Jacksonville Jaguars hire former Florida, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer for first NFL job
Urban Meyer #UrbanMeyer
Urban Meyer, who won college national championships at Florida and Ohio State but also retired twice citing family and health reasons, is the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team announced Thursday.
Meyer, 56 and venturing into the NFL for the first time, won national titles in 2006 and 2008 with the Gators and 2014 with the Buckeyes. He also was head coach at Bowling Green and Utah.
He last coached in 2018 and has been working for the Ohio State athletic department as well as being an analyst for Fox college football broadcasts. His record in 17 seasons as a head coach is 187–32. He also left coaching after Florida’s 2010 season, returning in 2012.
From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.
”This is a great day for Jacksonville and Jaguars fans everywhere,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement. ”Urban Meyer is who we want and need, a leader, winner and champion who demands excellence and produces results.
”While Urban already enjoys a legacy in the game of football that few will ever match, his passion for the opportunity in front of him here in Jacksonville is powerful and unmistakable. I’m proud to name Urban the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.”
Jacksonville is considered perhaps the most attractive of the openings because the team has the No. 1 selection in the 2021 NFL draft and a projected projected league-high $77.6 million in cap space.
OPINION: Here’s what will determine whether Urban Meyer will succeed as Jaguars coach
BUZZ-KILL TO BUZZ-THRILL: For Jaguars fans, a Meyer-Lawrence combo makes franchise relevant
MORE: Will Ohio State staffers follow Urban Meyer to NFL?
Meyer replaces Doug Marrone who was fired after going 1-15 this season and 23-43 overall. In Marrone’s first year, the team reached the AFC championship game.
Meyer’s name began surfacing well before the season ended with the NFL Network even reporting the first weekend in January that Meyer was reaching out about possible assistants and telling people he expects to be hired.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jacksonville Jaguars hire former Florida, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer for first NFL job