Image Source: (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

BY TOM MARTIN

Winter may be approaching, but a number of NFL coaches find themselves in hot water. Tuesday, the frustration boiled over in Jacksonville, as the Jaguars gave head man Jack Del Rio the ax:

“The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired their head coach, Jack Del Rio. Del Rio has coached the Jags since 2003, but after a 3-8 record this season including a loss to the Texans in Jacksonville this past Sunday, Del Rio has been let go. Coming into the season, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver let it be known that if Del Rio didn’t make the playoffs this year, he was out as the head coach.”

Del Rio’s Jags have taken a turn for the worse in recent years. They’re in the midst of their fourth straight losing season and fan attendance lies near the bottom of the league. The Florida Times Union’s Gene Frenette said it was time to drop the weight.

“The important thing is the Jaguars were better off jettisoning Del Rio now instead of putting the fan base through weeks of waiting for the ax to fall. It may not change results on the football field, but it gives fans some much-needed excitement that change is in the air.”

Change is unfamiliar in Jacksonville, as Del Rio was in his ninth season in charge, and was just the second coach in franchise history. As CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco notes, it was the team’s offense that needed the most refreshing:

“Jack Del Rio is proof of what happens when you are married to an outdated offense. You can’t win. When Del Rio was hired as coach, owner Wayne Weaver said, ‘no more three yards and a cloud of dust.’ Now they have a ‘two-yards-and-punt offense’ instead.”

While the offense has stalled behind rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes, it’s off the field where Del Rio made matters worse:

“...Del Rio publicly blamed offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter twice in two weeks for decisions that went bad during Jacksonville losses. Most recently, Del Rio said that a key timeout wasn’t taken because Koetter didn’t want it, a shameful passing of the buck away from the desk of the man who runs the show.”

Del Rio’s positives may have escaped his coaches at times -- but as for the players? They’ve stood behind him, including linebacker Kyle Bosworth.

“Jack was an awesome coach and I would go into battle anywhere, on any field with him. Nothing but respect and admiration. He will be missed.”

Del Rio won’t be walking away empty-handed though. The Jaguars owe their ex-coach $5 million next season.