Moments after the Jacksonville Jaguars' shutout loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, head coach Urban Meyer denied a report detailing recent run-ins with players and assistant coaches, telling reporters that, "if there is a source, then that source is unemployed." The latest episode of the NFL's hit drama.
Suffice to say, Meyer's first year at the helm has lacked professionalism and stability. Jacksonville is a pitiful 2-11 overall, and the tension between players and Meyer appears to be reaching a boiling point. So, what are the chances that the perpetually-rebuilding Jaguars will be searching for a new leader in 2022? CBS Sports NFL reporter Jonathan Jones believes it's close to 50-50.
"You go through the scenarios, how is he not the coach there? He'd have to be fired. I don't know that [Jaguars owner] Shad Khan is going to fire Meyer," Jones told the Reiter Than You show on Monday. "In fact, everything that I've heard is that he's reluctant to do so after one year. That he invested in Meyer, certainly financially, but also with the team, emotionally. But the finances can't be underscored. This isn't a team that's particularly liquid...
"Meyer took this job knowing all the things that had been said about him and his legacy, and that he couldn't quit after just one year, regardless of anything. I don't know if Meyer has it in him to quit. I don't know if Khan can actually fire him. Because of those two things, it'd certainly seem that, whether all parties wanted to or not, Meyer would return for 2022."
The refuted report, written by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, says that Meyer and receiver Marvin Jones had a heated exchange during a practice over Meyer's published criticism of the receiving unit. In another instance, Meyer reportedly belittled his assistant coaches as "losers" during a team meeting, and forced them to defend their resumes. Meyer also mentioned Sunday that he and Khan had a meeting after their fifth straight loss.
Jacksonville, which has produced just one winning season since 2007, ranks 31st in the NFL in average points scored (13.8), 30th in average yards (303.1), 27th in average points allowed (26.2), and dead last in total giveaways (25). Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw four picks in the loss to the Titans, pushing his touchdown-interception ratio to a measly 9-14.
The entire NFL conversation between Jones and Reiter can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Reiter Than You show on Twitter @sportsreiter and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin