Owner Shad Khan held a press conference after the Jacksonville Jaguars dismissed Doug Pederson. He raised eyebrows when he said that Trevor Lawrence wasn't the second coming of Aaron Rodgers when asked if the quarterback would have a say in the search for the next head coach. The former Clemson Tiger doesn't seem to be bothered by the comments, based on his latest exchange with reporters.
Lawrence met with the local media a few days after the Jags dismissed head coach Doug Pederson. The remarks about not being Aaron Rodgers 2.0 were brought up, and he said that he knows his place in the organization, noting that he feels the Khan and general manager Trent Baalke value his input.
"I think the seat at the table, I don't know how far that would go. My job is to prepare myself to play really well and to win games and be on the field," Lawrence said when asked if he would like to have a say in the coaching search. "So I don't want to ever cross any boundaries and try to do more than my job, if that's not wanted or needed. So I, of course, have opinions. I've been here now four years. I've had two coaches. I've seen good, bad, kind of everything in between. So I do have an opinion."
Lawrence continued, "And think that Mr. Khan and Trent really value my opinion honestly. So of course, we'll have conversations, and we've had conversations, but as far as obviously, I'm not making the decision. I'm the quarterback here. I'm not the owner, I'm not the GM. I'm the quarterback. So I know what my role is, but also think that my opinion is important, and I think they value it, so I guess that."
Later in the exchange, Lawrence said that he might be a bit biased since he's a quarterback and wants an offensive-minded coach. He then added that the Jaguars ultimately need a leader who can set the tone and establish a winning culture.
Looking back at Khan's remarks, he might've implied that Lawrence hasn't played well enough to have a say in the search. He's right. After all, the first overall pick in 2021 wasn't nearly as consistent the past two years as the Jags would've wanted. Moreover, teams shouldn't lean on a player's preference when choosing a candidate. No. 16 seems to understand that. He's also probably aware that he needs to improve. Hence, the comments about him focusing on doing his best to play at a high level.
Below is Lawrence's full media availability session. The exchange about his role in the coaching search start at the 12:00 mark.
Trevor Lawrence needs everyone must do its part for the Jaguars to turn the corner
All things considered, Trevor Lawrence reacted well to Shad Khan's comments. Moreover, he showed accountability and proved that he's not the kind of player who'll make a fuzz about their role on the team.
During the exchange, Lawrence said that players must also do their part, noting that there were many reasons the Jags weren't very good in 2024. Then again, having a head coach who can get the most out of him and his teammates is pivotal. Doug Pederson did it early in his stint but eventually lost his curveball.
Fortunately for Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville is leaving no stone unturned in their search for Pederson's replacement, putting together a list of intriguing candidates for their vacancy. Some of them have offensive backgrounds. Others have expertise in defense, but most of them appear to be up to the task of steering the ship in the right direction and turning the Jaguars into a perennial contender.