Local

Jaguars fire head coach Urban Meyer after 13 games in first NFL season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired head coach Urban Meyer, ESPN NFL insider, Adam Schefter first reported.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

Coach Meyer is out of his first head coaching job in the National Football league after only 13 games.

READ: 2 Sumter County commissioners arrested, accused of lying under oath

The Jaguars said offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell will serve as the team’s interim head coach.

“After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement provided by the team.

Khan went on to say, “I informed Urban of the change this evening. As I stated in October, regaining our trust and respect was essential. Regrettably, it did not happen.”

READ: Lawrence on Jaguars drama: You can’t always be in headlines

You can read the full statement at the bottom of this story.

PHOTOS: Urban Meyer through the years:

The firing comes after former Jaguars Kicker, Josh Lambo claimed that Meyer kicked Lambo in the leg during a warm-up for a preseason game, Rick Stroud from the Tampa Bay Times reported.

READ: Central Florida becoming the Wild West of real estate scams

Lambo told Stroud Meyer came up to him and said, “‘Hey Dips--t, make your f--king kicks!’ And kicks me in the leg.”

The Jaguars went 2-11 during Meyer’s tenure.

Khan’s full statement provided by the Jaguars:

Darrell Bevell will serve as interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the balance of the 2021 season. Darrell succeeds Urban Meyer. After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone. I informed Urban of the change this evening. As I stated in October, regaining our trust and respect was essential. Regrettably, it did not happen.

Trent Baalke continues as our general manager and will work with Darrell to ensure that our team will be inspired and competitive while representing Jacksonville proudly over our final four games of the season. In the spirit of closure and recharging our players, staff and fan base, I will not comment further until some point following the conclusion of the NFL season.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Bailey Husker

Bailey Husker, Action News Jax

Bailey Husker is a digital content producer and assignment editor for Action News Jax.