Following week 18, the Jacksonville Jaguars fired Doug Pederson and retained general manager Trent Baalke. The decision to fire Pederson came on Black Monday and the name reflects the future that awaits the Jaguars. After the Jaguars fired Pederson and moved onto their coaching search, there are plenty of questions that need to be asked about these decisions, and the fallout for 2025 following the moves made by Shad Khan after the Jaguars vs Colts season finale.
Jaguars Fired Doug Pederson and Retained Trent Baalke
The Monday following their week 18 loss, the Jaguars fired Pederson and kept general manager Trent Baalke. This decision had been weeks in the making, and the writing had been on the wall since week 11, where rumors had spread that Pederson could be fired if the Detroit Lions blew out the Jaguars. After the blowout, Jacksonville was silent. Pederson was a lame-duck head coach afterward, and many expected Baalke would follow. But when the Jaguars fired Pederson, the Jaguars didn’t send Baalke packing with him.
Khan announced the decision early Monday morning, and with the Lions securing the one seed in the NFC, the top head coaching candidate Ben Johnson becomes even more coveted. However, with Johnson rumored to want to bring in his general manager, and Baalke being retained, the Jaguars could’ve taken themselves out of the race for the top candidate.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg for the Jaguars’ future following the decision to keep Baalke. From the prospective head coaching search to the NFL Draft and offseason plans, there is a lot of fallout from the Jaguars end of the season. But before looking at the decision to retain Baalke, knowing why the Jaguars fired Pederson is important.
Why The Jaguars Fired Doug Pederson
The headline for the Jaguars following their week 18 loss to the Indianapolis Colts isn’t about the game, but rather about the decision that they made the next day. The Jaguars fired Pederson and entered the hotly contested head coaching carousal for 2025. Plenty of teams with intriguing situations are looking for new coaches, and with most general managers in those spots being retained, the situations around the league are very similar.
But, for the Jaguars, the decision to fire Pederson was an easy one. After a strong start to his coaching tenure in Jacksonville during the 2022 season following the Urban Meyer disaster, Pederson’s Jaguars fell off a cliff in production to close out 2023, and it bled into 2024. As the Jaguars head coach, Pederson finishes with a 22 and 29 record, which is sadly the Jaguars third highest winning percentage in franchise history.
The Jaguars fired Pederson not because of his overall record, but his recent production. In his last 23 games, Pederson’s Jaguars have lost 18 of those games, including a collapse to end 2023 and a disastrous 2024. The Jaguars’ on-field production was just too poor to retain him, and it’s even more challenging due to the talented individuals the Jaguars have on the roster.
From Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen to Foyesade Oluokun and Tyson Campbell, the Jaguars have veteran pieces to build around at some of the most important positions. But despite the top-end talent in Jacksonville, the Jaguars couldn’t produce on the field.
Pederson came to the team and righted the ship following the Urban Meyer disaster, but after fixing the boat, Pederson couldn’t steer things in the right direction. However, when the Jaguars fired Pederson, there was another name expected to be on the way out. Baalke had been on the hot seat many times in his general managerial career, but somehow, once again, he stayed afloat on a sinking ship.
Jaguars Fired Pederson But Kept Baalke?
Despite all of the attention on Jacksonville when the Jaguars fired Pederson, very little of the attention was on him departing the organization. Instead, Khan decided to keep their general manager Baalke. Most fans don’t know a team’s general manager unless it’s their team, or the general manager is either great or very bad. Unfortunately, the Jaguars general manager falls under the latter.
With the Jaguars general manager not being great, the questions for Baalke and Khan are warranted. Why, after the Jaguars fired Pederson, did Baalke not follow? What has he done to earn his keep, and stay as the general manager? This sentiment is shared throughout the NFL world, from fans to even executives of other organizations, the surprise the Jaguars made by keeping Baalke could ruin their chances in the future.
Baalke now enters the 2025 season about to do something that very few, if any, general managers have ever done; surviving through his fifth season with the organization and helping to hire a third head coach. Going back to his days with the San Francisco 49ers, this head coaching search will be the sixth new head coach he helps bring in.
Out of all the teams in the NFL who fired their head coach, the Jaguars position would be among the most favorable conditions for a new candidate. Lawrence at quarterback, a decent offensive line, solid skill position players, and an elite young wide receiver in Brian Thomas Jr. Defensively, there is talent throughout the roster, and with plenty of cap space and solid draft capital, the possibility of a quick turnaround in the weak AFC South is very possible. With all of those assets, the disappointing 2024 gives reason as to why the Jaguars fired Pederson.
The biggest factor, for someone like Ben Johnson, would be the ability to pair up with a general manager of his choice and take a team with an established roster to new heights. Instead, with Baalke still sitting as general manager, the Jaguars head coaching job becomes significantly less desirable.
Despite reports coming out that a new coach would report to the owner and not Baalke, the issue of Baalke’s presence in Jacksonville is a deterrent for many of the top coaching candidates. According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, there is shock around the NFL regarding the Jaguars’ decision to keep Baalke as general manager, including one quote saying “The job is not as coveted with Trent (Baalke) there.”
With the first round of head coaching interviews getting underway, the Jaguars are presently left out of the Ben Johnson sweepstakes. He is interviewing with the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots, two teams with good quarterbacks and young and ascending rosters. Jacksonville should be in the same boat, but the decision to keep Baalke has kept them out of the race for one of the best head coaching candidates in a long time.
2025 Fallout
Looking ahead to 2025, the Jaguars will have a new coach, but the same general manager. The roster moves will be made in collaboration with everyone, as usual, but with Baalke still in the building as general manager, the Jaguars are ham-stricken from some of the top head coaching options. The Bears had a lame-duck head coach for an entire season and wasted the rookie year of their future quarterback Caleb Williams because of it.
The Jaguars fired Pederson, addressing one of their issues, but still have a major problem eating away at their organization. Baalke retaining his position, regardless of his future control, is irresponsible. A lame-duck general manager is a terrible situation to be in, especially since it keeps the Jaguars from getting a shot at Ben Johnson and potentially other top-head coaching options.
The Jaguars head coaching job, and general managing job, would be the top option for any new coach or general manager. From the state taxes in Florida being better than many other states, and the ability to have complete control over a team’s outlook and structure, to the already established core pieces in star quarterback Lawrence and 2025 Pro Bowl Snub Thomas, the Jaguars’ jobs would be among the most coveted. Instead, the Jaguars general managerial job is not open, and the head coaching job is marred with the presence of Baalke lingering in the building.
Many around the NFL see the Jaguars head coaching job as not as appealing due to Baalke remaining in the building. Baalke has a career record of 15 games under a .500 winning percentage and has been a part of many losing seasons in recent history. His retainment is among the most baffling in the NFL, and analysts and NFL executives were shocked by the decision.
When the entire NFL world, from the media to the front offices is shocked at a decision, it’s typically for a good reason. Baalke’s staying with the Jaguars is a complete and utter disaster, but there is still hope that the new head coach can overcome Baalke and bring the Jags players up a level or two.
The Jaguars fire Pederson and ushered in a new era, or at least could’ve if they fired Baalke along with Pederson. But, the most important part of the sport is the players on the field. Fortunately, the Jaguars have a bunch of talented individuals on both sides of the ball.
Against the Tennessee Titans, when the Jaguars beat the Titans, a lot of the Jaguars’ future got a chance to shine. Those future stars and established veterans are part of the reason why Baalke retained his position, especially following the 2024 NFL Draft where Baalke traded down and still managed to land Thomas.
For the Jaguars 2025 outlook, things seem bleaker than they could’ve been if Baalke had been fired, but if he takes a backseat and lets the new head coach make more of the decisions, there is a chance that the Jaguars can help establish themselves as a potential playoff team once again. The pieces are there, a new head coach has to manage them while dealing with Baalke in the background.
Main Image: Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
