Reports of Doug Marone’s demise in Jacksonville may have been premature.
Not long after ESPN reported that Marrone had already been informed that he’d be fired following the Jaguars’ Week 17 game, the organization issued an on-the-record refutation of that report, stating that no decision had been made.
Statement from Jim Woodcock, #Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s spokesman: "Reports that Doug Marrone will be dismissed after Sunday’s game are 100 percent incorrect. Owner Shad Khan will meet with his football staff, which includes coaching and personnel, midweek next week.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 28, 2019
Both NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio reported that no decision has been made on Marrone’s future, and he could still remain Jacksonville’s coach going forward.
Per multiple sources, Jaguars coach Doug Marrone has not been told he'll be fired after Sunday's game. (He could still be fired after Sunday's game, but he hasn't been told that.)
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 28, 2019
#Jaguars coach Doug Marrone had dinner Thursday night with owner Shad Khan and senior VP Tony Khan. No decision has been made on his future, I'm told, and it sounds as if there's a real chance he stays. Still one more game to play tomorrow vs. the #Colts. https://t.co/PxVcOSXRMZ
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 28, 2019
At least for now, this looks like a case in which Marrone has been prematurely fired by a media report. This is far from the first time that’s happened, but it’s not often you see a site as reputable as ESPN disputed this quickly and publicly, both by other reporters and by the organization in question.
