Jaguars fire Coughlin after NFLPA criticism
The Jacksonville Jaguars fired executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin on Wednesday evening, a decision that owner Shad Khan announced while saying he initially planned to wait until after the season.
“Within the past hour I informed Tom Coughlin that he was being relieved of his duties as Executive Vice President of Football Operations of the Jacksonville Jaguars, effective this evening,” Khan said in a statement. “I determined earlier this fall that making this move at the conclusion of the 2019 season would be in everyone’s best interests but, in recent days, I reconsidered and decided to make this change immediately.
“I thank Tom for his efforts, not only over the past three years but for all he did from our very first season, 25 years ago, to put the Jacksonville Jaguars on the map. General manager Dave Caldwell and Head Coach Doug Marrone will each report directly to me on an interim basis. My expectations, and those of our fans, for our final two games and the 2020 season are high.”
The news comes two days after the NFL Players Association won a grievance against the Jaguars through an NFL arbiter, regarding whether the team had the right to fine players for not rehabbing at team facilities during the off- season. The NFLPA issued a lengthy statement condemning the Jaguars’ practices and advising future free agents to be wary of the team.
Coughlin, 73, had held his current role with the Jaguars since 2017, helping the team reach the AFC Championship Game — where Jacksonville held a 10-point, fourth- quarter lead on the road against the New England Patriots — in his first season.
Khan signed Coughlin, Caldwell and Marrone to two- year extensions shortly afterward, putting them under contract through 2021.
But the Jaguars have gone 10-19 since, including 5-9 this season. Before Sunday’s rally to beat the Oakland Raiders on the road, Jacksonville had lost five straight games by a combined margin of 174-57.
Coughlin’s first tenure in Jacksonville came as the inaugural head coach in Jaguars history.
He finished his Jaguars coaching tenure at 68- 60 over eight seasons, then went 102- 90 as head coach of the New York Giants from 2004-15, winning two Super Bowls.
Coughlin worked for the NFL as a senior adviser in 2016 before returning to Jacksonville.