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Jaguars' owner cans coach Jack Del Rio, announces team sale to businessman
For a 3-8 team that has done little to turn heads this season, there was plenty of news coming out of the Jacksonville Jaguars' clubhouse Tuesday as owner Wayne Weaver fired his coach, then announced he would step aside himself.
Jack Del Rio, 43, became the team's second coach in 2003. Though the Jags made the playoffs in 2005 and 2007, they won only one postseason game under Del Rio.
Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker will take the helm for the rest of the season, according to the Jaguars' website, which notes that the defense has been one of the few bright spots for the team this year, "currently ranking fourth in the NFL and fourth in pass defense."
The bigger news, however, may have been Weaver's announcement that he had agreed to sell his team to Shahid Khan, an Illinois businessman. The deal must be approved by the league and other team owners.
"I am excited for the team and for our great fans because Shahid will bring passion and commitment to the job. He is committed to restoring a winning tradition here in Jacksonville," Weaver said.
Khan, a Pakistani native, began working for Flex-N-Gate Corp. in 1970, while he was in school, the Jaguars website says. After graduating from the University of Illinois in engineering in 1971, Khan worked for Flex-N-Gate until 1978 before going into business for himself.
"He began a new business designing and manufacturing innovative lightweight, continuous metal bumper systems, with no seams to corrode or rust. Today, nearly two-thirds of all North American pick-up trucks and sport utilities have bumper systems based on Khan’s designs," the website says.
Khan purchased his former employer in 1980, and the Flex-N-Gate Group now boasts 48 plants internationally, more than 10,000 employees and sales topping $3 billion.
Khan told the website it has "long been my personal and professional goal” to own an NFL franchise and he is "fully committed to delivering Jacksonville its first Super Bowl championship."
There has been lots of speculation that the Jaguars might relocate so the latter statement from Khan may come as a relief to pro football fans in North Florida.
Jacksonville and the Carolina Panthers joined the NFL as expansion teams in 1995, and the Jags made an immediate impression, reaching the playoffs in four of their first five seasons, including two division championships and a 14-2 campaign in 1999.
Since 1999, however, the team has reached the postseason only twice and fan enthusiasm has waned. The team presently ranks 26th among the NFL's 32 teams in attendance. Del Rio steps down after posting a 68-71 record during his time there.
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Does this mean: The Los Angeles Jaguars?
LA has no money! In fact California has no money. Maybe they will be losing their teams to the east coast instead.
I'm not commenting AT ALL about Del Rio as a coach. Usually, , an owner when selling a franchise would step aside and let the new owners make their own decisions on personnel. That said, it was his toy and he could do whatever he to do with it. Firing Del Rio before completing the sale appears to be more personnel than business. Like Corleone said it's not personal it's business. YEAH RIGHT.
I'm a huge Jags fan, but I think it's time for them to leave
Jacksonville. i hope they move to LA. I might get to see them
once in a while.
Second!!! I hereby claim this prestigious spot for trolls and troglodytes worldwide!
No. Read the article one more time, Khan said he "will not relocate the team."
Just because he said it doesn't make it true.
You are faaaar too trusting, my little friend.
Money talks... Bulls^^^^ walks.
Yeah...and releasing Garrard was a total football decision. Jags will be gone in two years.
Yep and Weaver kept reassuring us that the Jags were NOT for sale.
A few years ago one of the founders of Blackberry purchased the Nashville Predators, all the while swearing he had no intent to relocate the team to his native Canada. Then the story broke that he was selling season tickets in Canada and the original owner tore up the check. Rest assured, in sports, when someone says "I will never do (blank)," they're getting ready to do just that.
It is about time. You can not suck forever and expect nothing to happen.
That was a gangsta move.
He won't relocate the team – yet
This man from Pakistan becomes rich with hard work and we have people born in this country who can't even get out of bed and find a job or don't care to as long as they get their stupid welfare check.
100% agreed. The people you describe are called occupiers.
There are plenty of smart people who don't become rich you idiot, and you neither or the two.
Hey OWS, read the article. You can't find a job because YOU CHOSE A BULL CRAP DEGREE/JOB SKILL
The man went to school here.
The man earned a degree in engineering.
The man Went to work for a company.
The man started his own company and purchased his old company.
OWS, your OWN decisions on college degree's and laziness in following up are why YOUR OUT OF WORK.
Nobody else's fault by your own OWS.
f off and die so I don't have to support you parasites any more.
One has to be a crook to get this rich. No one "works" so hard and become so wealthy without being a criminal.
Yes because a family or single person can live on these amounts "Cash allowance benefits for financial assistance will also be state regulated and allowances paid will also vary based on different criteria. However, an average expectation can be placed on a family of 4 receiving up to $900 for their TANF allowance. A single person household can expect an average of up to $300." You people need to do a little research of your own and not listen to Fox News type "personalities" for everything.
@rikers: time to take your meds.
KAHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from hells heart i stab at thee..
I wish Randolph D. Lerner would do the same thing...
It's just a lot of BS. Teams should be civil servants working for the city they represent. This whole mixing of sports and business was a big mistake. Now you have some guy who grew up in Pakistan dictating what happens with an American tradition.
waaa
waaa
waaa
If that was the case, none of the teams would be profitable. Ever look at the finances of the localities nation wide.
Jesus, what a stupid mthr f'r
Hey num nuts. You read how HE EXCELLED on his own. Worked for a company, designed a product on his own, then became rich enough to purchase his old company.
Just because your stupid and lazy doesn't mean everyone else is.
Your just jelous
Where did it say that he grew up in Pakistan?
–Khan, a Pakistani native, began working for Flex-N-Gate Corp. in 1970–
Probably went to college in the US and stayed here.
"OWS_Are_Parasites
Hey num nuts. You read how HE EXCELLED on his own. Worked for a company, designed a product on his own, then became rich enough to purchase his old company.
Just because your stupid and lazy doesn't mean everyone else is.
Your just jelous"
It's ironic to see you calling someone else stupid. You used "your" where "you're" belonged twice, misspelled "jealous" and "numb" and used a sentence break where a comma should have been. You most certainly are qualified to criticize the intellect of others.
That is how the Pakistani's will get even with the United States. They plan to buy the NFL, one team at a time, and move it to Pakistan.
So a Pakistani will own an NFL team. Should be interesting to see if the Muslim stuff does not crop up especially in North Florida.
Mike Sk, as a 24-year resident of Jacksonville, I can assure you anti-Muslim or anti-Pakistani/ Arab sentiments are not nearly as pervasive as outsiders think. A highly vocal minority might make it appear that Jacksonville has a problem with minority groups, and unfortunately some are on the city council, but that's not at all representative of the clear majority of its citizens.
Some fun facts about Jacksonville according to the 2010 Census that may dispel myths about its supposed backwardness/ "redneckness":
44.9% of residents are members of ethnic minorities (compared to 42.1% for the state of Florida)
15.2% of businesses are owned by African Americans (compared to 9% for the state of Florida)
29.9% of businesses are owned by women (compared to 28.9% for the state)
5.1% of business are owned by Asian-Americans (compared to 3.2% for the state)
Registered Democrats: 224,716
Registered Republicans: 191,672
@ Terry: HA HA, good one!
Now that a Paki is going to own the team the offence and defense should be called Taliban and Al qaida respectively. Also players better learn to bend over and read some Quraan during a practice session......
You, sir, are an idiot.
The name of the new team will be the Jacksonville Jihadis. Expect the cheerleaders to show some ankle during games!
Nothing on cnn main headings about the war on terror or the economy. Could it be because things are so bad in Afganastan, etc., and the economy remains so poor? John Hines
Dang man, Texans beat you that badly? Whose House?