It sounds like Tom Coughlin. It reads like Tom Coughlin, and sure enough, it is Tom Coughlin. The head of football operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars wants a distraction to go away.
Tom Coughlin when asked if he has a response to the NFLPA, Jalen Ramsey or his agent: “There’s no need for me to speak further on that.” Says he’s not worried about straining relationship with Ramsey. Was making general comments about thoughts on offseason workouts. #Jaguars
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) April 22, 2019
Coughlin wanted to bring internal peace to the Jaguars a few days after creating an internal drama which could be viewed in numerous ways.
Last Thursday, Tom Coughlin said this, an indirect but clear reference to star cornerback Jalen Ramsey:
"We're close to 100 percent attendance — and quite frankly all of our players should be here…"
— #Jaguars EVP of Football Operations Tom Coughlin— John Oehser (@JohnOehser) April 18, 2019
Ramsey's agent, David Mulugheta, responded. Ramsey then responded himself:
“Fully aware” & “voluntary” meaning I don’t HAVE to be there BUT they know the EXACT REASONS I am not. My teammates know it’s ALL love & know I’ll be ready when it’s time! 💯 https://t.co/NASgnu6egT
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) April 19, 2019
The Jaguars are a highly scrutinized team right now. They represent an example of a team which achieved at a high level but then crashed and burned last season. Everyone in the NFL is eager to see if the Jaguars get off the deck in 2019 or remain grounded. One of the toughest tests in the NFL is creating high-level success on a consistent basis. The economics of the league and the parity in the league both make it hard to stay on top for a very long time, which is why the dynastic reign of the New England Patriots is so impressive.
Coughlin knows how hard it is to get to the mountaintop, but he knows even more the difficulty of staying on top. The New York Giants did win two Super Bowls under Coughlin's guidance as head coach, but the Giants were not relentlessly great on an annual basis. They very rarely had a first-round bye in the playoffs, and in each of their two Super Bowl seasons under Coughlin, they made the playoffs as a wild card.
Coughlin, now in the front office, is trying to get the Jaguars over the hump and forge a new identity in which Jacksonville is always relevant and always formidable. Pushing Ramsey is part of that process.
Some will say Tom Coughlin is being the bad cop he needs to be, while coach Doug Marrone cultivates relationships with his players. Others will say Coughlin didn't need to say what he said, needlessly inserting an unwelcome plot twist into Jacksonville's offseason.
Everyone in Jacksonville can agree on this point, however: Coughlin, who said his piece, now needs to quiet down. Coughlin himself seems to have realized as much.
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