Shad Khan had considered firing Urban Meyer for “weeks,” according to Jacksonville Jaguars spokesperson Jim Woodcock. Shad Khan was mulling over the decision before eventually pulling the plug on the failed experiment.
Jim Woodcock told Mark Long of the Associated Press on Friday night the decision to fire Meyer wasn’t a direct result of former Jags kicker Josh Lambo alleging the coach kicked him during an August practice:
“The announcement was made at 12:35 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, December 16, to provide coaches and staff alike a fresh start upon reporting to the stadium that morning. Contrary to incorrect assumptions and widespread egregious reporting, the dismissal was not triggered by a single newspaper report late Wednesday afternoon related to a claim made by a former player.
“To repeat from Shad’s official statement, the decision was reached ‘after deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team.'”
He went on to add the discussion between Khad and Meyer was after the Titans loss yielded “few answers for the team’s woes or how he planned to fix them” from the coach.
Although his fate was sealed, the owner waited until after some previously scheduled events during the week to make the announcement.
“It was determined to wait until the conclusion of previously scheduled appointments that week to make the announcement,” Woodcock told Long. “Those appointments included an employee staff luncheon and meeting with Jacksonville media, both to recognize the 10th anniversary of Shad’s purchase of the Jaguars, on Monday as well as NFL meetings in Dallas on December 14 and 15.”
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Thursday’s firing ended a tumultuous 11-month NFL tenure for the former college head coach. His multiple incidents here will most likely never get him another chance in the National Football League ever again.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will serve as the interim coach for the final four weeks of the regular season.
