JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Bryce from Waterloo, IA
That's a lot of Stache in one quarterback room. Head Coach Doug Marrone is clearly bringing in guys who have experience as leaders of a team. The moves seem to make sense. Hopefully, the new approach can turn things around.
You're presumably referring to the mustachioed Ben McAdoo, who was officially hired Wednesday as the Jaguars' quarterbacks coach. And you're right that McAdoo brings more than facial hair to the quarterback meeting room. He is by any measure a quality hire. He had a successful two seasons as the New York Giants' offensive coordinator in 2014-2015 before a roller-coaster stint as head coach that featured a 2016 postseason playoff appearance before a disastrous 2017 season that resulted in his firing that December. The thought here is McAdoo is a second strikingly good hire for Marrone this offseason. Along with former Washington Redskins head coach and former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden as the Jaguars' offensive coordinator, Marrone has added two experienced head coaches who at one point in their careers were highly coveted – and highly respected around the NFL – as offensive minds. Considering the perception around the NFL that Marrone is in a must-win situation next season, to hire even one experienced front-line assistant would have been difficult. When the offseason began, it would have been difficult to have predicted he would hire two.
Jim from Jagsonville
First Gruden, and now McAdoo. How many other coaches do the Jaguars have that were former head coaches? Do coaches' salaries have anything to do with the cap? Bet that revenue stream helps bring these top tier coaches to Jacksonville! Go Jaguars!
Jaguars running backs coach Terry Robiskie has served as an interim head coach with the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns, but Gruden and McAdoo are the only current Jaguars assistants who have served as NFL head coaches. Coaches' salaries have nothing to do with the salary cap. As far as your last question, it seems you're – perhaps sarcastically – saying local revenue helps with coaches' salaries. Sarcastic or not, you're correct. Good eye.
Dennis from Lynchburg, VA
This question assumes that Gardner Minshew II starts at quarterback for the Jaguars in 2020, but does the hiring of Ben McAdoo indicate a real interest in Minshew's unknown abilities? Or is it more a former head coach just trying to get back in the game? With a pedigree like Ben's, I would think he has to believe Gardner Minshew has real talent. Otherwise why attach your name to him?
This answer is speculative because I haven't had a chance to speak with McAdoo – or to Marrone about McAdoo. That said, I would guess it's a lot about wanting a chance to coach again and wanting to rebuild his career. He's a young coach at 42, and he has a good reputation in NFL circles. There's every chance this is a first step back to being a head coach again somewhere.
Gabe from Jacksonville
If this is about logic and not emotion, can you break down the logic for me? What is the threat posed by only playing one (or zero) home games in London? Even if the Jaguars were dead last in value (which they are not) or local revenue (which they are not), the franchise still makes a lot of profit. So, what is the risk? That Owner Shad Khan would move the team because he isn't making enough money? That the NFL would un-reward Jacksonville a team? Please bring reason to my emotion.
The Jaguars are close to the bottom teams in the NFL local revenue, particularly with the Raiders, Rams and Chargers all moving into state-of-the-art – and therefore, revenue-friendly – stadiums next season. If a team falls too far behind the rest of the league in local revenue … that's when a team's ability to reinvest in the franchise – i.e., invest into things such as the stadium and other infrastructure to keep pace with the rest of the NFL – becomes a question. And yes … that's when the franchise's status in a city begins to be a legitimate question.
Daniel from Urbandale
I don't live in Jacksonville so I can't comment on the London games, but I will say this: Any owner that is fine with being in the bottom quarter of the league in revenue is like a fan that is fine with being in the bottom quarter of the league in wins. They just don't exist.
Correct.
Rob from Jacksonville
In all seriousness, wouldn't it make sense to stay in London for an entire month – or at least three weeks – and include one or two "away" games?
It might, but that would mean finding an opponent that's playing the Jaguars at home next season and scheduling one of their home games there on a specific date. This isn't impossible, but it's also not simple.
Chris from Fernandina Beach, FL
I hear a lot of angst – largely about the Jags and London Games. Here's a "Hot Take:" If not for Khan, we wouldn't be talking about development of a dead downtown Jacksonville. I'm approaching 50 and for literally decades we have had a "Downtown Development Council" that has bowed to pressures that would keep this a one-horse town. I applaud Khan for his vision... and wallet. Without a billionaire pushing, we may still be stuck in the old paradigm. If people want to blame someone, blame politicians for decades of neglect in developing Downtown Jacksonville responsibly. In the long view, if the Shipyards and Lot J are developed with proper vison, it will pay for itself in local tax receipts over time. The success of the Jaguars and Jacksonville as a whole are not mutually exclusive/ Building to a vision will reap benefits for decades; it has the ability to make Jacksonville a destination. If that means games in London for a half decade while Jacksonville and its residents finally realize the fruits for such vision? Then count me all in. We should be considered lucky. One fer KHAAAAAAAAN!!!!
Fair.
Tom from Formerly of Section 141 and currently in the impoverished Streets of Nocatee
If Khan cares so much about Jacksonville, why didn't he base his new TV network here?
He bought an NFL team here and is doing everything possible to make it work. He's doing it in a market where few others would try. It's difficult to care more than that.
Steve from Jacksonville
Hypothetical draft situation: Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue still doesn't have a long-term contract, but he was tagged. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft is on the clock. Is the Jags' No. 9 overall selection and Yann enough to trade up and pick Chase Young of Ohio State? Thinking of Josh Allen and Young on the field at the same time is rather tasty.
If I'm the Washington Redskins, I'm wary of that deal and I don't know that I take it for the No. 2 overall selection. If I'm the Jaguars, if Young is the guaranteed can't-miss player that many project, I have to make the trade.
Michael from Jacksonville
Hey Big O, everyone is concerned regarding Mr. Khan's motives. I was wondering if the city could purchase the team.
No one with knowledge of the situation questions Khan's motives. Khan has no interest in selling the Jaguars. Even if he did, the city could not purchase the team. The NFL only allows private ownership with the lone exception being the Green Bay Packers, who are publicly owned. The Packers are "grandfathered" into the situation, but it won't happen again.
Rich from Duval
Khan doesn't scout players, but he is/should be the buck-stops-here guy. This team always has an excuse except when it comes to the fans. General Manager Dave Caldwell has been here several years and the team is awful. The decision to stay on that path, right or wrong, is Khan's. Khan is responsible. It's exhausting being a lifer fan of this team. Khan isn't responsible — dude, c'mon. Then who is?!
Of course Khan's responsible. It's his team. The question you're referencing implied that Khan was somehow not focused on football because he is focused on the business side of the operations. Being focused on one does not take away from the other. To say otherwise is to completely misunderstand how the NFL works.
Al from Celina, OH
Taking another game from J-Ville and giving it to London is just the next step in moving the team out of Jacksonville. The fact that you don't understand this or that you think fans can't see this is embarrassing.
What would embarrassing to me is if I wrote what you or somebody else wanted me to write simply because you wanted that. There are plenty of media writing to please the angry masses on this one. If you want people writing to hear rounds of social-media applause rather than trying to explain what's really going on, go elsewhere. It's not hard to find.