Trent Baalke out as Jaguars general manager

With a coaching search underway for weeks, the Jaguars are making a significant change.

Trent Baalke will not remain general manager of Jacksonville, the team announced Wednesday.

“After several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we have both come to the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interest to respectfully part ways, effective immediately,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a released statement. by the team. “Trent leaves us with my deepest gratitude for his efforts over the past five seasons. Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager and will play an important role, along with others, as we continue the process of interviewing candidates to become our new head coach. I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville and look forward to introducing a new head coach who will make that happen for our players and fans.

Baalke, 60, had been with the Jaguars since 2021, going 25-43 under head coaches Urban Meyer and Doug Pederson as well as interim coach Darrell Bevell.

Khan’s initial decision to retain Baalke after Pederson’s firing sparked deep skepticism within the league about Jacksonville’s ability to attract top coaching candidates. It was reported earlier Wednesday that one of the team’s top candidates, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, had opted out to remain in Tampa Bay.

The Jaguars will now have to fine another general manager as well as a new coach starting in mid-January.