The Jacksonville Jaguars dismissed head coach Doug Pederson after failing to deliver the past two years. They already started the search for his replacement, and you would think that Trevor Lawrence — the team's most important player — would have a say on whom to hire. However, that's not the case. In fact, owner Shad Khan doesn't appear to be pleased with how his franchise quarterback has performed.
Khan let Pederson walk but chose to keep general manager Trent Baalke even though he's also played a role in the team's lack of results. The puzzling decision raised eyebrows across the league but the Jaguars owner feels confident he made the right call.
Not long after Khan announced that he had parted ways with Pederson, he and Baalke met with the local media. During the exchange, the owner was asked if Lawrence would offer input in the head-coaching search. His response doesn't inspire confidence.
"I talk to the players regularly, and I don't want to identify Trevor or anyone else by name but listen to what's going to make them successful," Khan said. "But this isn't, let's be clear, a second coming of Aaron Rodgers, 2.0 okay? We're going to do the right thing for the team. Our goal is, if Trevor doesn't get better the other players don't get better, we're not going to win. So the coaches coming in know who are foundational players are and they have to be committed to making them better."
Khan's response appears to imply that Lawrence is just another player and not the franchise quarterback they paid him to be. The Jaguars just gave a five-year deal worth $275 million in 2024, so it's a bit surprising that he isn't as high as he was when he took his wallet out.
Granted, a player shouldn't dictate how a coaching search will go, but you would think that Lawrence's opinion would carry a bit of weight. To make matters worse, Khan announced publicly that he doesn't think his quarterback is anything special.
In Khan's defense, Lawrence has been inconsistent, but the team hasn't put him in a position to succeed. In 2023, Baalke failed to put together an offensive line that could protect him, and the former Clemson Tiger took a step back last year partly because the playcalling was dull and unimaginative.
Shad Khan's comments on Trevor Lawrence could hurt the Jaguars
It's fair to wonder if Shad Khan's comments could affect his relationship with Trevor Lawrence. The owner isn't wrong to demand excellence from his players, the issue is that he failed to give a vote of confidence to his franchise quarterback in public.
Keep in mind that players are watching. If Khan isn't willing to praise Lawrence, how do you think he sees the rest of the roster? It's also worth noting that the former Clemson Tiger has been voted team captain by his teammates every single year he's been with the Jaguars, so you can tell he has a big influence in the locker room.
Lawrence isn't a troublemaker nor the kind of player who'll be a divisive presence. That said, Khan's public comments could affect their relationship, which is the last thing he wants.
Ultimately, Shad Khan moved on from Doug Pederson because he wanted to turn the Jaguars into a contender. However, he may have trouble doing so after keeping Trent Baalke and failing to give Trevor Lawrence his endorsement.