Doug Pederson knows he may be on his way out in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars are 2-9 after suffering a fourth straight loss on Sunday. The team's maligned general manager, Trent Baalke, could be retained beyond the 2024 season, however, as part of a play for legendary coach Bill Belichick, per NBC Sports.
Some around the NFL believe Baalke's history with Belichick, who shared an employer in the New York Jets back in 1998-1999, will factor into the Jaguars' decision regarding their general manager, Mike Florio reported Sunday. Not only that, but Jacksonville could view Baalke as "part of a package deal" with Belichick, who's spent this season out of a coaching job after 24 seasons with the New England Patriots.
Baalke worked as a scout for the Jets from 1998-2000, while Belichick served as the team's assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1997-1999, meaning the two overlapped for two years. Belichick was infamously introduced as the Jets' new head coach in 2000, only to resign and take the same job with the Patriots prior to the start of the season. He and Baalke never crossed professional paths after that.
Baalke has been the Jaguars' general manager since 2021, when the team used the No. 1 overall draft pick on quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville has gone just 23-39 during his tenure, missing the playoffs in both 2021 and 2023. Prior to his run with the Jags, which began with a stint as the director of player personnel, Baalke spent six seasons as the San Francisco 49ers' general manager, from 2011-2016.