Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan confirmed Tuesday that Gus Bradley will remain the team's head coach for the 2016 season.
Jaguars owner confirms Gus Bradley’s job is safe for 2016
Gus Bradley will remain the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, but owner Shad Khan has high expectations for a significant turnaround.
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Bradley was hired by the Jaguars on the heels of a 2012 season with just two wins for Jacksonville. In 2013, the Jags doubled their previous season win total, finishing with a 4-12 record. Bradley's Jaguars went 3-13 in 2014, and the Jags are currently 5-10 with a game against the Texans remaining in Week 17.
Khan cited the improvement he's seen over Bradley's tenure as a key reason for keeping the head coach in place for 2016, and while that may not be obvious in terms of record, Jacksonville's offense has made great strides this season. Quarterback Blake Bortles is having a career season, with over 4,000 passing yards and second in the NFL behind only Tom Brady with 35 passing touchdowns. Receivers Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson each have over 1,000 yards receiving this season, the first time in team history that the team has had two receivers surpass the 1,000-yard mark.
Jacksonville has also been hit hard by injuries. Rookie defensive end Dante Fowler, Jr. was lost for the season when he tore his ACL during the team's rookie minicamp. The Jags were without tight end Julius Thomas missed the first few weeks of the season with a hand injury, and since then has suffered various other injuries that have hindered his productivity overall. Running back T.J. Yeldon, who has contributed 740 yards on the ground and 279 receiving yards this season, has been out for the past two games with a sprained MCL. Hurns suffered a serious concussion mid-season that landed him in the hospital. The injuries have been a factor in the team's record.
Khan said that he expects Bradley to have “the best year of his career” with the Jaguars in 2016, and that’s a low bar to clear with 12 wins in the last three seasons. Khan has higher expectations for Bradley than just improving on what he’s already accomplished in Jacksonville. He made it clear that a turnaround is expected.
“It’s also evident the considerable work that remains to be done to be where we expect to be at this time next season, which is well above where we stand today,” Khan said. “And Gus understands that.”
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