The world is an unpredictable place. COVID-19, school shootings, grocery store lines at 2pm on a Tuesday. As time goes on, life seems to be getting more and more uncertain, with everyday events changing and becoming incalculable by even the most advanced supercomputers. The Writer’s Room has steered exceedingly off-track, as if last year they just checked out and went on a 1976 SNL coke binge. Despite this, they’ve never lost sight of their roots, and know exactly when to play the hits.
Urban Meyer was fired.
After signing a 5-year contract to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars last January, he was let go a mere 11 months later. Let’s take a look and see where he went wrong.
Who could have possibly predicted that the head coach who has had to fake retirements for “medical reasons” to avoid sanctions TWICE would fail miserably in his first head coaching position in the NFL?
Admittedly, he did do something differently this time around: he didn’t leave on his own terms, the first time of his career. What changed? Why did he get fired this time around? After all, tons of head coaches lose in their first season and find success later on.
It’s simple: Urban Meyer could not hide behind his deficiencies as a leader like he could in college. In college, the only thing you need is talent, and talent can be bought and brought to your school. It’s that simple: 99% of teams in college football, on any given day, can be outmuscled.
Urban Meyer benefitted from being a great recruiter in college, and that’s really it. He was never a great coach that so many made him out to be. His schematic advancements at the college level were attributed to him, not the assistants he carried around with him from job-to-job, who were subservient to him and found success (even just a little bit) when they no longer had to suck on his tit. As much as we give Meyer credit for Tim Tebow and Alex Smith, just as much can be given to Dan Mullen, who was the quarterbacks coach for both players.
With his success, Urban Meyer was, by all accounts, bulletproof. He could do whatever he wanted. He had an unlimited amount of power, completely unchecked by the people who wrote his as long as he kept on winning. When you’re top dog, you can abuse players and assistants all you want. There’s a reason he resigned after a 5-loss season at Florida.
In the NFL, Meyer did not have the luxury of hiding behind his recruiting. When forced to have a level playing field, he failed in spectacular fashion, playing the guys he knew the best on a personal level over the ones who actually gave him a chance to win games. He signed Tim Tebow, who played quarterback under him at Florida, as a tight end, a position the man had never even practiced at. Understandably, he was in the first-wave of cuts.
More importantly, Meyer could no longer be a bully. He could not work with athletes that are allowed to have agency over themselves, who can’t be kicked out of school or forced to transfer if they disagree with you. He could no longer do whatever he wanted; he was dealing with adults and fucking around with their jobs.
The NFL has moved past the need for dickless men who can’t talk to adults without harassing them, the one who believes he’s above the law because he’s head ‘ball coach. Maybe owners will learn a lesson this time.