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Well, it finally happened. The Jaguars head coach candidates 2021 will be lining up – or maybe not – after they finally got rid of Urban Meyer.
Meyer did whatever he could to get fired and the only shocking thing about his dismissal was the fact that it took so long. The lap dances, the poor display, the terrible record, the lack of development, and even a story of him kicking Josh Lambo just made it unsustainable.
Jaguars head coach candidates 2021
The Jags head coaching search should be long and thorough. Meyer held them back for at least one year and they need to find the perfect person to turn around their ever-struggling franchise. They have some promising, young pieces and could have a bright future under the right tutelage.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 5 candidates that make the most sense. Hopefully, the Jaguars will reach out to them and not bring another guy in from college instead.
5. Josh McDaniels
The Jacksonville Jaguars record this season has been as bad a predicted by most analysts. Nonetheless, not many people thought Trevor Lawrence was going to struggle so badly. While Meyer didn’t do much to put him in a position to succeed, even his body language has been off.
McDaniels has a long history of success with the New England Patriots offense and he’s often a candidate when a head coach gig is up for grabs. McDaniels could finally make the most of Lawrence’s amazing skillset while boosting their pedestrian running game with a James Robinson-Travis Etienne tandem.
4. Jim Caldwell
The fact that Urban Meyer kept his job for so long, yet Jim Caldwell was unemployed was baffling. He’s got a 62-50 record and made it to the Super Bowl. He had a much better tenure with the Indianapolis Colts than with the Detroit Lions but he definitely deserves another chance.
While not the winningest coach or the youngest option (he’s already 66), Caldwell would be the perfect guy to turn around their terrible team culture. He’s a sound, respected figure around the league and someone needs to solve the mess Meyer left in that locker room and organization.
3. Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich must definitely be a candidate in the Jags’ head coaching search. Not only did he have a nice stint with the organization as a player but he’s also orchestrated one of the best offenses in the league. He’s coming off winning a Super Bowl as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator.
While the Jaguars don’t have the plethora of weapons the Bucs have, Leftwich has ties to the organization and has proven to be an elite offensive planner. He’s just 41 years old so he could be there for the long haul, and the new era of young coaches like Matt LaFleur, Sean McVay, and Kliff Kingsbury has fared pretty well thus far.
2. Doug Pederson
Bad organizations often make bad decisions, and that’s what happened with Doug Pederson and the Philadelphia Eagles. He lost the locker room by throwing the towel towards the end of the season but he’s still a Super Bowl-winning coach.
Pederson had three straight winning seasons before being fired. He played a huge part in Carson Wentz‘s breakout before his massive regression last year. So, maybe he can do the same for another talented young gunslinger in Trevor Lawrence.
1. Eric Bieniemy
Surprise, surprise. Eric Bieniemy has been linked to nearly every head coach gig over the past couple of years. He’s the offensive mastermind behind the Kansas City Chiefs. Also, he reportedly turned out USC’s job to pursue an opportunity in the NFL.
Bieniemy has found plenty of success as an assistant coach it’s only right that he gets a shot. His play-calling turned the Chiefs’ offense around and he’s proven to be pretty great at developing talent. He’s the obvious choice, but hey, it’s the Jaguars we’re talking about.
