Coughlin's firing leaves the future status of coach Doug Marrone and GM Dave Caldwell up in the airGETTY IMAGES
The Jaguars yesterday fired Exec VP/Football Operations Tom Coughlin, and if the team wins its final two games, Owner Shad Khan could "lean in the direction of one more year" for both GM Dave Caldwell and coach Doug Marrone, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. If it "goes the other way" and the Jags lose out, it could be "a little more up in the air." Rapoport said the fines and management style of Coughlin have been a "major problem in the locker room," and even his presence was something Jaguars' players "have been frustrated about for years" ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 12/18). PFT's Mike Florio said he thinks Khan "realized Coughlin's the problem" and wanted to give Caldwell and Marrone a "chance to operate without Coughlin hovering over them." Florio said the final two games are not a big factor in the future of Caldwell and Marrone, because "if they were going to be gone, they would be gone" ("PFT," NBCSN, 12/19). Khan yesterday said that both Marrone and Caldwell "will report directly to him in the interim" (ESPN.com, 12/18).
WALKING ON EGGSHELLS: In Jacksonville, John Reid notes Khan fired Coughlin two days after the NFLPA sent a letter to the league's players that revealed over 25% of the grievances filed by players "have been against the Jaguars." Several Jaguars players yesterday "spoke out" about Coughlin's "excessive fines." DE Dawuane Smoot said that he "overslept and missed a breakfast meeting" a day before Eagles-Jaguars in London last season and Coughlin "fined him $25,000." CB A.J. Bouye "acknowledged that he was once fined $10,000 for skipping a mandatory yoga session." RB Leonard Fournette also confirmed yesterday that he "won a grievance against the Jaguars to get a $99,000 fine imposed last season rescinded." Coughlin fined Fournette for "sitting on the bench and showing little interest in the on-field play in the finale at Houston, even though [he] was on the inactive list." Reid writes it is "obviously clear there is a disconnect between the players and the front office." But several players said that Marrone has "shown remarkable compassion for their concerns" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/19).
LEFT KHAN NO CHOICE: In Jacksonville, Gene Frenette writes Coughlin was "always this principled, autocratic leader" during his tenure. Yet he "saw his Jaguars' career end rather abruptly for the opposite reason: he didn't bother to follow the rules collectively bargained by the league and its players union." It was a "shameful, embarrassing way for a two-time Super Bowl coach to bow out." But Coughlin "forced Khan to act swiftly." What "surely prompted Khan to sever ties with Coughlin effective immediately was the NFLPA publicly declaring that its players should look elsewhere besides Jacksonville when signing with their next team." No NFL owner can "tolerate such a toxic cloud hanging over the franchise." The "hard part" now is "who does Khan turn to in the coming weeks to be the final authority ... to lead the Jaguars in 2020 and beyond?" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/19). ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the environment in Jacksonville "didn't seem to be a healthy one," and Khan "wanted it to be much improved" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/18). In Newark, Darryl Slater writes this was a move Khan "had to make" because of "how much the players had soured on Coughlin's very presence." The grievance against Coughlin will "no doubt hang over him if he wants to work in the NFL again." It is "not clear if he does" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/19).
COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BETTER? PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wondered why Coughlin was not given a "chance to leave on his own terms." Khan through a spokesperson "admitted that Coughlin was not given an opportunity to resign or retire before being fired." Florio: "He should have been. He likely would have accepted, and he could have left with some degree of dignity." Khan will "regret the way this one was handled" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 12/18). NBCSN's Chris Simms said it "does seem, when you look at it, disrespectful to guy a who's served as long as he has in the NFL" ("PFT," NBCSN, 12/18).
