Column: What Is Urban Meyer Waiting For And How Long Should the Jaguars Be Patient?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have openly courted Urban Meyer in their search for a head coach. And all indications are the job is his for the taking. So what's holding him back? And how long can the Jags afford to wait on an answer?

At this point, what is Urban Meyer waiting for?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly interviewed five candidates for the club’s open head coaching position. Based on all reports, the job is Meyer’s if he wants to coach again. 

Meyer was at the top of the list of interviews conducted by the club and reportedly met with owner Shad Khan on Khan's boat over the weekend while Meyer was in preparation for the CFP National Championship, which he covered as an analyst for Fox Sports. 

But another day has passed and still no announcement about the former Florida Gators/Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach and the Jaguars franchise agreeing to terms.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network stated on Tuesday’s “NFL Now” in relation to Meyer that “he’d be the guy in Jacksonville if he really, strongly said ‘I’m in, let’s go.’ The conversations that I’ve had over the past 24 hours, I’m not getting that sense at all.”

From NFL Now on @nflnetwork: The #Jaguars are waiting on Urban Meyer, who seems like he's still trying to decide what he wants to do. Figure this comes to a head one way or another soon. pic.twitter.com/168QC9kV0h

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 12, 2021

Meyer—as Garfolo went on to say and many have pointed out—is a college coach who has never held a role in the NFL. It’s a natural jump that many coaches want to make, if for no other reason than the competitor in them wants to see if they can win. Meyer is nothing if not a competitor.

He’s also had health issues that forced him to retire before…twice. He stepped down from the Florida Gators program in 2009 after winning two National Championships, only to return in 2010 and then officially retire the following season. He spent the majority of the 2011 season as an analyst with ESPN and College Gameday before accepting the Ohio State head coaching job in mid-November of that year

From 2012-2018, Meyer coached the Buckeyes, leading them to either a New Year’s Six bowl or College Football Playoff berth every year, along with a National Championship in 2014. Following the end of the 2018 regular season, Meyer announced he would be retiring again following the Rose Bowl. He’s spent the past two seasons as an admittedly fantastic analyst with the Fox Sports.

Both times Meyer retired, he cited his health and family.

Granted the stress of the NFL—while greater on the field—is slightly less time intrusive and stressful off the field than the college coaching jobs. 

So, is that what is holding Meyer back now?

Only he truly knows. It could be his health; it could be big eyes wanting to see if anything better opens up in either college or the NFL. It could be cold feet at the last minute that his skills won’t translate to the league. It could be the desire to simply be courted, the rush of being the belle of the ball.

Whatever his reason’s are for holding off, they need to be settled…quickly. If not just for Meyer possibly hurting his future chances at teams inquiring, but for the Jaguars. And for that matter, perhaps owner Shad Khan should place a deadline on needing an answer.

Would Meyer (far right) be willing to leave his TV gig to get back into coaching? © Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

There is a good crop of candidates in the field this season but the number of them are beginning to be outweighed by the number of openings. The Jaguars have interviewed a handful of the eligible candidates: Tennessee Titans Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh, Atlanta Falcons Interim Head Coach Raheem Morris and Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

The Philadelphia Eagles recently fired their coach, Doug Peterson putting him on the market…while also opening up yet another spot to fill.

The Detroit Lions, the Eagles, the Los Angeles Chargers, the Houston Texans, the New York Jets, the Atlanta Falcons and of course the Jags mean seven teams are rushing to put in their bid on the pool of candidates. If Meyer isn’t going to take the job, then Khan and the Jags can’t afford to wait too much longer and lose out on someone who can take the embarrassment of riches this next draft will provide and actually put them to good use.

We don’t know what Urban Meyer is waiting for, but if the job truly is his for the taking, as all indications seem to say it is, then neither he nor the Jaguars can afford to let the possibility go unanswered much longer.