Jaguars fire DC Caldwell, other members of staff
The Jacksonville Jaguars are moving on from defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell after two seasons, the team announced Monday.
Several members of his coaching staff were also fired.
From the #Jaguars:
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) January 9, 2024
"In addition to Mike Caldwell, the following were relieved of their duties:
- Defensive Line Coach Brentson Buckner
-Defensive Quality Control Coach Sean Cullina
- Inside Linebackers Coach Tony Gilbert
- Safeties Coach Cody Grimm
- Defensive Quality Control…
Jacksonville also fired running backs coach Bernie Parmalee and didn't renew the contract of assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
The once 8-3 Jaguars struggled down the stretch of the 2023 campaign, losing five of their last six games to miss the playoffs. They also surrendered at least 28 points in four of their final six contests.
Head coach Doug Pederson stressed the need for Jacksonville to make the most of its opportunities while it can.
"Since our season's end, I have made the difficult decision to relieve several members of the coaching staff - on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball - of their duties," he said in a statement. "I want to thank each of these coaches for their tireless efforts these last two seasons. Ultimately, I felt change was necessary to allow our football team to reach the goals for which we are capable."
Caldwell's unit ranked 17th in points allowed and 22nd in yardage this season. The defense ranked 12th in points allowed and 24th in yardage during his first year on the job in 2022.