Jaguars

Report: Some Jaguars HC Candidates Have Reservations About GM Trent Baalke

January 2, 2022

According to Jason La Canfora, the Jaguars’ decision to retain Trent Baalke as general manager is having a negative impact on their search for a new head coach.

Baalke’s reputation in coaching circles is not good, as in addition to some misses on personnel evaluations he’s also viewed as a calculating office politician who will throw the coaching staff under the bus to save his job.

La Canfora says sources close to some of the Jaguars’ coaching candidates have said they would use their interviews to scope out how married Jaguars owner Shad Khan is to keeping Baalke. Others think that Jacksonville ultimately will be forced to get rid of Baalke after a negative reaction from fans, media and potential candidates.

“This may have sounded like a good idea to them at the time, but things have a way of changing in this league,” one GM said. “I’m not saying they can’t get a coach with Trent still there, but they aren’t going to like a lot of what they hear.”

One coaching agent had much stronger words to La Canfora.

“My client would have to fire me to take an interview there under this setup. No way. It’s totally backwards.”

La Canfora mentions that Baalke has also begun pushing former Texans HC and current Alabama OC Bill O’Brien as a potential coaching candidate to Khan.

Baalke, 57, began working for the Jets as a personnel scout in 1998 before joining the Redskins 2001. After four years in Washington, Baalke was hired as the 49ers’ Western region scout and worked his way up to general manager.

Baalke was named Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association back in 2011 after the team won 13 games. He spent six years in the position but was fired in 2017 after another disappointing season.

The Jaguars hired Baalke in 2020 as their director of pro personnel and eventually promoted him to GM going into 2021.

During his tenure with the 49ers, the team produced a record of 57-31-1, which includes three playoff appearances and a conference title in 2012. The Jaguars are currently 2-13.