Jacksonville Jaguars fans haven’t had much to celebrate this year. Their team missed the NFL playoffs, Trevor Lawrence was injured in the middle of the season, and until Wednesday, the team still hadn’t fired embattled general manager Trent Baalke.
After a few coaching interviews fell through, reportedly due to Baalke’s presence in Jacksonville’s front office, Jaguars owner Shad Khan opted to terminate him. While many Jaguars fans are rejoicing at the news, some are wondering why it took Khan so long.
Let’s take a look at the aftermath of Jacksonville’s decision.
Jaguars Fans Share Thoughts on Baalke’s Firing
Baalke has been a disaster as the Jaguars’ general manager. Under his management, Jacksonville went 25-45 in his years at the helm, with only one playoff run that ended in the AFC Divisional Round back in 2022.
Owner Shad Khan released this statement:
“Following several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we both arrived at the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate, effective immediately,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons.”
Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager, Khan added.
At first, Khan had resisted firing Baalke and recently told the press he thought overhauling the team would be a mistake.
“What is a complete overhaul of the franchise?” Khan asked on a Zoom call with reporters. “Health and wellness of the players, medical statistics, analysis, scouting, and several other elements along with contract administration, all of those areas we have really changed (and) improved certainly over the last four or five years. So to change all of that is almost like suicidal.”
However, with several well-known coaching candidates withdrawing their names from the Jags coaching list, Khan appears to have had enough and decided to move on.
Fans reactions were mixed.
“Shad Khan kept Trent Baalke and scared off high-profile coaching candidates, only to fire Baalke weeks later. Once again,” one X user said.
Shad Khan kept Trent Baalke and scared off high profile coaching candidates, only to fire Baalke weeks later.
Once again. https://t.co/DuPYjtxJO2 pic.twitter.com/0Ws3YljVMz
— Tre (@Tre092) January 22, 2025
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. People around the league absolutely despise Trent Baalke. Been the case ever since the York family fired him from the 49ers, where he earned a notorious reputation for betraying people within the organization whenever he got in trouble,” another chimed in.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. People around the league absolutely despise Trent Baalke. Been the case ever since the York family fired him from the 49ers where he earned a notorious reputation for betraying people within the organization whenever he got in trouble. https://t.co/o1BH9xh8bO
— Erik Duerrwaechter (@EDuerrwaechter) January 22, 2025
“Trent Balke out as the gm is like a second Christmas for jags fans,” celebrated this X user.
Trent Balke out as the gm is like a second Christmas for jags fans
— TheGodd (@OhMeOhMyWhy) January 22, 2025
Another highlighted just how hopeless some Jaguars fans feel, explaining, “Only this team could find a way to fumble the process so badly that even FIRING TRENT BAALKE leaves us with a bad taste in our mouth and, somehow, still having no hope.”
Only this team could find a way to fumble the process so badly that even FIRING TRENT BAALKE leaves us with a bad taste in our mouth and, somehow, still having no hope.
— Rewind Jax (@RewindJax) January 22, 2025
