Black Monday has potentially started early. ESPN’s Dianna Russini reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have informed head coach Doug Marrone that he’ll be fired following Sunday’s season finale.
However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com tweets that Marrone has not been informed of his impending firing. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that Marrone had dinner on Friday night with owner Shad Khan and SVP Tony Khan, but no decision has been made about the coach’s future. Pelissero adds that there’s a “real chance” he sticks around.
Owner Shad Khan’s spokesman told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport that reports of the dismissal are false (Twitter link).
“Reports that Doug Marrone will be dismissed after Sunday’s game are 100 percent incorrect. Owner Shad Khan will meet with his football staff, which includes coaching and personnel, midweek next week.”
Following an underwhelming two seasons as the Bills head coach, Marrone took on the Jaguars gig towards the end of the 2014 campaign. He impressed during his first full season in Jacksonville, guiding the team to 10 wins and an AFC Championship appearance. After that season, the organization signed Marrone to an extension that was intended to keep him in Jacksonville through the 2021 season.
Unfortunately, the team took a major step back in 2018, finishing with a 5-11 record. The 2019 iteration of the Jaguars could match that record with a loss to the Colts on Sunday. This past offseason, the team signed quarterback Nick Foles to solidify their offense. However, Foles suffered a broken collarbone in his first regular season action. Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew took the league by storm while Foles recovered, but is far from a dynamic option. The more concerning occurrence for the Jaguars has been the deterioration of their elite defense to one of the more inconsistent units in football.
We heard earlier this week that the Jaguars were leaning towards retaining Marrone (along with general manager Dave Caldwell). Khan reportedly wanted to maintain continuity, and the firing of executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin was assumed to be the only major shakeup. There was additional optimism when it was learned that Tony Khan, the team’s EVP and son of the owner, is expected to take on an increased role in the organization. The younger Khan reportedly had a good relationship with Marrone.
The Jaguars join the Panthers and Redskins among teams with head coach vacancies. There will surely be more teams added to that list on Monday.
Call out sick on Sunday, Marrone…
Dang he’s still got to coach the team on Sunday…
Good decision, Shad. Doug has done nothing to better the team
That’s stupid. Might as well just fire him now and let one of the coordinators be the interim for one game. Not much of a reason for Marrone to care about the game if he knows he’s just getting fired afterwards. And not much reason for the players to come out and give 100% for a coach that is gone anyway. Obviously Khan has the final say, but I wonder if this brilliant idea was suggested by Caldwell, Khan, or some other advisor who Khan is listening to.
The Coach and Players are playing for their futures … so, plenty of reason to put forth effort.
Bingo
What you’re suggesting is really stupid. The game is tomorrow. You don’t fire a head coach on the eve of the last game and then ask an interim coach to prepare a team for a game in 24 hours.
And any player not giving 100% will be on video giving a poor effort and will have a tougher time getting or keeping a job. I guarantee none of the players are thinking ‘oh well, Coach is getting fired tomorrow, better slack off and ruin my free agent stock and potentially get injured’.
It would look great for any potential future coaching vacancies (head or assistant) that for his last game he was chilling on the sideline in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, sipping on a drink with an umbrella!
Team has shown no improvement under Marrone and that’s what lead to his firing. I have a feeling that Caldwell, the GM, will survive this even though he doesn’t deserve to be with the Jaguars either next year.
I do believe that McCarthy or the lead candidate, Josh McDaniels will be brought it next year.
Any team looking for a coach should hired Riverboat Ron in my opinion
Marrone has never even had a winning record … PERIOD !! This was (and is) a Tom Coughlin hire because he is like a Tom Coughlin Clone. Tom knew he could “control” Marrone so thus hiring a Coach who essentially quit at Buffalo and who does not and has not had a winning record. Bring in McCarthy please !!! Proven Coach with a winning record and Super Bowl wins !!! Josh McDaniel if he can ever make a decision and stick with it; however, me thinks he is waiting to be annointed Patriots Head Coach when Bill hangs it up.
2017, winning record.
“This was (and is) a Tom Coughlin hire because he is like a Tom Coughlin Clone. Tom knew he could “control” Marrone so thus hiring a Coach”
Tom Coughlin did not hire Marrone, so everything in your hysterical rant is wrong. Marrone was interim head coach before Coughlin was back and they made him a permanent coach the same day they hired Coughlin back.
Beware the wrath of Khan.