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Jacksonville Jaguars coach candidates: Who is Kellen Moore, Eagles offensive coordinator?
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- Jacksonville Jaguars coach candidates: Who is Kellen Moore, Eagles offensive coordinator?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting the ball rolling on interview requests and interviews for their vacant head coaching position.
The team announced requests with multiple candidates, including Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
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Jaguars owner Shad Khan fired Doug Pederson last week, announcing that he and general manager Trent Baalke , among others within the team, will lead the search for the team's next coach.
"I will collaborate with General Manager Trent Baalke and others, within and close to our organization, to hire a leader who shares my ambition and is ready to seize the extraordinary opportunity we will offer in Jacksonville," Khan said in a statement Monday.
Jacksonville Jaguars coaching search: Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn among interview requests
In addition to the team's initial list of eight candidates requested for interviews, the Jaguars also requested Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for interviews.
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Jacksonville has concluded virtual interviews with five candidates as of press time Wednesday, including Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham , Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn , Green Bay Packers analyst and former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Spagnuolo .
Moore has been a hot name around the coaching circuits for a few years now. He's jumped around a couple of teams in the last few years but has consistently remained one of the league's next-up candidates.
Under Moore's guidance, the Eagles have returned to a more consistent unit on offense, especially on the ground. Philadelphia ranked seventh in points and eighth in yards in 2024. They ranked second in rushing yards and touchdowns and first in attempts, showcasing the team's ability to use the ground game to their advantage.
Moore, of course, didn't come to Philly without any backup. The team acquired running back Saquon Barkley via free agency and he quickly became the league's top running back. This season, Barkley ran for a league-high 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns after a league-high 345 rushing attempts.
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When can the Jaguars interview Kellen Moore?
Dec 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on the sidelines during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
The Jaguars can interview Moore at any time before the start of the Divisional Round of the playoffs this weekend. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Jaguars will conduct a first-round, virtual interview with Moore on Friday, Jan. 17 .
Jacksonville will be able to conduct second-round, in-person interviews with candidates starting next week on Jan. 20.
What is Kellen Moore's coaching history?
Sep 26, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (right) laughs with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Moore, 36, is one of the youngest offensive coordinators in the league. After signing with the Detroit Lions as a quarterback in undrafted free agency out of Boise State in 2012, Moore went on to enjoy a six-year career in the NFL, including spending his final three years of playing time with the Dallas Cowboys .
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Moore quickly flipped his career to the coaching side after 2017, becoming Dallas' quarterbacks coach. He rose quickly again, becoming the team's offensive coordinator in 2019-22.
The Cowboys and Moore mutually parted ways after the team's playoff run in 2022-23. Moore became the offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 and was hired by the Eagles this past offseason in the same role.
What are the Jaguars looking for in their next head coach? When will they make a hire?
Khan laid out what the team needs in a new head coach on Monday during his and Baalke's joint press conference with the local media.
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Khan spoke about a variety of topics, including the team's coaching regression from previous years. He spoke about the team's need for deception, calling both sides of the football "predictable."
When asked specifically what he is looking for in a new head coach, Khan led off with wanting the coach to "win," and represent the city well.
"I think we want him to represent the city and the team, obviously, well. We want him to win. Right now, we are the most predictable team on both sides of the ball. Football, to win, deception is a big part of it. Unpredictability," said Khan.
"If you know exactly what we're going to do on offense or defense, you'd better have the 22 best players to help us win a football game. So, being unpredictable is I think modern football, and we have to be able to show that on the field."
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Baalke said during the presser that the team will do their due diligence to get the right coach.
"We're going to move quickly to get some people lined up to talk to. How long that process takes? I think Shad mentioned, it's going to take as long as it takes to identify the right individual. Is that one interview, is that two interviews? I think we're going to do our due diligence and be very thorough in this process," said Baalke.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars to interview Eagles' Kellen Moore for head coach
