What’s Urban Meyer’s Next Move After Dismissal From Jaguars?

SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah Utes head coach Urban Meyer saw his first coaching stint in the NFL come to an end when Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan fired him before Week 15 of the season.

Meyer, 57, was fired by the Jaguars on Wednesday, December 15.

After spending more than 30 years in college football, the former Utah coach made the leap to the NFL in January.

He led the Jaguars to a 2-11 start before getting dismissed by Khan.

BREAKING: Former Utah coach Urban Meyer has been fired by the @Jaguars after just 13 games with the franchise.#NFL #LocalsInTheNFL https://t.co/YSJJiAFIHz

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 16, 2021

What’s Meyer’s next move? Here are a few of his options:

Potential Landing Spots For Urban Meyer

NFL (Highly Unlikely)

After the turmoil of the first 14 or so weeks of the season, Meyer showed that his talents might not ever work in the NFL. I don’t think a return to the league is out of the realm of possibility for Meyer but I don’t think it’s likely.

The former coach was a star in college and the luster didn’t last in the pros. Like Nick Saban, Chip Kelly, and others before him, Meyer might only be suited for the college game. But never say never, right?

NFL Record: 2-11

Urban Meyer vs other college/First-Time NFL head coaches (since 2000): pic.twitter.com/T9qb2jeSbm

— ✯✯✯✯✯ (@FTB_Vids_YT) December 16, 2021

College Football (Certainly Possible)

Following the 2018 season, Meyer announced his retirement from his post as head coach of Ohio State. Meyer coached the Buckeyes from 2012-18 and won a national title in 2014. He was one of the top coaches in college football and walked away saying that he didn’t think he’d coach again.

Prior to his stop in Columbus, Ohio, Meyer coached the Florida Gators to a pair of national championships. He coached at Florida from 2005-10.

Before taking the job with the Gators, Meyer was the head coach at the University of Utah. He led the Utes to an undefeated season and Fiesta Bowl win in the 2004 season. He joined the Utes after a successful stint as a first-time head coach at Bowling Green.

Long story short, Meyer has won everywhere he’s been a head coach in college football. He briefly retired after his tenures at Florida and Ohio State only to take another coaching job a couple of years later. Meyer is almost 60 years old and has experienced health problems throughout the last decade or so. However, if anyone can be a winning coach at the college level, it’s Urban Meyer, and his phone will certainly ring with calls from athletic directors.

College Record: 187-32 (12-3 in bowl games)

Urban Meyer lost more games in the NFL than he did in 7 years coaching college football.

Stay in school kids. pic.twitter.com/egLlnl9cL3

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 16, 2021

Television (Expect This)

In between his stint with the Gators and Buckeyes, Meyer worked as an analyst for ESPN.

Prior to his jump to the NFL, Meyer returned to television as an analyst for FOX Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff show.

Meyer obviously loves football but maybe his health and passion for the game don’t coincide with coaching anymore. I think it’s more likely than not that Meyer returns to the pregame TV set sometime soon.

1️⃣ Trust issues
2️⃣ Dysfunctional Environment
3️⃣ Selfishness@CoachUrbanMeyer breaks down the 3 criteria every struggling team needs to examine on #BigNoonKickoff pic.twitter.com/Am1p9Ya7Qn

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 14, 2020

Retirement (Maybe he’s actually done coaching this time)

Then again, maybe the former Utah coach has had his fill with the X’s and O’s, the sidelines, and press conferences. Meyer has made enough money to last a lifetime and more.

Maybe he returns to Ohio and enjoys the rest of his life enjoying time with family and life outside of football. After more than 30 years, it’s certainly a possibility. After all, Meyer was just fired for the first time in his coaching career.

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