2011 NFL season and Jacksonville Jaguars change of sides: from Wayne Weaver to Shad Khan - Part Two
The crisis surrounding Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach, Del Rio, and some of the figures from management, which apparently were triggered by the failures of Blaine Gabbert, resulting in consequent criticism that gained further ground as the team continued
on the losing streak.
November 29, 2011, became a turning point in the coach’s future. He was let go by the former owner, Wayne Weaver, having spent nine years with the side, but with very little achievement to his credit.
The day also proved to be a turning point for Wayne Weaver himself, when he called it a day from the club’s ownership, confirming a $770 million deal with the Pakistan-born American business tycoon and philanthropist, Shahid Khan. The deal included $660
million the franchise price and $110 million in debt.
Before his departure, Weaver extended the contract of his general manager, Gene Smith and promoted the defensive coaching staff, Mel Tucker, to take over Rio’s place as head coach.
He said that he had served the Jaguars enough and was transferring them to safer hands of Shahid (Shad) Khan, who himself is a big fan of American football.
Weaver told the team’s fans that Mr Khan has committed to leave Jaguars at their headquarters in Jacksonville.
The new owner lived up to the fans' expectations, so far.
Shad Khan, however, had to face and overcome a few regular hurdles before claiming the ownership rights of the outfit.
It started with the straightaway approval of the deal by the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell.
The acquisition was also given the green signal by NFL's Finance Committee that met to review it on December 6, 2011.
Its former owner, Wayne Weaver, was on the committee as a member.
Shahid Khan got another step closer to taking over the Jaguars, officially, when the deal was approved by the NFL Ownership Committee on December 16, 2011.
None of the 32 NFL franchise owners made any objections.
With Khan having clear prospects of taking over Jaguars, he was openly welcomed by Jaguars' fans, officials and players, both former and current.
Jaguars' fans even went out of the way to welcome the new owner by wearing shirts with slogan of ‘Yes We Khan’ inscribed on them in one game.
They also wore fake moustaches, resembling the trade mark moustache of Shahid Khan.
The deal was declared completed and closed on January 04, 2012, and Mr Khan finally and formally became owner of the club. He is first US ethnic minorities’ community member to have bought an American professional football franchise.
Away from the deal worries, the Jaguars kept playing and in most of the games losing, with their interim coach, Mel Tucker in charge.
Tucker finished the season under his coaching role at 2-3, losing three and winning two of the five games under his coaching tenure.
Shad Khan, in the meantime, visited the Jacksonville to discuss hiring of new head coach for his side. It was the first challenge awaiting the new owner.
Their GM, Gene Smith, started the search right away while interviewing officials from a number of teams in the course. The team’s focus of the coach hunt was the offense department.
On January 10, 2012, the side declared to have hired a new coach. He is Atlanta Falcons offensive assistant coach, Mike Mularkey.
In their post-hiring comments, both, the owner and the new coach, spoke of their ambitions to turn around Jacksonville Jaguars as a consistent winner on the field and a role model off the field.
This is, by any standards, a welcoming hope for Jaguars, who had gone through one of their roughest and worst times in the franchise's history.
Putting them on the winning track will no doubt serve the best interests of new management, and most importantly the interests of their fans.
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