“That Book Is Closed”: Urban Meyer Calls It Quits On Coaching

rsz jacksonville jaguars v cincinnati bengals
rsz jacksonville jaguars v cincinnati bengals

If there were questions about whether Urban Meyer would ever return to coaching football, he put them all to rest with his comments to the Columbus Dispatch this week.

“That book is closed. It’s going to be TV and Grandfather.”

Urban Meyer Is Done With Coaching For Good

The decision shouldn’t come as much surprise, other than his age. Meyer is just 58 years old, still considered somewhat youthful in the coaching ranks. But his last job in Jacksonville turned out to be a disastrous one.

Meyer took the head job of a franchise that was the league’s worst the season before, but held the first overall pick in the 2021 Draft and the rights to Trevor Lawrence. It was thought that one of the greatest college coaches of our generation could take one of the best QB prospects of our generation and make at least something positive happen on the football field.

It didn’t work out, at all. Not only was the on-field product abysmal, but there were scandals that kept Meyer in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. He lasted just 13 regular season games in Jacksonville before being fired. His team went 2-11 during his tenure, giving him the second-worst winning percentage of any non-interim head coach in NFL history.

Meyer Just The Latest College Coach To Fail In The NFL

It was quite the fall from grace. Urban Meyer was one of the most successful NCAA coaches of the current century, winning three national titles with two different teams in a span of eight years. He had an overall record of 187-32 during his collegiate coaching career, with stops at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, and Ohio State. Meyer was 83-9 in his seven years with the Buckeyes.

Urban Meyer was one of many college coaches that flamed out in the professional ranks, but few did so as quickly. To add salt to the wound, Lawrence and the Jaguars had a resurgence in 2022 under new head coach Doug Pederson. After a slow start, Jacksonville finished atop the AFC South and won their Wild Card Playoff game against the Chargers.

Lawrence threw for over 4,000 yards and had 25 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

What is next for Urban Meyer? Probably spending time with his family, as he alluded to, and will likely make television appearances as he has in the past.


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