We now have our first coaching move under new Head Coach Doug Marrone: Jerry Sullivan will not return as wide receivers coach, per Ryan O’Halloran.
#Jaguars WR coach Jerry Sullivan won't return to staff.
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) January 10, 2017
Sullivan met with Marrone this morning, "and he said they're going in another direction." #Jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) January 10, 2017
Sullivan on possible retirement: "I feel like I still have something to contribute." #Jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) January 10, 2017
Sullivan knows there are several WR coaching openings, but said, "It would take a special situation." Will keep home in Jax area. #Jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) January 10, 2017
As O’Halloran’s tweets point out, Sullivan would be open to continuing his coaching career, but only in the right situation.
There have been many questions about Doug Marrone becoming head coach, and which members of the current staff he would be keeping on. It has been rumored that both coordinators, Nathaniel Hackett on offense and Todd Wash on defense, will be staying on. Linebackers coach Robert Saleh was also mentioned as someone who could stick around. However, we now know that Sullivan will not be kept on staff, and neither will assistant wide receivers coach Tony Sorrentino.
#Jaguars asst. WR coach Tony Sorrentino also let go today.
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) January 10, 2017
It will probably come as a surprise to many fans that Sullivan was the first assistant to be let go. Sullivan has been held in very high regard for years, and under his watch, Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee have all made big plays and contributed in a big way.
However, it seems that Marrone feels like it is best to move on and take things in a different direction. It will be interesting to see if Sullivan is just the first domino to fall, and if so, who follows him out the door.