The Jacksonville Jaguars gave Urban Meyer a chance to turn things around and get through all the controversies he faced early in his tenure with the team. However, it went for naught and they had to part ways with the famed tactician.
Just moments after reports broke out that the Jaguars have fired Meyer as their head coach, team owner Shad Khan released his official statement about the decision. Kahn, who has owned the franchise since 2011, expressed his disappointment to the development as he highlighted that Meyer failed to regain their trust.
“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. I informed Urban of the change this evening. As I stated in October, regaining our trust and respect was essential. Regrettably, it did not happen,” Khan said in his statement, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Jaguars boss also confirmed that offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will replace Urban Meyer as head coach, albeit in an interim basis to probably finish the season. Interestingly, Khan has chosen to retain general manager Trent Baalke as they vowed to make the team competitive again amid a rough 2021 season.
“In the spirit of closure and recharging our players, staff and fan base, I will not comment further until some point following the conclusion of the NFL season,” Khan concluded.
Meyer's firing is undoubtedly huge news, but it didn't come as a surprise given all the issues he has faced. Most recently, it has been claimed that he has had multiple run-ins with players and coaches amid an increasing tension in the Jaguars' locker room.
There was also a new report of former kicker Josh Lambo accusing Meyer of kicking him.
As the Jaguars hope for a fresh start in the departure of Meyer, fans are certainly hoping that it could also turn around their fortunes as they seek for some positives before the season ends.