NFL team reverses course after two weeks, splits with general manager
Trent Baalke won’t be leading the Jacksonville Jaguars into the team’s next era after all.
The team announced Wednesday it was parting ways with its general manager, a little more than two weeks after the organization initially announced it would retain Baalke but fire coach Doug Pederson.
“Following several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we both arrived at the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate, effective immediately,’ owner Shad Khan said in a statement. ‘Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons.’
Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager, Khan said.
The news comes on the same day that Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen withdrew from consideration for the Jaguars’ coaching vacancy, per multiple reports. Coen had been scheduled to have a second interview with the Jaguars this week, along with former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, according to multiple reports.
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The Jaguars also lost out on former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who interview with Jacksonville on Jan. 11 but opted to take the Chicago Bears’ head-coaching position.
In explaining his initial decision to retain Baalke, Khan balked at the idea that the franchise was due for wholesale changes.
‘What is a complete overhaul of the franchise?’ Khan asked on a Zoom call with reporters. ‘Health and wellness of the players, medical statistics, analysis, scouting, and a number of other elements along with contract administration, all of those areas we have really changed (and) improved certainly over the last four or five years. So to change all of that is almost like suicidal.’
Baalke was hired by the Jaguars in 2020 as director of player personnel. He was elevated to the interim general manager role after David Caldwell’s firing in November 2020 and then was promoted to the full-time role.
The Jaguars finished 4-13 in 2024 after Khan made clear his high expectations by saying before this season that this was ‘the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars ever.’
After firing Pederson, Khan said he took issue with the tactical approaches that had been deployed, saying ‘we are the most predictable team on both sides of the ball.’
This story has been updated with new information.
