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Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 Coaches to Replace Urban Meyer

By Christopher Thomas

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 26: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars rolls out of the pocket during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 26, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 26: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars rolls out of the pocket during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 26, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) /
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Dec 19, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich looks on in the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 19, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich looks on in the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /

Byron Leftwich: Offensive Coordinator, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It would be extremely poetic for Byron Leftwich to return to Jacksonville and bring this team back to relevancy. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Byron Leftwich with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft to be their franchise quarterback. After four seasons with the team, Leftwich bounced around the league as a backup until 2012.

He was hired by Bruce Arians’ Arizona Cardinals as a coaching intern in 2016. Arians was Leftwich’s offensive coordinator during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. One season later he was hired as the Cardinals’ quarterback coach. After Arians retired, Arizona hired Steve Wilks to replace him as the Cardinals’ head coach. Leftwich was retained on Wilks’ staff. During the season offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was fired and Leftwich was promoted to interim offensive coordinator. But he was fired along with Wilks at the end of the year. Since then Leftwich has been once again coaching with Bruce Arians as the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Leftwich was a dark horse during the head coaching cycle last season because of his Buccaneers offense winning the Super Bowl last season. However, he did not receive a single head coaching interview. It is likely that this year goes differently because of how Tampa Bay’s offense has played better during their second season with Tom Brady under center. He is already expected to interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars job.

As a head coach he brings a lot of experience to the table that not many other candidates have. Not only was Leftwich a former starting quarterback at the NFL level but he also has been coached by and learned to coach from one of the best offensive minds in football Bruce Arians. On top of that Leftwich has spent a lot of time coaching and learning from arguably the greatest quarterback of all time Tom Brady. That experience can help Leftwich develop Trevor Lawrence as  a player because right now Lawrence still needs to be molded and learn how to be an NFL quarterback. If Lawrence was to take some of what Leftwich learned from Arians and Brady  and apply it next season he could be a star as soon as next season. Lawrence has flashed at times in his first season. But overall his first season could be thrown away.

If Leftwich was to be hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars he can make the development and growth of Lawrence his priority for next season. Then he could possibly bring in a veteran coach or one of his Tampa Bay Buccaneers colleagues like Larry Foote (Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outside Linebackers coach) to be the defensive coordinator and focus on developing the defense over next season.

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