JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars have fired head coach Doug Marrone following their final game of the season.
Marrone has been at the helm since 2017 and was the team’s fifth full-time coach.
Marrone’s firing was not the first for this season, as General Manager Dave Caldwell was fired back in November.
Marrone took the Jaguars to the franchise’s third AFC Championship game in 2017, but suffered the most losses in a single season in team history in 2020.
The Jaguars finished the year 1-15.
A report was released Saturday evening by Bleacher Report claiming Urban Meyer is expected to replace Marrone as the new head coach.
Meyer would be stepping into a franchise looking for a fresh start with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft come April.
Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan released the following statement:
“I am committed and determined to deliver winning football to the City of Jacksonville. Realizing that goal requires a fresh start throughout our football operations, and with that in mind I spoke this morning with Doug Marrone to express my gratitude for his hard work over the past four seasons as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’ll always appreciate Doug’s passion, grit and class, and I’m confident he will enjoy success in the next chapter of his career. As the search for our new general manager continues, now the quest begins to find a head coach who shares my ambition for the Jacksonville Jaguars and our fans, whose loyalty and faith are overdue to be rewarded.”
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Khan also wrote a letter to fans, talking about the team’s “enviable capital in the NFL Draft in April.” Here’s his full letter:
“We all endured a lot in 2020. I hope you and your loved ones emerged from the past year in good health and spirits, and I thank you for standing with us through an NFL season that severely failed to provide all of us a welcome escape.
“For all the challenges and troubles we encountered last year, however, there is a lot to look forward to in 2021. So much reason for optimism, so much to anticipate. And that is particularly true with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“We will soon introduce a new head coach, a new general manager and a restructured football operation that I believe will serve us well in our desire to become a destination NFL franchise that is always admired and respected. The search for our new general manager is ongoing and we begin today in our pursuit of a head coach who will win consistently and make you proud.
“And, you are undoubtedly aware of our enviable capital in the NFL Draft in April, when we will select first overall and follow with a second pick in the first round, as well as two choices in the second round. Our 11 draft picks in all, coupled with generous salary cap capacity, will provide our new football leadership a remarkable opportunity to complement our young talent and construct a roster that will spark immediate improvement and inspire long-term success. All of this and more is at our doorstep in 2021.
“Of course, none of this matters if we’re not safe and healthy. As we turn the page on 2020, please know that your well-being means everything to me and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Let’s continue to do the right thing by protecting ourselves, and one another, so we can enjoy life to the fullest and celebrate each other’s company as we did just a year ago.
“As we now entertain the many possibilities and positive developments before us, I do want to take this opportunity to say that I am grateful for – and impressed by – your unyielding devotion to the Jaguars. No fan base in the National Football League can compete with your commitment and resolve.
“To be clear, I am not surprised. The Jacksonville Jaguars became reality in the early 1990s due to an energy and belief throughout the community that the NFL ultimately could not ignore. That unfaltering force has been a constant since the first Jaguars game in 1995, and I want you to know it is my intention to reward your loyalty as we seize this extraordinary moment for your team and our community.
“Our time is now. Go Jags! - Jaguars Owner Shad Khan”