Nothing was out of context, nor was anything misquoted.
When Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan tabbed his team's 2023 collapse an "organizational failure" and said he expected his team to win now, he meant it.
If there was any question, he made it clear to his team at the dawn of training camp, as was revealed in the club's latest episode of The Hunt, which was released this week.
"About a month ago we celebrated the city's partnership with the Jaguars and the approval of funding for the new stadium of the future," Khan began. "So, I met with the reporters and the discussion obviously quickly turned to football and I was quoted, 'For us, winning now is the expectation.' So really I (have) been looking forward to tonight to set the record straight. I was not misquoted. And let me just repeat, winning now is the expectation."
Jacksonville has posted back-to-back 9-8 seasons under head coach Doug Pederson, but all 9-8 campaigns are most certainly not alike. In 2022, the Jags rallied down the stretch to win the AFC South and clinch the playoff berth that went with it. They didn't stop there, as Jacksonville pulled off a rally for the ages to beat the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round. In 2023, the Jaguars stumbled down the stretch, losing five of their final six to come up short of the playoffs.
It led to an early and eventful offseason.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen signed huge extensions, Christian Kirk healed up and has been joined by first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. in the WR corps, while Jacksonville made notable free-agent adds of defensive lineman Arik Armstead, wide receiver Gabe Davis and offensive linemen Ezra Cleveland and Mitch Morse.
It's a more daunting AFC South that the Jaguars will play in, though. The Indianapolis Colts were a game away from the playoffs last year and are on the rise with head coach Shane Steichen and quarterback Anthony Richardson. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans are aiming to defend the 2023 division title with head coach DeMeco Ryans and Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud entering their second campaigns. The Tennessee Titans would seem to be in rebuilding mode, but that happens quickly in the NFL.
Nonetheless, Khan is very confident in the coaching staff and roster he has, so the message is clear that the time is now.
"Make no mistake, this is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever," the owner said. "Best players, best coaches. But most importantly, let's prove it by winning now."
Khan's initial comments came following a celebration of the franchise's stadium of the future. He followed up as the team was set to open up training camp this summer, with Pederson announcing him to the team. After Khan wrapped up, Pederson echoed his boss' statement.
"He's right," Pederson said. "He's right, the opportunity's right in front of us. It's about winning. We're in this business to win and to win now. And that's our goal each and every day, as we strive. Does it mean we're gonna be perfect? No, but we're gonna strive for greatness."
