Jaguars defense is united in wanting coordinator Joe Cullen to return for 2022

Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen runs a tough practice and demands high standards of his players.

He also makes those demands clear, with a colorful vocabulary.

But whether Cullen is retained or not by whoever owner Shad Khan hires as the new coach — and team leaders say players on that side of the ball are united in their desire that Cullen stay as coordinator — they will remember a long, difficult season that was made a bit easier because of Cullen's caring side.

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Exhibit A: Myles Jack said Cullen called him every day he was on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list to see how he was feeling and found out Cullen did the same thing for any defensive player on the list.

"We were joking about it ... I asked Josh Allen, 'Did coach Cullen call you every single day?' [Cullen did]," Jack said. "He checks on people. He wants to make sure you're okay. He cares about you if you have a good game or a bad game."

Jack said he didn't have to be isolated at home for Cullen to make late-night calls. He said Cullen could call out of the blue to talk about that day's practice or game.

"He'd tell you exactly what he thinks," Jack said. "Anybody who's honest, I respect."

Jack and linebacker Damien Wilson said on Thursday after the Jaguars (2-14) practiced in preparation for the final game of the season on Sunday at TIAA Bank Field against the Indianapolis Colts (9-7) that they wanted Cullen back for next season, and indicated it would be embraced by every defensive player.

"I support him 100 percent," Jack said. "Our defense has made strides. Last week [at 50-10 loss to New England) was atrocious. We didn't hole up our end of the deal at all. It was bad. But I truly feel what coach Cullen is trying to instill. He's a leader of men. He can get people to do things and you believe what he says. I have his back 100 percent. I love coach Cullen and everyone has a great relationship with him."

A new coach generally means a complete housecleaning of the staff. But some assistants are retained, usually when players lobby the new coach. For example, when Urban Meyer was hired by the Jaguars, he kept offensive line coach George Warhop.

Wilson said Cullen's multiple defensive schemes and a mix of promising young players and veterans who had some good moments this season would continue to progress under Cullen. His pitch for keeping Cullen centered around not interrupting that progress.

"We've had our ups and downs as a team and a defense ... a lot of growing pains," Wilson said. "In order to get good, there has to be a certain level of consistency. If they decide to retain J.C., I think everyone would be happy with that. I like Joe's standards. He expects the best out of you. He doesn't coach a result. He coaches right or wrong."

Cullen, who has 14 years in the NFL with five teams, had a previous stop in Jacksonville as the defensive line coach from 2010-12. This is his first turn as a coordinator.

He didn't want to speculate on his future but wouldn't seem to mind staying put.

"Obviously I love Jacksonville," he said on Thursday. "It’s a great place ... special place in my heart. The chips fall where they fall. I will leave it at that. I think obviously we had some really good moments this year. The middle of the year we were doing a great job and unfortunately the last couple of games kind of fell off."

The Jaguars lost safety Rayshawn Jenkins to a knee injury last month and the unit has been hit hard by COVID-19 protocols, losing Jack, Allen, Shaquill Griffin, K'Lavon Chaisson and Andrew Wingard at various times. But true to his nature, Cullen doesn't make excuses.

"[I’m] not going to give anything with COVID as an excuse, not practicing, everyone has those problems," he said. "Our job is to stop people and we didn’t do it in New England. We’re going to put our best foot forward [on Sunday] and do it here.”

Cullen had his good moments and controversial ones as a coach, from a scheme and personnel standpoint.

He changed the system to a base 3-4, making Allen and Chaisson standup ends, and moved Jack back to weakside linebacker when Wilson was signed. The Jaguars attacked more to start the season but had to back off blitzing and play more zone until rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell developed.

Cullen also came under criticism for sticking with Andrew Wingard at safety, despite Wingard's propensity for missed tackles and getting beat deep, and for being too cautious in letting third-round rookie Andre Cisco get playing time.

The Jaguars invested heavily on the defensive line in free agency and signed Wilson as a run-stopper, so most of the improvement came in that regard. There was a seven-game stretch in which the Jaguars held their opponents to less than 100 yards six times and allowed only one 100-yard rusher (Derrick Henry) in the first eight games.

There also was a modest improvement in pass defense, going from 27th in the league to 16th.

The pass rush improved, going from 18 sacks last season to 26 with one game left.

The defense peaked with the 9-6 victory at home over Buffalo on Nov. 7.

But was still a defense that barely put any pressure on offenses, with only seven turnovers — nearly half of them in one game, three vs. the Bills.

As Wilson noted, there were growing pains. And last week's 50 points given up to the Patriots was sheer agony.

Interim coach Darrell Bevell, who had been the offensive coordinator, likely won't have anything to say about his future, let alone Cullen's. But he praised him for his efforts this season.

"Joe's done a really nice job for us," Bevell said. "He’s a good leader. He’s very vocal. He’s demanding on the guys and there was a time where we were trending in a good direction. Last week is a hard evaluation with all the things that were going on. But again, we’ll try to put a great game plan together this week.”

Cullen said he wouldn't mind working with most of the players next season and said if there's a new coordinator, that coach will find some talent around him.

"If there’s a new coach, new coordinator, you don’t know who’s under contract coming back, so that’s really a question ... you have to wait," he said. "But there are some good pieces here and some guys, I think the young pieces, that can continually get better.”

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen supported by defense for 2022