in 2023 and 2024 when they weren't winning as much. I would have had no problem had he been retained as head coach.

Robert from Weaverville

So do head coaches usually bring in new defensive coordinators, offensive coordinators, etc., when they get hired? I'm very surprised Ryan Nielsen was not let go with Doug. Not as surprised at the retention of Baalke.

NFL assistant coaches rarely are immediately fired when a head coach is fired. They typically remain under contract until a new head coach is hired, thereby giving the new head coach the option of retaining or dismissing members of the previous staff.

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All In - Section 2025 from DUVAL

The core of my joy at Trent being retained is this: we're not going to dump all our up and coming good young players.

One fer retaining and developing young players – and one fer Baalke.