Sources: Jags fire Jack Del Rio

[.infamous]

Jack Del Rio has been fired as the coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, team sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.



The Jaguars, who are 3-8 heading into a Monday night game with the San Diego Chargers, plan to announce the move at noon ET Tuesday.

Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker will take over the team on an interim basis.

Del Rio was the second head coach in the team's short history, replacing Tom Coughlin in 2003. He finishes his Jacksonville career with a 68-71 record, last leading the Jaguars to a winning record in 2007 when the team was 11-5. His teams were 1-2 in postseason play.

Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver retained Del Rio after last season when Jacksonville finished 8-8, but made it clear that the coach needed to make the postseason in 2011 to keep his job.

"If we're not in the playoffs, it's pretty apparent we'll have a different coach," Weaver said in January.

Weaver refused to give contract extensions to any of Del Rio's assistants, putting everyone on alert that this was a win-or-else season.

Del Rio refused to let offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and linebackers coach Mark Duffner interview for lateral positions. He couldn't stop quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, whose contract ended, and receivers coach Todd Monken, who returned to a college job at Oklahoma State, from bolting.

Given the situation, the pool of coaches wanting to come to Jacksonville was small, so Del Rio had few options while rebuilding his staff. Del Rio hinted this season that his hands were tied in terms of what he could to assemble the best staff.

Fans have been clamoring for his departure for years, with many calling for him to be fired following a 5-11 finish in 2008. Instead, Weaver parted ways with personnel chief James "Shack" Harris and selected Gene Smith the general manager.

Smith has rebuilt the roster over the last three years.


But the Jaguars have shown no progress under Del Rio's leadership.

Del Rio's tenure will be remembered for putting an ax and a wooden stump in the locker room in 2003, settling up a situation in which punter Chris Hanson hacked into his leg, and for repeatedly failing to properly handle quarterback situations.

He announced he was benching Mark Brunell and giving rookie Byron Leftwich the job in 2003 before talking to the players. He insisted Leftwich was his starter in 2007, and then cut him days before the season opener. He did the same thing to David Garrard this season, cutting him five days before the opener and naming Luke McCown the starter.

McCown was benched after two games.

The Jaguars have been inept most of the season with Blaine Gabbert under center. The 10th overall pick in April's NFL draft has been rattled under pressure, has been inaccurate on short throws and doesn't appear to be making much progress.

Del Rio said Monday he was sticking with the rookie.

It turned out to be the coach's final decision in Jacksonville.

Information from ESPN's Chris Mortensen and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Kams a happy dude right now lol.

 

[Hurricane Season]

Filed to ESPN: Jaguars employees were informed today that the team is being sold.

 

[.infamous]

nvm read they aint leaving

 

[.infamous]

http://twitter.com/#!/SI_PeterKing/status/141546597556305920

http://twitter.com/#!/SI_PeterKing/status/141546902977130497

 

[Big Bid'Ness]

Fromrofootballtalk

Del Rio may have been done in, at least in part, by Tebowmania


Though all reasons for the decision to fire coach Jack Del Rio won’t be known unless Wayne Weaver (1) shares them with the media and (2) tells the truth when he does, there’s a factor that simply can’t be overlooked when considering the ultimate fallout in Jacksonville.


With Tim Tebow doing in Denver that which few believed he could do at the NFL level, Weaver undoubtedly is stewing about the failure of his football people to recommend drafting in 2010 a guy who not only would have easily filled the home stadium in the short term, but whose success could have allowed Weaver to permanently remove the tarps from EverBank Field.

“Star power is incredible, and Tebow is an iconic figure,” Weaver said in 2009. “That’s very compelling. He clearly is an outstanding football player and would be an asset to any football organization. . . .

“The game is such an important part of this community, and Tebow is such an iconic figure that people would legitimately think, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if he was a Jaguar,’” Weaver added at the time. “I’d be silly to sit here and think that’s not going to be a huge thing.”

So what happened in early 2010? With Weaver excited about the ability of Tebow, a Jacksonville native who played college football up the road in Gainesville, to sell tickets and strengthen the ties between team and community, someone had to talk Weaver out of drafting Tebow, from a football standpoint.

That someone most likely was Del Rio or G.M. Gene Smith, or both.

And now that Tebow has won five of six in Denver and the man for whom the Jaguars traded up to draft — Blaine Gabbert — has looked a lot worse than second-rounder Andy Dalton, Weaver’s blood likely boils every time he sees Tebow lead the Broncos to an unlikely victory, and every time he sees Del Rio lead the Jags to an inevitable defeat.

Sure, Del Rio’s firing may have been inevitable. But with a local boy making pretty darn good right now in Denver, Weaver had to be influenced by the fact that he was influenced by Del Rio and/or Smith not to set the clock in Jacksonville to Tebow Time.

LOL

 

[kam.]

FUCK YEAH, HAPPY ON ALL ENDS.

Jags are staying in JAX btw.

 

[cruzg24]

lmao, this thread is hilarious. Best of luck to Gabbert though, I still think he can be a pretty good QB.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Well, you knew this was going to happen at some point and it finally happened today, now the team can find a real coach and build on what they already have, which the thing for them to focus on is the offense, the defense is already really good.

 

[kam.]

Owning a team in the National Football League has long been my personal and professional goal. Becoming the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars would be a dream come true for me and my family but, above all, would be a privilege. To that end, I would like to thank Commissioner Roger Goodell and members of his team for their counsel and guidance throughout my efforts over the past several years. I am now looking forward to the review process in accordance with league policy. If the proposed transaction is approved in the weeks ahead, I will responsibly and enthusiastically serve the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars and their great fans, and I will be fully committed to delivering Jacksonville its first Super Bowl championship. This is a franchise with tons of potential, playing in a community that is passionate about football and loves to win. I can't think of a better place to be.

Yep, LA Jags.. smh.

STFU 701.

 

[.infamous]

I'd be more worried about the Vikings moving to LA because of the stadium situation..

 

[kam.]

Had to cut the fat from this thread.. wasn't needed.

 

[kam.]

Quit the bullshit.

 

[Rice18]

Yep, LA Jags.. smh.

STFU 701.

STFU ? LOL

This is showing all signs of them moving to LA. I would not be surprised 1 bit if they move.

 

[kam.]

STFU ? LOL

This is showing all signs of them moving to LA. I would not be surprised 1 bit if they move.

So everybody saying "NO, we're not moving"

and the fact that Wayne said he actually had offers for more money from people who were interested that lived in California but turned them down?

Nope, not moving.

Wayne Weaver has been dedicated to Jacksonville his whole life.. hes not going to sell the team to somebody that wants to move it.

Also, The new owner has bought a home in Jacksonville.

Sure signs that they're moving..

smh, stop with the ignorant trolling bullshit.. If your actually going to post something, post some actual facts instead of ignorant bullshit.

 

[Big Bid'Ness]

Can we refrain from all the arguing and get back on the topic

 

[kam.]

[quote name='Big Bid'Ness' date='29 November 2011 - 01:47 PM' timestamp='1322592420' post='4618548']
Can we refrain from all the arguing and get back on the topic
[/quote]
Been trying to do that

 

[Rice18]

So everybody saying "NO, we're not moving"

and the fact that Wayne said he actually had offers for more money from people who were interested that lived in California but turned them down?

Nope, not moving.

Wayne Weaver has been dedicated to Jacksonville his whole life.. hes not going to sell the team to somebody that wants to move it.

Also, The new owner has bought a home in Jacksonville.

Sure signs that they're moving..

smh, stop with the ignorant trolling bullshit.. If your actually going to post something, post some actual facts instead of ignorant bullshit.

My whole god damn point is the ALL signs are showing they want a fresh new start. The best way to do that is to get out of Jacksonville

 

[Rice18]

and on a whole different note, I would rather the Jags stay in the Ville.

I just see them moving for that fresh start.

 

[kam.]

What "Fresh Start"

Jesus.

You know how much money it would cost to move to LA?

Along with the fact that the Jaguars can't break the new stadium deal they got last year. Its in the contract.. they're not moving.

More NFL things 701 is wrong about.

 

[Rice18]

I think it will be the Jags, people in Cali have money and want 1 more team there.

They will do all they can to bring the Jags there. It could be other teams like the Vikings, Chargers etc... but I think it will be the Jags.

and if were going to say "More NFL things 701 is wrong about."

Jags are 3-8 "More NFL things Kam is wrong about."