JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- David Garrard lost his starting job the same way he got it: Just days before the season opener and in stunning fashion.

The Jacksonville Jaguars released Garrard on Tuesday, making a "pure football decision" that will save the franchise $9 million in 2011.

Whether it saves coach Jack Del Rio's job remains to be seen. Team owner Wayne Weaver has said Jacksonville needs to make the playoffs for Del Rio to stick around for a 10th season.

Del Rio made it clear late last season that he had grown tired of Garrard's inconsistent ways, but the coach remained steadfast through training camp and the preseason that Garrard was his starter. That changed Tuesday, when the Jaguars parted ways with Garrard after nine up-and-down seasons.

If the timing of the move wasn't strange enough -- five days before Jacksonville's opener against Tennessee -- it came two hours after the team introduced Garrard as its starting quarterback at a kickoff luncheon at the chamber of commerce.

"He just couldn't get it going," said Del Rio, who added that the team didn't try to trade Garrard. "I had met with him a couple of weeks ago and brought him in and said, 'Hey, listen, you're my guy. I need you to get it going.' He was given every opportunity. He was somewhat apologetic that he wasn't able to deliver."