Urban Meyer Strikes a Deal With Jacksonville, Robert Saleh in Jets

Two of the worst NFL teams this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets, got new coaches this Thursday night. Urban Meyer will lead Jags’ in the new era, while Robert Saleh jumps from the West to the East coast, becoming the head coach of the NYJ.

Meyer Makes the Jump to the NFL

After three NCAA Division I titles, and a stellar college career, Urban Meyer has decided to take a step forward and take on the NFL challenges. He will lead the Jacksonville Jaguars who are planning a complete rebuild after the worst season in their franchise history, only three years following the AFC Championship game. 

“I’ve analyzed this decision from every angle — the time is right in Jacksonville, and the time is right for me to return to coaching. I’m excited about the future of this organization and our long term prospect for success,” he said after confirming the deal.

Breaking: The Jaguars have named Urban Meyer as their head coach. pic.twitter.com/D9uBmilGQm

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 14, 2021

Meyer won two titles with Florida Gators, and one with the Ohio State Buckeyes, compiling a 187-32 record during 17 seasons in the NCAA. He never had a losing record with any of his four teams, Bowling Green, Utah Utes, Gators, and Buckeyes. Meyer stepped down after 2018, taking some time off from football, but now comes back in big style. 

Jacksonville has fantastic resources at its disposal. The franchise from Florida holds the right on the top pick in the upcoming draft, which would presumably be Clemson Tigers’ QB, Trevor Lawrence. Besides that, the Jaguars will have the most space in the salary cap – $76.2 million. It is a great situation for Meyer, who is known as a head coach with a fantastic talent for developing the players and making teams from scratch. 

He was the one who pushed Alex Smith at Utah, making the current Washington Redskins QB the No.1 draft pick. 

Saleh’s Cleanup in New York

The Jets and Robert Saleh agreed to a five-year deal last night, and they are taking care of the formalities before making this deal official. 

Saleh, a defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, had several offers at the table, but decided to join the Jets, the second-worst franchise in the 2020 season. The dynamic and energetic 41-year old will have a lot of work in the future, as he inherits a broken team after Adam Gase’s three-year stint at MetLife Stadium.

Jets are hiring former 49ers’ DC Robert Saleh as their next head coach, per league sources. The two sides now have reached agreement on a five-year deal.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2021

Gase had numerous problems he couldn’t handle, starting with the chemistry inside the locker room and poor relationship with the players, up to his inability to properly develop Sam Darnold. 

The Jets’ defense was among the worst in the league, and Saleh knows how to turn things in that area. Once taking over the 49ers, their defensive unit was the worst in the NFL in yards allowed. Fast forward to years, and San Francisco was in Super Bowl.

The Jets have the second pick in this draft, and besides that, one more selection in the first round, No.23. Similar to the Jags, their salary cap space will be among the biggest in the league, $71 million. All this gives the Lebanese American enough resources to make the Jets competitive in some two or three years. Though he need to figure out whether to continue with Darnold as the starting QB or make a switch.