Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan looks on as team President Mark Lamping answers questions during a June 3 event showing off plans for a Four Seasons hotel development on the downtown riverfront. Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jaguars Strategy at HC, GM Order Revealed

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Jan 23, 2025 1:31 PM ET

Two weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off a search for a new head coach. Now, the team needs a new general manager, too.

After weeks of searching for a new head coach and with 10 coaches interviewed for the position, the Jaguars officially got a clean slate on Wednesday when they parted ways with general manager Trent Baalke.

For now, it appears the Jaguars are forging a path forward by looking to land a head coach before finding Baalke's replacement according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

"The Jaguars are going to continue their search to land a head coach and then begin a search for a GM ... It's a unique way to go about things, but that appears to be the path forward for Jacksonville," Jones said.

The Jaguars are going to continue their search to land a head coach and then begin a search for a GM, sources tell @NFLonCBS. It's a unique way to go about things, but that appears to be the path forward for Jacksonville.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 23, 2025

Baalke was retained by Jaguars owner Shad Khan when the team fired head coach Doug Pederson on Jan. 6, but this past week has seen two of the top candidates for the job opt to coach elsewhere in 2025. Most notably, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen withdrew his name from the coaching search on the same day he was set to have a second interview with the franchise.

"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," Khan said in a statement several hours after the Coen news broke.

"Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons. Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager and play an important role, with others, as we continue the process of interviewing candidates to serve as our new head coach. I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville and look forward to introducing a new head coach who will make that happen for our players and fans alike."

The Jaguars are set to speak with Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in-person on Thursday, while former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is expected to have a second in-person interview with the franchise on Friday. The Jaguars are also likely to request a second interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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