The Jacksonville Jaguars will have a new coach next season.
After another disappointing season, Jacksonville Jaguars team owner Shad Khan announced on Monday morning that the team had decided to fire head coach Doug Pederson.
Khan announced in a statement on social media that “the time to summon new leadership is now.”
“I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars,” Khan announced.
“Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, 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 are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.”
Pederson had a strong first season in Jacksonville, going 9-8 to win the AFC South and come back to beat the Chargers in a home playoff game. The good run continued through an 8-3 start to the 2023 season, but the team had a disappointing end to the season as they went 1-5 down the stretch, When the team then went 4-13 this season, Khan decided to make a change.
Khan believes that the team is capable of restoring a “winning environment” as early as next season.
“I strongly believe it is possible next season to restore the winning environment we had here not long ago. I will collaborate with General Manager Trent Baalke and others, within and close to our organization, to hire a leader who shares my ambition and is ready to seize the extraordinary opportunity we will offer in Jacksonville,” the statement continued.
It’s not clear who the Jaguars intend to target as their next head coach, but they are looking for some sort of change.
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