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Jacksonville Jaguars introduce GM James Gladstone, sees parallels to LA Rams rebuild
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- Jacksonville Jaguars introduce GM James Gladstone, sees parallels to LA Rams rebuild
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone sat front and center in the team room of the Miller Electric Center.
He was flanked by owner Shad Khan on one side and head coach Liam Coen on the other, with Executive Vice President Tony Boselli , Chief Football Strategy Officer Tony Khan and President Mark Lamping joining them.
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But the spotlight was squarely on Gladstone.
Gladstone, 34, was hired as Jacksonville's newest general manager Friday and held his introductory press conference Monday morning before the contingent ventures to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Monday afternoon.
As he was making his introductory statement, he was emotional and took several pauses, to which he received friendly taps on the leg from Coen. It was a show of solidarity between the two men who have history dating back to their time with the Los Angeles Rams .
"I can't say that when I think back to our time at the Rams, there was ever this idea that, 'Hey, we're going to end up being GM and head coach side by side,'" Gladstone said of his and Coen's relationship. "But by default, because of where our roots both fall, we're aligned, just in and of itself.
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"And I think through this whole process, some of the things that really were the most alluring and exciting about this opportunity is that the leadership structure, it mirrors what I'm familiar with in Los Angeles ."
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Gladstone, Coen hoping to duplicate success of Los Angeles Rams
Jacksonville Jaguars Owner Shad Khan, left, listens as Jacksonville Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone, center, explained what he was bringing to the table during a press conference Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. as Head Coach Liam Coen, right, listened. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025
Gladstone stated he was very appreciative and thankful for his time with the Rams, even revealing that the only reason he felt comfortable putting himself out there for the position was because of Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead's approval.
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Prior to joining Snead's staff, he admittedly was set on being a teacher and a high school football coach. And now, nearly a decade later, he's the general manager of an NFL franchise.
"I see a lot of parallels to my time with the Los Angeles Rams in the current moment in time here with the Jacksonville Jaguars ," Gladstone said. "In particular, dating back to sort of the inflection point in 2017 when the Los Angeles Rams were coming off a four-win season, hired a dynamic and resilient head coach and were able to follow that up with a successful season and successful seasons since."
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead and chief of staff Carter Crutchfield talk on the field during training camp at Loyola Marymount University, July 29, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Gladstone was referencing the hiring of Rams coach Sean McVay and the success he's had with the club since joining. The Rams have had winning seasons in seven of eight years since McVay took over. They won the Super Bowl in 2021 and have made the playoffs in six of the eight seasons since.
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The Jaguars are hoping to duplicate that type of success with the hiring of Gladstone and Coen — two of the youngest people in the NFL in their respective positions.
"I don't know that we've actually talked about our age at all. We both start from a place of humility and I think that that makes a lot of a lot of stuff easy and seamless," Gladstone said. "While at the same time, there's this aura of confidence and understanding that we have a dynamic asset and that is our ability to see what tools are available and apply and execute those within our spheres.
"I don't know that age has ever been something that my mind's ever gone to as a part of this process and we certainly haven't even brought up in any conversations."
Gladstone gives insight into his philosophy, how he'll address looming NFL Draft
Jacksonville Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone explained what he was bringing to the table during a press conference Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025
In terms of approach, Gladstone is different than the people who've held his position prior to him. His ability to understand data analytics and talent evaluations, weighing them as equals rather than tipping the scale to either side, is rare.
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He was asked if he thinks of himself as someone who's cutting edge or outside of the box.
"I have a fresh perspective, I'd say. A deep understanding of really the modern tools and mechanisms that are revolutionizing the sport," Gladstone began. "That'll certainly be something that we leverage here, while at the same time we're walking into the Combine this afternoon. The current mode of operation is in rhythm. The cadence is in place."
Gladstone's hiring just days before the Combine begins, in theory, means the team is operating behind the 8-ball. But Gladstone will lean on the work of the prior staff while also instilling his own methods and philosophy.
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A philosophy that encourages people to "be themselves," in his own words.
"We will prioritize people and players that are intangibly rich, and by doing so, they will elevate our ecosystem, our team, by being nothing more than themselves," he said. "It's as simple as that."
Who'll make the final decisions: Gladstone, Coen or Boselli?
The Jacksonville Jaguars introduce General Manager James Gladstone, left, Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. as he listened to Head Coach Liam Coen, center, talk about how Gladstone was bringing a new level of skills to the organization during the press conference as Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli, right, listened. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025
With the number of questions that'll need immediate answers soon to arise and the reshuffling of Jacksonville's leadership structure with the addition of Boselli, Coen and Gladstone, who'll have final say on decisions?
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The professional free agency period and NFL Draft will give the first answer to that question. But Gladstone gave insight to his feelings on Monday with a two-word answer.
"Pure collaboration," he said.
The Jacksonville Jaguars introduce General Manager James Gladstone, left, Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. as he listens to Head Coach Liam Coen during the press conference. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025
That was supported by Boselli after being asked his opinion on why this collaboration effort will be different than those in the past.
"It starts with relationships that are built on trust, and that's what we're establishing, and that's how we'll operate moving forward," Boselli said. "Because at the end of the day if we keep the focus on what we're trying to achieve, which is win football games, nothing else should matter.
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"Not our agendas, not our egos, who gets credit."
Gladstone and the rest of Jacksonville's leadership contingent will be in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine this week as they prepare for the draft in April.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: James Gladstone shares insight on plan to fix Jacksonville Jaguars
