JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars introduced new general manager David Caldwell at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
"This is where I want to be," he said. "I know we can be successful here."
Owner Shad Khan said Caldwell was on the top of his list of candidates since he chose to fire Gene Smith last week.
"We have a great opportunity and a great obligation here to be the first -- to be the first to bring a Super Bowl championship to Jacksonville," Caldwell said. "I believe we can do this, and I promise moving forward we will do this and we will get better day-by-day and give the Jacksonville fans everything they deserve, and that is the best."
Fresh start across the board
Caldwell was hired Tuesday, and as one of his first acts Thursday morning he fired head coach Mike Mularkey. He said he felt like the team needed a fresh start across the board and a change in atmosphere.
Caldwell and Mularkey spent four years together in Atlanta, getting to know each other well enough that Caldwell didn't need a sit down with Mularkey after he got the GM job Tuesday.
Caldwell said he already has a potential list of coaching candidates in mind and has started the process of hiring the next head man. He said prior head coaching experience isn't necessary, citing former Jaguars defensive coordinator and Falcons current head coach Mike Smith as the winningest coach in Atlanta history.
Potential replacements for Mularkey include former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Schottenheimer was up for the Jacksonville job last season, and Roman has been linked to the Jaguars since Caldwell became the leading candidate to replace Smith.
Roman and Caldwell were teammates and roommates in the 1990's while attending John Carroll University.
'No scenerio' for Tim Tebow to become a Jaguar
As for the quarterback situation next season, Caldwell said there will be an open competition, and the Jaguars will acquire QBs whether through the draft or free agency to compete with Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert.
Caldwell also silenced the rumors regarding hometown hero Tim Tebow.
"I can't imagine a scenario where he would be a Jacksonville Jaguar, even if he's released," he said.
Caldwell said one thing is for sure, he's not looking in the past and is moving the Jaguars forward.
"I've learned a lot about Shad's automobile industry here, and I know one thing out of the thousands of parts he makes, he doesn't make rear-view mirrors," he said.