By now, you might have heard that former NFL executive Michael Lombardi reported that the Jacksonville Jaguars
have held closed-door meetings
about head coach Urban Meyer’s questionable behavior at a bar after the team’s Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Meyer says he already apologized to the team, and owner Shad Khan released a statement in which he says the head coach’s remorse for his actions seems sincere. He added that Meyer will have to regain the trust of the organization but what if the Jaguars aren’t willing to give him a chance to redeem himself? What if they move on from him?
Khan believes Meyer is the right man to oversee the Jags’ rebuild but his tenure as a head coach in Jacksonville has been less than stellar. Ignore the team’s 0-4 record. This is a development year for them, and it was expected. However, Meyer had made several questionable decisions over the last few months. Back when he chose his staff, he hired Chris Doyle as director of sports performance. This was a questionable move due to his history of mistreating players and allegedly making racist comments at Iowa.
Meyer rightfully received backlash for the hire and Doyle ended up “re-signing”. Then again, the incident pales in comparison to the head coach’s recent video. For someone who has previously spoken about owning it, Meyer didn’t do a good job of holding himself accountable.
While this could turn out to be a wake-up call for the Meyer, it’s fair to wonder how much longer Khan will be willing to deal with the distractions. If the Jaguars decide to move on from Meyer, here are three potential replacements in the next head-coaching cycle.
Jaguars potential HC target No. 1 – Eric Bieniemy
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been a hot name in recent hiring cycles but he hasn’t landed a head-coaching job yet. It’s possible that he hasn’t interviewed well or maybe he hasn’t found the right fit. Regardless of the reason, his resume speaks for itself.
Bieniemy originally joined the Chiefs as their running back coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018 when Matt Nagy was hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Since then, Kansas City’s offense has ranked no lower than sixth in points scored and was the best in 2018. Sure, it helps to have Patrick Mahomes, arguably the best quarterback in the NFL, but Bieniemy deserves credit for having the offense perform at a high level.
Heck, Mahomes himself says he’s shocked his offensive coordinator isn’t a head coach yet. That’s the kind of endorsement you want to hear. The fact that his players will vouch for him speaks volumes about his work in Kansas City.
Also, if the Jaguars opt to move on from Meyer, they will most likely avoid the collegiate ranks since that’s where he came from. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is trending up and the team needs someone that can get the most out of him. Bieniemy could very well be that man.
Jaguars potential HC target No. 2 – Raheem Morris
If the Jaguars were interested in a defensive-minded head coach, Raheem Morris is their man. He’s currently the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator but has head coaching experience.
Back in the late 2000s, Morris joined the Tamba Bay Buccaneers as a secondary coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in December 2008 after Monte Kiffin resigned to join his son’s staff at Tennesse. Early in 2009, the Bucs gave Jon Gruden the boot and Morris got his job.
His tenure in Tampa wasn’t particularly great, amassing a 17-31 record in a span of 48 games. He was dismissed after the conclusion of the 2011 seasons and went on to join the Washington Football Team’s coaching staff. His stint there lasted three years and was hired as an assistant head coach/defensive backs by the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. He once away worked his way up and became their interim head coach in 2020 when the Falcons fired Dan Quinn.
Morris kept Atlanta afloat and managed to go 4-7. He’s experienced the ups and downs of the NFL and is battle-tested. He is the kind of head coach a team like the Jaguars needs if they want to win games.
Jaguars potential HC target No. 3 – Shane Waldron
The Jaguars won’t have a shortage of options if they decide to move on from Urban Meyer. Shane The Los Angeles Rams and head coach Sean McVay have proven to be great at developing coaches and help them move up the ranks.
Matt LaFleur, Zach Taylor, and Brandon Staley benefited from McVay’s tutelage and have gone on to become head coaches in the NFL. They have had varying grades of success but nobody will argue that the Rams head honcho has an eye for talent. Shane Waldron served as Los Angeles’ passing game coordinator and became the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator this offseason.
Quarterback Russell Wilson had a say in hiring Waldron. The All-Pro passer said earlier this year he was curious about the Rams’ up-tempo offense. So far, the Hawks should be pleased with the results. Their offense ranks sixth in rushing touchdowns scored and fifth in passing touchdowns.
Waldron also spent time with the New England Patriots, and the Washington Football Team. While he isn’t getting as much recognition as other potential head coach candidates, there’s no doubt he will get a shot sooner rather than later if the Seahawks make some noise in 2022.