Ryan Nielsen, hired by the Jaguars as defensive coordinator, is tasked with improving the team’s dismal performance.
Ryan Nielsen, the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday for the same role. He will be tasked with improving a team that finished the season among the lowest in the league.
Ryan Nielsen, the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday for the same role. He will be tasked with improving a team that finished the season among the lowest in the league.
The 44-year-old Nielsen replaces Mike Caldwell, who was let go the day after the Jaguars (9-8) finished the season with a five-game losing streak and a postseason berth, along with seven defensive assistants.
Although Jacksonville’s offense and defense had problems, head coach Doug Pederson singled out Caldwell as the reason for the worst collapse in the team’s history in the latter part of the season. Pederson retained Press Taylor, a longtime friend and play-caller, along with most of the offensive staff.
While putting more of the blame on the other side of the ball, Pederson blamed injuries to quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones for the team’s offensive woes.
