The Jacksonville Jaguars have taken a huge step toward the future of its franchise when team owner Shad Khan announced that Executive Vice-President Tom Coughlin, General Manager David Caldwell and Head Coach Doug Marrone have all be given contract extensions that will run through the 2021 season.
Coming off a run this past season that ended in the AFC Title game, the move shows the organization’s commitment to the future with the brain trust of these three in the balance for the next four seasons. The Jaguars reached the playoffs for the first time in a decade and reached the AFC Championship game for the third time in its existence.
“The decision to extend the contracts of Tom, Dave and Doug isn’t so much a reward for last season, which no doubt was impressive, as it is to recognize their importance to our football team this coming season and for years to follow,” Khan said per Jaguars.com. “We’re past celebrating the accomplishments of our division title and playoff run, and now it’s time to take the next step. We need the right leadership firmly in place to make that happen, and it’s good to know we’ll have that with Tom, Dave and Doug secure in their roles with the Jacksonville Jaguars.”
“The success we had last season was due to the efforts of many people, but Doug and Dave certainly played key leadership roles in guiding our team,” Coughlin added. “They set the tone and managed the process on a daily basis, and we look forward to building on that process throughout this offseason and the coming season.”
Coughlin’s thumbprints are all over the organization after being hired last offseason to help create a new environment for the struggling franchise. Caldwell has been with the team since 2013 when he then hired Gus Bradley to replace Mike Mularkey. Marrone replaced Gus Bradley with two games remaining in the 2016 season and has an overall record of 28-25 as a head coach and is 2-1 in playoff games, both wins coming this season in Jacksonville.
It was Caldwell who engineered the team’s free agent success in recent years by bringing in tackle Jermey Parnell, defensive tackle Malik Jackson, defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive backs Tashaun Gipson, Barry Church and AJ Bouye. Caldwell has also been part of NFL Draft classes that have produced Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Telvin Smith, Aaron Colvin, Telvin Smith, Brandon Linder, Jalen Ramsey, Yannick Ngakoue, Dante Fowler, Jr., Leonard Fournette and Cam Robinson.
First year players Jaydon Mickens and Keelan Cole were also brought in by Caldwell.
The Jaguars have some decisions to make over the next two months with player personnel. Robinson, Marqise Lee, and Colvin are set to become free agents. So is veteran linebacker Paul Posluszny and guard Patrick Omameh.