Jaguars Refute Report They Will Fire Doug Marrone After Week 17

The Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly told head coach Doug Marrone he will be relieved of his duties after the final game of the regular season, reports ESPN's Dianna Russini.

Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone has been informed that he will be dismissed following Sunday’s game vs. Colts, per sources. Jaguars will begin a search for a new head coach.
— Dianna (@diannaESPN) December 28, 2019

Marrone took over as interim head coach in December of 2016 and has held the position since. He was at the head of Jacksonville's most successful season in over a decade when he led the team to the AFC Championship Game in 2017 and came very close to toppling the Patriots in Foxborough. The last two years have been intensely disappointing, however, leading to his dismissal. Marrone has gone 21-28 to this point as head coach in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars sit at 5-10 and are adrift without a clear direction forward. Nick Foles is under contract for big money over the next three years, and while Gardner Minshew has been a fun surprise, his ceiling remains undetermined. The Jags have cleaned house with Marrone and Tom Coughlin, and will look for someone to lead them into a new era.

UPDATE: The Jaguars have refuted this report in an official statement provided to Ian Rapoport.

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