Jaguars will induct inaugural coach Tom Coughlin in franchise's ring of honor next season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tom Coughlin, the first coach in the history of the Jacksonville Jaguars, will be inducted into the franchise’s ring of honor next season.

The team made the announcement Thursday, saying Coughlin will become the seventh member of the “Pride of the Jaguars” during a yet-to-be-determined home game in 2024. Next season will be Jacksonville’s 30th as an NFL franchise.

Coughlin, 77, is the winningest coach in franchise history. He went 72-64 over eight seasons and led the Jaguars to the AFC title game in 1996 and 1999. He was fired in December 2002 after a third consecutive losing season that obscured his resounding early success with the franchise.

Coughlin landed with the New York Giants and led them to two Super Bowl titles in 12 years, beating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to cap the 2007 and 2011 campaigns. Coughlin was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.

Coughlin will join left tackle Tony Boselli (inducted in 2006), original owners Wayne and Delores Weaver (2012), running back Fred Taylor (2012), quarterback Mark Brunell (2013) and receiver Jimmy Smith (2016).

“The story of the Jaguars cannot be told without Tom Coughlin and the influence he had on our expansion team and new fan base here in North Florida,” Boselli said in a statement. “He is our foundational figure and the initial architect. He built our football operation and set it up for sustained success.”

Coughlin returned to Jacksonville as executive vice president of football operations before the 2017 season and was instrumental in helping build a team that made the AFC title game in his first year back.

But owner Shad Khan fired Coughlin before the end of his third season, parting with him days after the NFLPA took a sledgehammer to Coughlin’s reputation; an arbitrator ruled to undo millions in fines Coughlin levied against players for rules violations.

Coughlin, whose wife Judy died last November after a prolonged illness, still lives in Jacksonville and was enshrined into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday along with NFL cornerback LeRoy Butler, NBA guard Vince Carter, NFL punter Greg Coleman, junior college baseball coach Jeff Johnson, jet car racer Elaine Larsen and gymnast Shannon Miller.

Copyright by The 2023 Associated Press.