Jags’ Owner Shad Khan Cuts His Teeth by Firing Gene Smith

2012 was a season with training wheels on it for Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan.  He kept the extender GM Gene Smith from his predecessor Wayne Weaver and he trusted Smith to show him the ropes in the NFL.

It’s tough coming into the NFL and building a winner with no prior experience.

Khan, a successful business man, knows that having experts around you to help you when entering a new market is crucial. It may have taken a season, but it is painfully obvious that Smith simply was not an expert that he needed (or an expert).  Khan is moving past Smith and into his future by firing him.

Cutting his teeth on the franchise’s worst record ever (2-14), Khan knows that his team must get better.  He firmly placed himself and his fans in the same boat by saying,

"Our organization’s business unit had an extremely impressive year and I anticipate even better days ahead in 2013 and beyond. But we all understand this is a football business above all else. With that, I’m determined to find the right man to lead our football operations, someone who shares my vision, understands the commitment we will demand, and is qualified and ready to seize this opportunity. That search begins today."

The key thing to take away from Khan is that we are all expecting better.  We understand that, as a business, the Jaguars are putting forward and inferior product.  For an owner who has been mysteriously quiet during the season, it is nice to hear him speak strongly about his decision to fire Smith and move past the hideous 2012 season.

Khan knows that the help he needed for the 2012 season is not the same help he will need for 2013 and beyond.

It’s time the Jaguars got a good general manager to go with an owner who is no longer a rookie.

– Luke N. Sims

Feel free to leave comments on here or visit us at Facebook or Twitter!

You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims