In head coach Doug Pederson’s first season, the Jacksonville Jaguars made it to the postseason in 2022.
The Jaguars defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round, capping a five-year playoff drought and pulling off an incredible comeback. The success of the previous season fueled hopes for 2023.
Pro Bowl wide receiver Calvin Ridley was back in the NFL, and standout quarterback Trevor Lawrence was starting his third season there. Christian Kirk and Zay Jones were in the receiver room when Ridley was added.
But Jacksonville had a disappointing 2023 campaign, dropping five of its final six games. The Jaguars ended the year with a 9-8 record and missed the postseason. The issues down the stretch sparked conversations about whether the team’s general manager and head coach were at odds.
Trent Baalke, the general manager, swiftly denied any notion of dysfunction between the two most important decision-makers in the company.
“A lot of the narratives out there and a lot of what’s written are just false,” the general manager of the Jaguars stated earlier this week in a press conference. “Plan and simple, false narratives.
“Baalke continued, saying that in spite of the difficult conclusion to the season, he remained close to Pederson.
“When you go through tough times, you find out a lot about a lot of people,” Baalke stated. “We weren’t satisfied with how the season ended. Throughout the year, we had some really good discussions about where things were at and where they were trending. Excellent cooperation and communication, and I have the utmost regard for him and everything he does.”
