NFL: Is Jags Owner Wayne Weaver Backtracking Regarding Head Coach Jack Del Rio?

It is almost seven months to the day that Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver made the statement which sent shockwaves through the Jacksonville community and the NFL.

"If we are not in the playoffs (next season), it is pretty apparent that we will have a different coach," Weaver said in a Florida Times-Union article http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2011-01-03/story/jaguars-head-coach-jack-del-rio-gets-1-more-shot-win written by Vito Stellino.

After an 8-8 record and a team that after Week 15 was atop the AFC South Division, the team suffered three straight losses to close out the 2010 season. Some of it can be attributed to injuries.

Starting running back Maurice Jones-Drew sat out the final two games of the season with a knee injury and starting quarterback David Garrard required surgery on his throwing hand that caused him to miss the finale. Still, it was another late-season collapse that head coach Jack Del Rio endured with his team.

Earlier in the season, starting defensive end Aaron Kampman went down with a torn ACL, and the defensive line that looked stable still held its own with the play of starting defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton.

The secondary did not play up to standard with Derek Cox moving in and out of the line-up and inconsistent play from veteran and hometown favorite Rashean Mathis. If not for a miracle catch against Houston and a 59-yard last-second field goal, this team could have been 6-10 on the season.

Now, as the season approaches and the team has retooled with new parts and making cuts along the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary, it looks like Weaver is changing his tune about Del Rio and his ultimatum.

In a Q & A Story printed in the Times-Union http://m.jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2011-07-30/story/qa-wayne-weaver-jaguars-can-build-legacy-if-fans-respond this past weekend, the owner of the 16-year old franchise said he would assess things at the end of the season, but may have done some backtracking about Del Rio being shown the door if the team did not make the playoffs.

"Probably my choice of words wasn't the best. No matter what I said, sometimes the emotions get the best of you," Weaver said.

"What I'm saying is I have expectations of being in the playoffs this year, but there are other factors that go into it [deciding whether to keep the coach]. Like whether you have a lot of injuries. Hopefully, we're building the kind of depth so we can overcome those kinds of things.

"I have to say right now I am pleased with what Jack and the group are doing. We're on our way to playing elite football here in Jacksonville. I believe that."

The Jaguars may have appeared to handcuff Del Rio when it spent the 2011 Draft looking toward offense when its first three picks included its quarterback of the future in Blaine Gabbert, a possible starting guard in Will Rackley and a speedy receiver in Cecil Shorts.

Still, Weaver promised the defense would be targeted in free agency.

After the lockout ended and the Jaguars were able to add to a porous defense, team general manager Gene Smith added linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session to the starting line-up while saying goodbye to Kurt Morrison and Justin Durant. He also added Ravens safety Dawan Landry and Jets nickel cornerback Drew Coleman to the team.

Jacksonville had only 26 sacks last season and 13 interceptions.

After losing punter Adam Podlesh to Chicago, the team signed Matt Turk from Houston and signed hometown native and Green Bay Packers guard Jason Spitz to the team.

The team also cut veteran starting guard, Vince Manuwai and 2008 first-round draft bust, defensive end Derrick Harvey.

In the most recent article, Weaver said the team is trying to fill the stadium and making sure more than 17,000 season tickets are sold so the team does not have a blackout for any of their home games.  The team filled the stadium for all 10 home games, including the two preseason games. 

“At the end of the day, the only way we can sustain ourselves as an NFL market is filling up our stadium on Sunday afternoons just like they do in Pittsburgh and Green Bay and some other small markets. Having said all that, I realize it's a tough economy out there, but we can fill up this stadium… We can't take a step back.

“We're doing everything we can. We've got some of the lowest ticket prices in the NFL. We're out in the community. At some point, the community has to understand the only way we can survive as an NFL market is to fill up our stadium.”

Jacksonville is the only head coaching job for Del Rio, who has a 65-63 record over eight NFL seasons. His teams have been to the playoffs only twice in his time with the Jaguars.