Before he could even complete his first season in the NFL, Urban Meyer was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars late Wednesday night, bringing an end to his brief but tumultuous reign.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season, starting with Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.
Meyer, 57, was hired in January with much fanfare by Jaguars owner Shad Khan in an effort to turn around a team that finished 1-15 in 2020.
Despite having no previous NFL coaching experience, Meyer boasted impeccable college credentials after winning two national championships at the University of Florida (2006 and 2008) and one at Ohio State (2014). His overall record as a college head coach was 187-32 (.854).
In Jacksonville, Meyer’s return to the state of Florida coincided with the arrival of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Urban Meyer’s first season as an NFL head coach has seen far more disappointment than success.
However, Meyer’s first NFL season was plagued by missteps from the start.
In February, Meyer hired Chris Doyle, the former University of Iowa strength coach who allegedly made racist comments and bullied players, as the team’s director of sports performance. Two days later, Doyle resigned amid backlash to his hiring.
Meyer was also fined $100,000 before the start of training camp for violating practice rules during organized team activities.
After a Week 4 loss in Cincinnati, Meyer drew criticism for not flying back with the team and instead remaining in his home state to socialize with friends. That weekend, he was recorded in a video that went viral on social media with a woman who was not his wife dancing close to him.
“After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone,” Khan said in a statement. “I informed…
..
