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Jacksonville Jaguars hiring Tony Boselli a needed bold move for owner Shad Khan | Frenette
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- Jacksonville Jaguars hiring Tony Boselli a needed bold move for owner Shad Khan | Frenette
Say this much about Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan on the hiring Monday of Tony Boselli as the team's Executive Vice President: he kept his word about retaining an open mind on his organizational structure.
Nearly one month ago, when Khan made the controversial decision to fire coach Doug Pederson and retain GM Trent Baalke, the 74-year-old owner did say he was open to the possibility of changing course if convinced another option was better.
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Calling an audible on firing Baalke — which led to Liam Coen changing his mind about interviewing with the Jaguars and then becoming Pederson's successor — was a transformational move for this franchise.
Now bringing in Boselli as an EVP, which would have never happened if Baalke was still the GM, only adds to the optimism about what a total reset of the franchise could do for the Jaguars in 2025 and beyond.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Former Jacksonville Tiger Tony Boselli looks on during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Announcement on February 10, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
I'm not suggesting Boselli's presence, as a collaborator with Coen and the unnamed new GM, is an automatic precursor to the Jaguars having sustained success and ultimately winning a Super Bowl.
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None of that can be guaranteed no matter who coaches the team or occupies any front office chair. But giving Boselli an impactful role in how this organization is run is a step in the right direction because nobody cares about the Jaguars' welfare more than the team's only Hall of Famer.
Taking a team-first approach
Boselli, 52, has the kind of strong , caring presence to ensure the Jaguars' organization is buttoned up, which has rarely been the case during Khan's 13-year tenure.
After filling multiple roles with the Jaguars over the years, as an ambassador and most recognizably as a game-day radio analyst, Boselli noted: "this is really the job I've dreamed about."
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Sure, that's what a lot of people say when they land a coveted NFL job, but it cuts differently with Boselli.
It's hard to imagine anyone outside the locker room more emotionally invested in the Jaguars, who hurts as much as the players and coaches when they lose or rejoices more when they win.
During a Zoom call with local media, Boselli talked incessantly about his team-centric approach and wanting nothing more than to have a supporting role in the success of Coen and the GM.
"It's not about me, it's about the organization, it's about the Jacksonville Jaguars , it's about the Khan family," said Boselli. "And every decision I make, every piece of advice I give will be through the lens of one thing: is it good for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Khan family and does it help us win football games?"
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Khan sends right message
Make no mistake about why Boselli is moving from his job as a game-day radio analyst for the Jaguars — it's still undetermined how much of a media role he might retain — into being part of the team's top brass.
Khan finally came to his senses that how he ran the Jaguars needed a change-up pitch. Impressively, the owner did it in the middle of a coaching search.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan was well served to cast a wide net in his search for a general manager, which resulted in Friday's appointment of 34-year-old James Gladstone as the sixth GM in franchise history.
Once the Jaguars finished the first round of 10 interviews with prospective candidates, Khan had some kind of epiphany. Whether it was after eventual Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson wanted the job without taking a second interview (Khan refused), or after Coen initially declined a second interview before changing his mind following Baalke's dismissal, credit to Khan for charting a new course.
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With Baalke gone, then Khan quickly naming his prime target in Coen as head coach, it was the perfect time to move forward with making Boselli the EVP, which I urged him to do in this space weeks ago.
Now that it's done, even before Khan names the GM, it truly feels like a breath of fresh air has been injected into the organization.
"I'm excited for Tony and the franchise," said former Jaguars player Jeff Lageman, who also serves as the team's radio game-day analyst. "I believe he's going to do a tremendous job. I appreciate Shad for doing something different than what's been done in the past. You need a little of that. Shad said he was open to change and I think this setup is great.
"You got to have a set of eyes for what this organization needs on a day-to-day basis, someone who's not worried about their own position. Tony doesn't care who gets credit or if he gets fired. He just wants to win.
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"There's nobody else that could be in that position that could have the love of the franchise and success of the franchise at the forefront of things. Tony is smart and competitive as hell and that's what you got to have."
In other words, Boselli won't operate like a cover-my-butt executive. That's a good thing. Pass or fail, he will own it.
Boselli ideal for resolving conflict
The only previous time the Jaguars had an EVP, former head coach Tom Coughlin served in that role from 2017-19, which seemed to work well when the team reached the AFC Championship game in his first year.
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Still, there was no question Coughlin's presence, which gave him power over general manager Dave Caldwell, became a nuisance when Khan felt compelled to fire him in Dec. 2019. After players began complaining about his excessive fine structure that brought a rebuke from the NFLPA, which recommended free agents go elsewhere, Coughlin was dismissed.
Boselli's EVP title will have different parameters. He has no desire to be part of overbearing team drama or to seize power. Like his time as a five-time, Pro Bowl offensive lineman, Boselli wants to be a cog in the wheel, making sure the operation runs smoothly and being a supporter for Coen and the GM.
What makes Boselli a critical hire in this role is he will genuinely look after the Jaguars' best interest. Even when conflict inevitably arises between Coen and the GM on player acquisition in free agency or the NFL Draft, it's easy to see Boselli making certain they resolve matters amicably, not just doing what he wants.
"My job is not to pick players, my job is not to coach and surely not my job to play," said Boselli. "My job is to support them and that's what I'll do.
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"I've been in the business world, let me tell you what successful businesses [do], you have healthy conflict, you have confrontation, you talk through things. The key is, once the decision is made, whatever that decision is, we're all in it together."
Getting Jaguars out of losing rut
As expected, Khan lauded Boselli's "football acumen" and what his presence as EVP will bring to the Jaguars organization.
Look for Coen and the GM to likely do the same when asked about Boselli, making for one united, happy family during what should be an extended honeymoon period for this leadership trio.
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But what does this really mean for the Jaguars' on-field success? That's an unanswered question because all these moving parts, including free agent acquisitions and 10 picks (six during the first four rounds) in the April draft, will need time to produce the desired results.
Boselli was quick to point out how he thinks the Jaguars have enough talent at key roster positions to get back into the postseason and have sustained success. Indeed, the Jaguars' last two playoff appearances in 2017 and 2022 came after they had records of 3-13 and 3-14, respectively, and returned the same quarterback.
He remains a staunch believer in Trevor Lawrence being the type of quarterback that can bring the Lombardi trophy to Jacksonville, though that remains a debatable point after uneven performances the past two seasons.
"We have a lot of the pieces and parts that a lot of teams wish they had," Boselli said.
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On paper, that might be true, but it means nothing without results. For now, what matters is Shad Khan finally came around to making a bold, systemic change this stale franchise sorely needed.
By making Tony Boselli part of the Jaguars' brass, Liam Coen and the new GM will have a better chance to put a winning product on the field. In whatever form, and however long, that takes.
Gfrenette@jacksonville.com : (904) 359-4540; Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @genefrenette
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Why Jacksonville Jaguars hiring Tony Boselli should elevate franchise
