For a decade, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been mired in an all-too-familiar trend that has resulted in nearly 20 losing seasons. But things are looking up for this NFL team as they are now just one game away from playing their first ever Super Bowl.
Mike Tannenbaum, former NFL GM, made a fool of himself on Twitter when he compared the Jacksonville Jaguars to the Golden State Warriors. He tweeted that the Jaguars were “the new Golden State Warriors.”
Few people have likened the NFL’s train wreck-of-a-franchise Jacksonville Jaguars to the NBA’s dynasty Golden State Warriors in recent years. ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum, a former NFL general manager, did precisely that lately.
It’s a completely absurd analogy.
The Jaguars in Jacksonville are a total disaster.
For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 2021 season was intended to be a watershed moment. With the first overall choice, the team selected Trevor Lawrence, a generational talent at quarterback. Lawrence’s Clemson teammate Travis Etienne was selected with the 25th overall selection.
And, to top it all off, owner Shad Khan persuaded three-time National Championship-winning college coach Urban Meyer to join the professionals.
It all came crashing down eleven months and one day after Meyer signed the dotted line and the Great Jacksonville Rebuild began.
What went wrong?
The problems in Jacksonville began when Etienne suffered a foot injury in the preseason and was forced to miss the whole season. Lawrence followed this trend by opening his season with a career-high number of interceptions.
It became a lot worse when Meyer opted not to fly back from Cincinnati with his squad, and it got even worse late at night at an Ohio pub when he tried to sugarcoat the issue to his teammates.
For a moment, things seemed to be getting (slightly) better in Duval County, until a bombshell story from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero altered everything. Former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo accused Meyer of kicking him in the leg during pregame warmups, which was the last straw.
After a shutout defeat to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, Khan dismissed Meyer, bringing the team’s record to 2-11. However, not much changed once Meyer went. The team’s season record fell to an NFL-worst 2-12 after a defeat to the (nearly) as poor 3-11 Houston Texans.
The squad will now begin its search for a new coach in the summer. What makes this position unique is that at least one former general manager, Mike Tannenbaum, believes it is not just the greatest job in the NFL, but the top job in pro sports in the previous seven years.
Mike Tannenbaum, a former NFL general manager, compares the Jaguars to the Golden State Warriors in 2014.
The Jags, according to @RealTannenbaum, offer a more appealing coaching job than the Bears.
“This reminds me of Steve Kerr’s arrival at the Warriors, when he already had the framework in place. A few changes were made, and the rest is history. Next year, they should be in the playoffs.” pic.twitter.com/kNibwg207K
21 December 2021 — Get Up (@GetUpESPN)
From 2006 until 2012, Mike Tannenbaum served as general manager of the New York Jets. During that time, the franchise enjoyed some of its finest seasons in recent memory. They advanced to the playoffs three times and twice to the AFC Championship Game. During those seven seasons, though, the team’s record was just 57-55.
Tannenbaum is now an NFL analyst on ESPN, thanks to his just above.500 record.
On Get Up! this week, Tannenbaum discussed whether the position with the Jacksonville Jaguars or the Chicago Bears (which also includes a good rookie quarterback and a coach that many anticipate to be dismissed shortly) is better.
The previous GM made it clear which he preferred:
Because of Trevor Lawrence’s deal, Jacksonville has a historically great opening. They’ll save north of $40 million per year over the next three years compared to what they’d have to pay him as an experienced quarterback. I’m calling Davante Adams the day I get the job and telling him, “Congratulations, you’re a Jacksonville Jaguar.” I’m not going to put down the phone. DJ Chark is making a comeback. Travis Etienne is making a comeback. Guys, this reminds me of Steve Kerr joining the Warriors and laying the groundwork. They tweaked a few things, and the rest is history. This is a squad that should make the playoffs the next season.
Mike Tannenbaum on the job with the Jacksonville Jaguars
That’s correct. Not only did Tannenbaum remark that the Jaguars’ job is better than the Bears’ job, but he also said that the Jaguars’ job is better than the Bears’ job (which is arguable). He compared the Jaguars’ task to that of the Golden State Warriors in 2014. (which is laughable).
Tannenbaum’s assessment of the Duval scenario is ludicrous.
Trevor Lawrence, Steve Kerr, and Stephen Curry (from left to right) | Andy Lyons/Getty Images; MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images.
Steve Kerr, a former NBA player, assistant coach, and general manager, notably turned down the prestigious New York Knicks head coaching position in 2014 in exchange for the No. 1 spot on the Golden State Warriors bench.
He noticed the Warriors’ youthful nucleus’ promise, as well as the Knicks’ devastating dysfunction, headed by the renowned James Dolan. Draymond Green, a second-year forward, Klay Thompson, a third-year guard, and Stephen Curry, the best shooter in NBA history, were among the members of this group.
That season, the Warriors earned their third NBA championship in Kerr’s first four seasons.
It’s ludicrous to think that’s where the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster will be in 2021.
Sure, a generational franchise quarterback like Curry is analogous to a generational scorer. Trevor Lawrence, on the other hand, is nowhere near that level yet, especially with his potential fresh out of college.
Justin Fields, whom Tannenbaum rejected outright, has started 10 games this season compared to Lawrence’s 14, so a stats-by-stats comparison isn’t fair.
Fields, on the other hand, had a higher completion percentage (58.9% vs. 58.1%), a higher Quarterback Rating (73.2 vs. 69.3), and a comparable touchdown-to-interception ratio (7/10 vs. 9/14).
Plus, although Travis Etienne may become Klay Thompson and (Jacksonville’s) Josh Allen could become Draymond Green, Darnell Mooney and Roquan Smith could become comps of both players, and Fields, not Lawrence, becomes Steph Curry.
Not to mention, after everything is said and done, it may be Mac Jones, Trey Lance, or Zach Wilson who emerges as the Curry of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Finally, the Jaguars have had little to no success in the past, but the Bears have been one of the greatest and most well-run NFL organizations for most of the previous century.
If Lawrence develops like Curry and a slew of other factors fall into place, the Jaguars might become the Warriors in the next few years. However, there’s just as big a chance (if not greater) that Lawrence is more like Hasheem Thabeet or Johnny Flynn, and the Jaguars remain the NFL’s Sacramento Kings.
The position with the Jaguars is a good one, and it’s also a fascinating one. But let’s not get carried away and declare it to be much superior than the Bears’ work or even close to the Warriors’ job in 2014. Mike, are you all right?
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
Pat McAfee explains how Urban Meyer’s ‘God Complex’ contributed to his demise: ‘I don’t believe he had any regard for anybody.’
Mike Tannenbaum, former general manager of the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, made a fool of himself when he said that the Jacksonville Jaguars are like the Golden State Warriors. The Jaguars have been one of the most successful teams in recent memory and have won two championships in the past three years. Reference: mike tannenbaum house.
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