Jaguars’ Trent Baalke Keeps Clown Figurine on Desk As Motivation After 2021 Season

The Jaguars' general manager heard the fans' message loud and clear.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke heard the noise loud and clear after the 2021 season. So much so, he keeps a reminder of it in front of him each day. 

In the first episode of the Jaguars-produced video series "The Hunt", Baalke revealed that he keeps a clown figurine sent to him by a fan on his desk. A vocal group of fans sent clown figurines to TIAA Bank Field and donned themselves in clown masks and costumes during the Jaguars' 2021 season finale, a response to news of Baalke being slated to return following the disastrous 2021 campaign that is now known as the Urban Meyer error.

“Yeah, some fan sent that to me,” Baalke said. “It was a little clown figurine and I said ‘You know what? I’m gonna put it there to remind myself every day why I come to work, what my purpose is, I guess. It’s to prove ’em wrong.”

Baalke had a comeback season in 2022 after owner Shad Khan retained him and paired him with new head coach Doug Pederson. Baalke led the Jaguars on the biggest spending spree in franchise history, bringing in core pieces such as Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Brandon Scherff, Foyesade Oluokun, and others. 

After a 9-8 season and an AFC South title, Baalke's role at the helm of the Jaguars' front office is entrenched. Baalke, a Bill Parcells disciple, is an old-school general manager who doesn't and won't make moves based on the demands of the fan base, but this does go to show that sometimes, everyone can get motivated. 

"What the critics have to say or do really doesn't affect my day-to-day. It's just not how I'm wired. It's not my DNA," Baalke said later in the episode. 

"You wake up in the morning, you put your shoes on and you go to work, and you do the best job you can and everything else takes care of itself. I'm paid to do a job and that job is to help build this organization into a winning franchise. And that's my focus, [which] is the only way to silence the critics is to prove them wrong.