Inside the odd ‘gift’ Jaguars GM Trent Baalke keeps on his desk as motivation to prove doubters wrong

No one will ever accuse Trent Baalke of resting on his laurels, especially not anyone who has seen what the Jaguars general manager keeps on his desk. 

Baalke recently revealed that he keeps a clown figurine on his desk that was given to him at the end of the 2021 season. The “gift” was part of an ongoing joke by some parts of the fan base at Baalke’s expense during a tumultuous period in franchise history. 

“Some fan sent that to me,” Baalke said during “The Hunt,” a series produced by the team. “It was a little clown figurine. 

“I said, ‘You know what? I’m going to put it there to remind myself every day why I come to work,’ what my purpose is, I guess. It’s to prove them wrong.”

Baalke has certainly done that following a dismal 2021 season. Last year, the Jaguars were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises. Jacksonville won the AFC South before overcoming a 27-0 deficit to shock the Chargers in the AFC wild-card round. The Jaguars then put up a gamely fight in their divisional round playoff loss to the eventual champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Jaguars’ quick turnaround can largely be attributed to Baalke, who along with Doug Pederson helped Jacksonville get back to being a playoff team in 2022. Pederson, a Super Bowl-winning coach with the Eagles, quickly restored what had been a broken culture in Jacksonville. 

“The success, I think, that some of our players had individually, the success we had as a football team collectively, [having] the right foundation, it was a great first year,” Pederson said of his first season as Jaguars coach. “I look forward to 2023.” 

A roster largely devoid of talent a few years ago, the Jaguars have plenty of it heading into 2023. Leading the way is quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod last year after throwing three times as many touchdown passes as interceptions. He was complemented last season by 1,100-yard rusher Travis Etienne and 1,100-yard receiver Christian Kirk. The Jaguars also posses a talented defense that is anchored by linebacker Josh Allen. 

Finding a player that fits the Jaguars’ culture is one of the things Baalke stressed when asked about the team’s plans with the 24th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Baalke said one of his primary goals is to keep the Jaguars’ current nucleus in tact for the long haul. Along with re-signing several of their own free agents, the Jaguars signed several outside free agents this offseason. Plus, the team worked out a midseason trade with the Falcons to acquire Calvin Ridley.

“We’re just glad that the players that are here,” Baalke said, “the majority want to stay here.”