In a not so surprising move, the Jacksonville Jaguars have relieved head coach Jack Del Rio of his coaching duties. It comes as no surprise that Del Rio is gone after the Jaguars are currently third in the weak AFC South division with a 3-8 record.
It also became known that longtime owner Wayne Weaver had sold the franchise to Illinois businessman Shahid Khan. League sources have told ESPN that the deal is worth between $750 and $800 million.
Khan had promised Weaver that he had every intention in keeping the Jaguars in Jacksonville; Weaver turned out to be exceptionally content with the deal as the Jaguars would be one of the most likely teams to move if the NFL wanted to set up shop in a different city. Also, it has been widely known that if a team were to relocate, it would almost assuredly be to Los Angeles, California.
The small franchise came into fruition in 1993 and are one of only a few teams to never reach a Super Bowl.
Weaver had said that he had been scouring for a deal for years, but he wanted to find somebody that would keep the team in Jacksonville, as he would like his grandchildren and future family members to become Jaguars fans.
The former owner said of the deal, "It's a little bittersweet, honestly, that it came as soon as it did. But the main motivation for the exit strategy was to find someone that has the same passion about the NFL, had the same passion about football in Jacksonville as we do, and I found that person."
Khan's purchase of the Jaguars will be subject of approval, of course. On Dec.14, league owners will vote to ratify the deal and if it is approved, it will become official on Jan. 4, 2012.
Del Rio's firing marks the end of a bittersweet marriage that has quickly gone south as of late. Weaver gave Del Rio a four-year deal worth $21 million after the Jaguars won a playoff game following the 2007 regular season. The Jaguars finished with a 5-11 record the following season and Weaver was forced to make changes, but he ultimately decided to retain Del Rio.
Del Rio leaves with a 69-73 record, including a 1-2 record in the postseason. The Jaguars didn't win the AFC South in any of his 9+ seasons.
Before the season, Weaver gave Del Rio an ultimatum and that was if the Jaguars didn't make it to the postseason, he was gone. And sure enough, after a tough 20-13 loss to the current division-leading Houston Texans, Jacksonville was essentially eliminated from the playoffs. Thus, Del Rio was fired.
Del Rio is currently owed approximately $5.6 million for the final year of his contract.
However, the team definitely have some talent on the roster. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew has been one of the premier rushers over the last few seasons and the team used their first-round pick in the 2011 draft on Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
There are definitely some changes to be made and I'm sure they will come after the season is over.
It is unclear at this point who the Jaguars will pursue to replace Del Rio. One name that has popped up is current Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall, who has also coached at the University of Connecticut. Edsall worked for the Jaguars when Tom Coughlin was the head coach.
GM Gene Smith has stated that he really likes Edsall, so a deal could get done if Edsall is ready to leave the college ranks for the big spotlight.
And of course, names like Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher have showed up on the radar, but it is unlikely either will head to Jacksonville since it is such a small market and the Jaguars aren't known for a winning pedigree.
Another name to watch is Brian Billick, who led the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2000. Billick was hired as the head coach prior to the 1999 season and was let go following the 2008 season.
And of course, if the Jaguars perform well through the end of the regular season, current interim head coach Mel Tucker could retain the job on a permanent basis.
But for now, there are games to be played and the Jaguars have to take it one step at a time.
