The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a disappointing 2024 season but are making the necessary changes to steer the ship in the right direction. Aside from hiring Liam Coen as the new head coach and dismissing general manager Trent Baalke, the Jags have also added a vice president of football operations to their front office. The job went to none other than Pro Football Hall-of-Fame left tackle Tony Boselli.
The organization announced that Boselli will be their EVP moving forward. Regarding his hiring, Boselli says it's a dream come true. The first pick in franchise history says that after bringing in Coen as a head coach, he'll help in the Jags' quest for a general manager. Here's the skinny.
"From the moment I was drafted, this is the only place I wanted to be. This franchise is everything to me. It's in my blood. We've been through a lot together, but right now is a great time for me," Boselli said in a video following the announcement. "We got our man, our head coach, Liam Coen today. Shad Khan made my dream come true, and I'm ready to get to work."
Boselli continued, "Next step is finding our general manager, and that work is already underway. I was the first pick in franchise history. It's not just a job. It's quite a passion, and I'm so excited to be part of the team that brings the first championship to do."
Below is the must-watch video:
So why Boselli? Jaguars owner Shad Khan cites his relationships across the NFL and his knowledge of football as the reason why, via the team's official website.
""Few people have better relationships throughout the NFL, know the game, and understand the value of strong team identity and culture as well as Tony Boselli," Khan said. "Tony has a wealth of football acumen that we respect and need, and his counsel will be tremendously valuable to me and our football leadership team during this current rebirth and for many seasons to come.""
On a related note, Boselli says that he shares Coen's vision, so that should most definitely help the team.
Boselli is the team's first vice president of football operations since Tom Coughlin held the job from 2017-2019. He was the second overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft and made five Pro Bowls and earned three First-Team All-Pro designations. The Pro Football Hall-of-Fame left tackle had his career cut short because of a shoulder injury, and has spent time in different broadcast roles in recent years.
Why making Tony Boselli the MVP will be good for the Jaguars
Tom Coughlin had success early in his stint as the vice president of football operations. However, he abused his authority and imposed excessive fines that seemed unnecessary. Similarly, he wanted to play a role in contract negotiations, which eventually soured relationships with players. Things got so bad that the NFLPA (the players' union) warned prospective free agents not to go to Jacksonville.
In the end, the Jags had no choice but to dismiss Coughlin. But unlike him, Boselli isn't planning on picking players or coaching the team. His job is to support head coach Liam Coen and whoever the franchise hires as the general manager.
Based on his words, Boselli is going to add another voice to the Jaguars' front office. Previously, Shad Khan mostly listened to Trent Baalke. That will change with the former left tackle EVP. Of course, it all will be moot if Boselli is just a yes-man, but there's no doubt that he loves the team, and is passionate about watching it win. That enthusiasm should be a positive in the Jaguars' front office moving forward.