Ranking Rams McVay among NFL head coaches (27-21)

24th-ranked Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars

Head Coaching Record: 37-45 (.451)

The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to be in the news each year, as some new veteran player wants “out”. While it’s very difficult to win in the NFL with an annual distraction, Doug Marrone has continued to coach in Jacksonville with that theme plaguing his team. The team has been treading water for Marrone with a historically gifted defense, and an aimless offense.  Marrone was promoted from the offensive side of the ball.

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The team is banking on quarterback Gardner Minshew to lead the team in 2020. That will lead to a positive outcome. Either Minshew does well, and the Jaguars will have positive momentum to build on. Or the team will crash and burn in 2020, and the team will have a new coach and a chance to select the top quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Positive direction, in 2021?

I suspect the latter will be true. If not for the Jaguars solid 2017-2018 season, Marrone would be gone now. And if the Jaguars do not win more games in 2020 than 2019, he will be gone next year. This is one of those “how bad is the coach?” versus “how bad is the front office?” chicken or egg scenarios.  In March 2019, the Jaguars signed free agent quarterback Nick Foles. A year later, he’s with the Chicago Bears. NFL careers are measured by stopwatches at Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are tough not to like. They are a gritty no-nonsense bunch of players, many of whom have gone on to incredible NFL careers elsewhere. That makes this team less than the sum of its parts. How much of that is Doug Marrone’s fault? It’s difficult to say, but he isn’t part of the fix either.