Jaguars Fire Jack Del Rio

Added on Nov 29, 2011 by Scott in

NFL

The first axe has fallen among the NFL head coaching ranks. The Jacksonville Jaguars fired head coach Jack Del Rio after eight-plus seasons walking the sidelines. The move seems long overdue considering the Jaguars are staring at their fourth consecutive losing season. Del Rio guided them to a pair of playoff appearances, but never won a division title during his tenure.

Team owner Wayne Weaver issued an ultimatum in the offseason to win or else. At 3-8, the Jaguars have been all but mathematically eliminated from the AFC playoff race. Starting a rookie quarterback with few quality receiving options certainly didn’t make things easier for Del Rio, but his tendency to shift blame and not hold himself accountable exposed a gaping hole in the leadership department.

Del Rio compiled a 69-73 record and went 1-2 in the postseason. The former Pro Bowl player won a Super Bowl as the Ravens linebackers coach in 2000 and also spent a year as the Panthers defensive coordinator prior to being hired by the Jaguars in 2003.

Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who’s held the position since 2009, will reportedly take over as interim coach. His defense has been one of the bright spots of the season, ranking in the Top 5 in points and yards allowed despite suffering a spate of injuries.

Adding intrigue to Del Rio’s dismissal is Weaver’s decision to sell the team. Entrepreneur Shahid Khan is rumored to be in the process of purchasing the Jags and plans to keep them in Jacksonville. Khan attempted to buy the St. Louis Rams in 2010 but lost out to Stan Kroenke.

The Jaguars have struggled to sell out games in recent years due in large part to their subpar play on the field, although the dwindling fanbase has made them a prime candidate to relocate to Los Angeles, where the NFL is desperate to once again have a presence.

Jacksonville hosts San Diego on Monday Night Football in Week 13.

Source: NFL.com