HOUSTON — Coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell look to be returning for the Jacksonville Jaguars next season.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars finished in last place in the AFC South with a 5-11 record
- Team owner Shad Khan said the team would keep coach Doug Marrone
- Quarterback Blake Bortles is 24-49 as a starter
The future of quarterback Blake Bortles is far less certain.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan issued a statement urging his director of football operations, Tom Coughlin, to retain Marrone and Caldwell — even though the team flopped to last place in the AFC South.
The Jaguars fell to 5-11 with Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the Houston Texans, a year after finishing 10-6 and reaching the AFC title game.
“We get judged on wins and losses,” Marrone said. “Obviously, this year, I didn’t do a good job. Period. I’m never going to step away from that. I’m happy with the faith because I do believe I will get this right.”
Khan gave Coughlin, Marrone and Caldwell one-year contract extensions after Jacksonville made the 2017 AFC championship game.
“I have the same trust in Tom, Dave and Doug as I did upon their introduction two years ago, and I do believe our best path forward for the moment is the one less disruptive and dramatic,” Khan said. “Stability should not be confused with satisfaction, however. I am far from content with the status quo and while it’s best to put 2018 behind us, I will not overlook how poorly we accounted for ourselves following a 3-1 start.”
“There were far too many long Sundays over the last three quarters of the season, with today’s loss in Houston being the final example that cannot repeat itself in 2019,” he continued. “That’s my message to our football people and players, but also our sponsors and fans, both of whom were remarkable.”
The Jaguars returned to Bortles as starter after benching the quarterback following a loss to Buffalo on Nov. 25. But he did little to get Jacksonville’s offense going. He was 15 of 28 for 107 yards as the Jaguars managed only six first downs.
Bortles compiled a 24-49 record as a starter in five seasons. The third overall pick in the 2014 draft is due to count $21 million against the salary cap, and the Jags can save $9.5 million by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation.
Bortles was asked if he thought Sunday’s game would be his last for Jacksonville.
“I don’t know,” he said. “If I did ... I hope I’ll get an opportunity to come play again, but if not, I’ll figure it out and go play somewhere else. We’ll see what happens. I’ve got to wait until they let me know.”
When asked how he wants to be remembered as a Jaguar, he said: “Hopefully, not by this game.”
Marrone said his team’s offensive struggles went far beyond Bortles.
“My confidence level is not about Blake Bortles. It’s about what we have to do offensively,” Marrone said. “Right now, that confidence is low, judging by the numbers. I’d be a fool to say I have confidence in anything, from an offensive standpoint.”
The Jaguars will also be looking for more from Fournette next season after the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft managed just 439 yards rushing. He was limited to eight games because of injuries.
Coughlin had strong words for Fournette and T.J. Yeldon after the game.
Fournette, who was inactive because of foot and ankle injuries, and Yeldon were caught by TV cameras sitting on the bench and chatting while the offense had the ball. They were clearly disengaged with teammates and coaches.
“I am disappointed in the behavior today from T.J. Yeldon and Leonard Fournette,” Coughlin said. “They were disrespectful, selfish and their behavior was unbecoming that of a professional football player.”