Shiv Telegram Media: Jaguars fire defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and assistants
2 min readJaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson Fires Defensive Coordinator and Multiple Assistants
In a surprising move, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson has made the decision to fire defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and several defensive assistants. This comes after Pederson had previously stated that he would take time before making any staff changes. However, the disappointing end to the season prompted him to quickly make these firings.
Along with Caldwell, the list of coaches let go includes defensive line coach Brentson Buckner, passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Deshea Townsend, inside linebackers coach Tony Gilbert, safeties coach Cody Grimm, senior defensive assistant Bob Sutton, and defensive quality control coaches Tee Mitchell and Sean Cullina. Despite the shakeup, assistant defensive line coach Rory Segrest, outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey, and defensive quality control coach Patrick Reilly were retained.
Caldwell was hired as the defensive coordinator in 2022 and initially showed promise as the defense displayed improvement. However, they were unable to continue that progress in the 2023 season. The Jaguars suffered a disappointing end to the season, losing five out of their final six games. The defense struggled immensely during this stretch, giving up an average of 29.2 points and 146.8 rushing yards per game in those losses.
Despite the team’s defensive struggles, there were some bright spots. The defense managed to force 27 turnovers throughout the season and saw standout performances from players like outside linebacker Josh Allen and linebacker Foye Oluokun. However, there was one particularly difficult game against the Tennessee Titans, where the defense allowed a high rushing total of 175 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall, the Jaguars’ defense finished the season with mixed results. They ranked 17th in scoring defense, 22nd in total defense, ninth in rushing defense, and 26th in passing defense. These numbers indicate that there is room for improvement moving forward.
Fans and analysts will now eagerly await the Jaguars’ next moves as they look to rebuild and improve their defense for the upcoming season. With several coaching vacancies to fill, it will be interesting to see who Pederson selects to shape the team’s defensive strategy moving forward.
We will continue to provide updates on the Jaguars’ coaching staff changes and any further developments as they unfold. Stay tuned to Shiv Telegram Media for all your latest Jaguars news.
“Devoted food specialist. General alcohol fanatic. Amateur explorer. Infuriatingly humble social media scholar. Analyst.”