Urban Meyer headlines new NFL coaching hires

Urban+Meyer+draws+some+suspicious+looks+on+the+campus+of+arch+rival+Michigan+in+2013

Maize and Blue Nation (Flickr)

Urban Meyer draws some suspicious looks on the campus of arch rival Michigan in 2013

Jackson Dungan, Reporter

After successfully navigating the uncertain waters of the most unprecedented season in NFL history, a whirling coaching carousel is shaking up the league to begin the offseason.

Detroit Lions starting QB Matthew Stafford reportedly requested a trade to avoid the upheaval caused by the firing of Matt Patricia and GM Dan Quinn. The Lions replaced Patricia with Dan Campbell, who is coming off of an assistant coaching position with the New Orleans Saints.

Similar chaos surrounds the Eagle of Philadelphia after Doug Pederson was fired and starting QB Carson Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2021 third-round draft pick as well as a 2022 second-rounder.  Coincidently, the Eagles new head coach is former Colts’ offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni and Wentz will be once again teamed up with his former offensive coordinator and current Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich.

Despite finding success in their new star quarterback, Justin Herbert, the Los Angeles Chargers have parted ways with Anthony Lynn and replaced him with Brandon Staley. Staley was most recently the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator for one season. He has coached in both the NFL and NCAA.

To hardly anyone’s surprise, Adam Gase was released by the New York Jets.  After a hideous 9-23 record over two seasons, Gase has been replaced by Robert Saleh, who was the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.

The Houston Texans fired long time head coach Bill O’Brien and replaced him with David Culley.  Culley, who served as the Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach since 2019, has 27 years of coaching experience .

After a 0-5 start last season, the Atlanta Falcons decided to part ways with relatively successful coach Dan Quinn. They hired Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to replace him in mid-January.

However, the biggest coaching news comes from the Sunshine State, as the Jacksonville Jaguars took a massive leap in hiring college football legend Urban Meyer. Meyer began coaching at the collegiate level in the 1980s and has coached such teams as the Colorado State Rams, Florida Gators, Illinois State Redbirds, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes and Utah Utes.

Meyer amassed three National Championships between Florida and Ohio State.

He hopes to join Seattle coach Pete Carroll among the ranks of college coaches who have found success in the NFL.