Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone has been let go after Sunday’s 28-14 season finale loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
“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,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement emailed to WJCT News Monday.
Marrone’s dismissal follows the ouster of former general manager Dave Caldwell on Nov. 29.
Sunday’s final loss of the season extended the team’s record losing streak to 15 games. The Jaguars won just one game this season on Sept. 13 by a score of 27-20 against the Colts.
“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,” Khan wrote.
WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union reported the Jaguars coaching vacancy is considered an attractive job, because the franchise has a lock on the No. 1 overall pick to select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars are expected to have more than $95 million in available cap space to upgrade their roster with veteran free agents, according to the Times-Union.
The NFL Network reported over the weekend that the Jaguars have shown interest in former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer to replace Marrone, citing unnamed sources close to Meyer.
The Times-Union reported the speculation prompted Marrone to call Khan Saturday to see if it was true.
''He said it was news to him and he would talk to me on Monday,'' Marrone said after Sunday's game, according to the Times-Union.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
