The Duval Devout have already begun celebrating in the cyber streets of social media as Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Kahn and general manager Trent Baalke have decided to “respectfully separate effective immediately” according to an issued statement from Kahn.

Baalke is believed to have been a presence that has soured the attractiveness of their head coaching position after recently firing Doug Pederson. Just after Pederson’s firing, Kahn had said publicly during a zoom call with Baalke present that he would consider addressing staff in the front office if a new coaching candidate brought in a plan which “makes sense” required it.

Further complications surrounding the inability to secure three of the top coaching candidates in Jacksonville may have also been a factor. Former NFC North Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is now head coach with the Chicago Bears while their former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is reportedly taking the New York Jets head coaching opening. The third of the candidates, Liam Coen, has signed a new contract with the NFC South Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make him the highest paid coordinator in the NFL.

Coen’s status may now change considering Baalke’s departure. If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be the first time Baalke’s presence deterred a former Tampa offensive coordinator from taking a Jaguars head coaching job.During the search for Pederson’s hiring in 2021, it was reported that former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich was willing to take that position if Kahn was willing to part ways with Baalke at that time.

While it’s not confirmed, there’s ample evidence to consider that Kahn may have seen elements of Baalke’s role with the team repelling other candidates. Rumors have surfaced from former members with in the Jacksonville franchise that Baalke was notorious for “backstabbing” others in the organization to maintain his position with the team.

Whether it’s his reputation earning him the name “Little Finger” ala the politically hungry noble Petyr Baelish from The Game of Thrones series or some other point of contention between him and Kahn, Baalke will not be participating in the hiring of a sixth head coach dating back to his time in San Francisco where he was also a general manager.