The Jaguars could have had the most attractive opening in the 2025 NFL hiring cycle. Instead, owner Shad Khan’s decision to retain general manager Trent Baalke makes it one of the worst.
On Monday, the team announced it fired head coach Doug Pederson, one day after the Jaguars ended the 2024 season 4-13. Pederson went 22-29 in three seasons as Jaguars head coach (2022-24), reaching the playoffs once (2022).
Pederson’s firing was long expected, but it’s fair to suggest Khan didn’t go far enough.
In a statement announcing Pederson’s firing, Khan noted, “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.”
Later, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported, “Multiple sources emphasized last week that the Jaguars would struggle to attract a top head coach if they kept Trent Baalke.”
“They faced similar challenges during their last coaching search,” Schultz added.
The Jaguars hired Baalke, who began his front-office career with the 49ers (2010-16), in 2021. His track record hasn’t impressed.
In his first offseason, the Jaguars hired Urban Meyer as head coach. He lasted 13 games before being fired before the end of his first season.
Jacksonville’s 25-68 record since 2021 is the league’s fifth-worst record. (h/t Stathead)
The 49ers went 7-25 during Baalke’s final two seasons as the team’s general manager after the team moved on from Jim Harbaugh.
With quarterback Trevor Lawrence, rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas and edge-rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, the Jaguars have solid players at key positions to build around, but Baalke has proved incapable of building a sustainable winning franchise, which should give prospective coaching candidates pause.
By retaining Baalke, Khan also squandered an opportunity to hire a head coach and general manager during the same cycle for better synergy between the staff and the front office.
If the Jaguars struggle again in 2025, Baalke’s job security could be threatened. In the event of Jacksonville making a front-office change next offseason, another general manager would inherit a coach he didn’t hire. That puts enormous pressure on whoever gets the Jaguars coaching job this offseason to win immediately.
It didn’t have to be this way. Khan had an opportunity to rejuvenate the Jaguars by getting a fresh perspective from a new general manager who would lead a pivotal coaching search.
Instead, by keeping Baalke, Jacksonville’s upcoming changes will be superficial.
