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Urban Meyer fired as Jacksonville Jaguars head coach

By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Urban Meyer has been fired as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, ActionNewsJax is reporting.

>> PHOTOS: Urban Meyer through the years

In a statement posted to the team’s website early Thursday, Jaguars owner Shad Khan confirmed the firing and said offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has been named interim head coach through the end of the season.

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“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,” Khan’s statement read. “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 will continue to serve as the team’s general manager “and will work with [Bevell] to ensure that our team will be inspired and competitive while representing Jacksonville proudly over our final four games of the season,” Khan said in the statement.

“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,” the statement concluded.

According to ESPN, the news broke just hours after the Tampa Bay Times reported that ex-Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo said Meyer, 57, kicked his leg during warm-ups ahead of a preseason practice session. Meyer also made headlines in late September when he was shown behaving inappropriately with a woman at an Ohio bar in a video that circulated online, the AP reported.

Meyer, who won three national championships during his time as a college coach, went 2-11 in his 13 games with the Jaguars, according to the AP. This was his first season as an NFL coach.

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Photos: Urban Meyer through the years Here are some memorable moments from Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer's life in the public eye. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)

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