After 2024, the Jacksonville Jaguars ousted head coach Doug Pederson. This made sense when you consider that he didn't seemingly have an answer to steer the ship in the right direction. Surprisingly, though, the Jags were planning to keep general manager Trent Baalke. At the time, this looked like a baffling decision, as Baalke had failed to put together a playoff-caliber roster. On top of that, he was known as someone who was difficult to work with. This, in turn, made the head-coaching opening an unappealing destination.
The good news is that owner Shad Khan came to his senses and kicked Baalke to the curb. Granted, the ousting came only after Coen had briefly withdrawn his name for consideration. But it was enough for the Jags to pull the trigger. Fast forward to 2026, and they're in great shape, having won 13 games this past season.
Moreover, Jacksonville is in great shape with Coen and general manager James Gladstone leading the way. The Buffalo Bills cannot say the same after making a decision that has raised eyebrows across the league.
The Bills chose Brandon Beane over Sean McDermott
The Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott despite the fact that he led them to the playoffs all but one season since they hired him in 2017. Even more impressive is the fact that he pulled it off despite the fact that general manager Brandon Beane failed to replenish the roster with Pro Bowl talent. And that's where the mistake comes in.
You would think that Beane would also get the boot. After all, he was also responsible for Buffalo's playoff success or lack thereof. But that wasn't the case. Quite the opposite.
While McDermott got fired, Beane got promoted to vice president of football operations. The decision has generated widespread criticism around the league, with Zachary Perales of CBS Sports pointing out that the embattled general manager failed to surround quarterback Josh Allen with enough receiver talent.
By now, you may have seen parallels with how the Trent Baalke era unfolded in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars moved on from Trent Baalke at the right time, unlike the Bills
The Jaguars got a blank stare across the league when they promoted Trent Baalke from director of player personnel to general manager full-time after serving as the interim in 2020. Baalke reportedly had a power struggle with Jim Harbaugh when he was an executive with the San Francisco 49ers, and his reputation around the NFL wasn't great.
During his stint with the Jags, Baalke hardly ever met with reporters, choosing to operate behind the scenes. That frequently shielded him from criticism, as Doug Pederson, the head coach from 2022 to 2024, was the one facing the media. This, in turn, made Pederson the perfect scapegoat when it all came to a screeching halt.
Even though Shad Khan had fired Pederson, he was adamant about retaining Baalke, pointing out that he valued his football expertise. Perhaps the prospect of missing out on Liam Coen was the wake-up call the Jaguars needed, as he ultimately relented and dismissed Baalke. It's turned out pretty well, and it doesn't look like the Bills were paying attention.
Maybe promoting Brandon Beane ends up being the right move, but the early reviews aren't great. For the time being, history isn't in the Buffalo Bills' favor.