Could Bill Belichick Save Jaguars GM?

NBC Sports' Mike Florio reported on Sunday night that Bill Belichick could be a potential job-saver for Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke.

Jan 2, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson came into Week 11 with his job potentially on the line. But what about Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke?

Things look dicey for Pederson after a franchise-worst 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions, a game in which the Jaguars allowed nearly 40 first downs and 700 total yards while scoring just two field goals. That is far from surprising considering the expectations the Jaguars had entering the year.

Per NBC Sports' Mike Florio on Sunday night, Pederson's status could be on the clock now.

“Before the season started, team owner Shahid Khan said, ‘This is the best team the Jaguars have ever assembled. Let’s prove it by winning now.’ So here we are. 2-9. Worst loss today in franchise history. Bye week coming up. Head coach Doug Pederson was asked after the game about the possibility of being fired and he said, ‘If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.’ And it could happen soon," Florio said.

But if the person who was in charge of leading this Jaguars squad on the sideline is in hot water, does the same thinking apply to the person who was in charge of putting the roster together?

That is the question Florio posed, with the lone explanation for a potential Baalke resurgence coming down to his ability to attract one coach to Jacksonville: former New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick, who spent 2024 away from coaching.

"But what about the guy that put together the best team ever assembled, [general manager] Trent Baalke? I’ve talked to several people throughout the league and there’s a belief in some circles that he could survive into next year as a part of a package deal that would reunite him with someone he worked with back in 1998 and 1999 with the New York Jets." Florio said. "That coach is available. He has won a few Super Bowls. His name is Bill Belichick.”

Mike Florio reports on Football Night in America that Jaguars GM Trent Baalke could keep his job into next season... and be joined "as part of a package deal" in Jacksonville by Bill Belichick as the new head coach. #NFL pic.twitter.com/qTeYx5pa0O

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 18, 2024

Belichick has long been rumored to be a potential option for the Jaguars in a post-Pederson world. But the idea of a pairing between him and Baalke has not been mentioned until now. The two have obvious history with each other, but is that enough for the Jaguars to entrust Baalke with a third head coach and fifth season?

We will find out soon enough.

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