Recent history appears to be on the way to repeating itself in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars, mired in a miserable rut after losing four of their last five games, might be looking at another regime change for 2025, and sources say a dramatic move could come as soon as this week, pending the results of Sunday’s game against the Lions.
Jacksonville enters its bye in Week 12, which could serve as an ideal time to regroup.
It's a stunning fall for a team that owner Shad Khan considered the “best team assembled” in franchise history, and rivals agree it is talented. It is also a continuation of a slide that began in 2023 when an 8-3 rise turned into a 9-8 tumble to miss the playoffs.
Despite high expectations, with a newly paid quarterback Trevor Lawrence, several high-profile free agents and high draft picks, the results have been the same. Mac Jones will start at QB on Sunday with Lawrence still nursing a left shoulder injury.
Inside the building, several sources say change, including the organization potentially moving on from Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, would not be a surprise. Based on several conversations, while Jaguars staffers are still working and grinding, there is a pall permeating the situation. A doom.
If Pederson is out, QB coach Mike McCoy does have head-coaching experience and could be the one to step in, having coached the Chargers from 2013-16.
Whether a dramatic coaching move with Pederson, a front office move centered around Baalke or a full house-cleaning comes this upcoming week following a possible loss to Detroit, those inside the building feel like it's almost inevitable.
Sometimes, by this point, there is finger-pointing within a building, either personnel blaming coaching and vice versa. That doesn’t seem to be the case here, with a collective acknowledgement that if things keep going this way it’s a failure for all -- and everyone is at fault.
As one source explained, it’s all of us. Everyone has a hand in it.
For the Jaguars, a midseason change would not be unprecedented.
In late November of 2020, GM Dave Caldwell was fired after three seasons of 10 straight losses, with coach Doug Marrone and his staff tasked with finishing out the season. Baalke served as interim GM.
In 2021, Khan fired Urban Meyer less than one year into a disastrous stint, installing Darrell Bevell as interim coach.
Taking on one of the NFL’s best teams on Sunday with a backup QB, plenty in Jacksonville are fearing the worst.