Report: Jaguars and Leftwich Not Yet Closing In on an Agreement
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been looking for a head coach for the last month, and it doesn't yet appear that they are any closer to making a decision on Urban Meyer's replacement.
According to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Jaguars are not close to a deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, whom many presume to be the leading favorite to replace Meyer. As Rapoport explained on 'The Pat McAfee show, any reports on Thursday of the Jaguars inching closer to a deal with
"Byron Leftwich is, as of right now, not the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. And believe me, I have made many, many calls on this the last couple of days," Rapoport said on Friday.
The Leftwich saga has been a whirlwind to this point. The team's brass had a positive second interview with him on Tuesday in Tampa Bay, but Leftwich has yet to be named head coach as other coaches such as Nathaniel Hackett and Matt Eberflus have been hired by Denver and Chicago.
Mike Jurecki of AZCardinals.com reported Thursday that the Jaguars were close to hiring Leftwich as head coach and Arizona Cardinals exec Adrian Wilson as general manager, but nothing has since transpired on that front over 24 hours later, either.
With there so far being no movement on Jurecki's report, Rapoport has stated he doesn't believe the Jaguars and Leftwich are closing in on any agreement to make him the next head coach.
"And then you saw this stuff with Baalke yesterday about maybe he was getting fired and they were bringing in Adrian Wilson," Rapoport said.
"They have not requested to speak to Adrian Wilson yet, they have not had contact, and Baalke is still employed. And I don't get the sense that unless something happens, I don't get the sense that Leftwich and the Jaguars are closing in on anything.
Leftwich spent four seasons with the Jaguars after being selected in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Leftwich's tenure with the Jaguars was a short one that ended in him being replaced at quarterback by David Garrard, but Leftwich made a strong impression on teammates both in and outside of Jacksonville throughout his playing career.
After a playing career that saw him spend time with the Falcons, Buccaneers, and Steelers, Leftwich was hired by Arians during the 2016 training camp to assist with coaching the Cardinals' quarterbacks, before eventually being hired as the team's full-time quarterbacks coach the next year. Leftwich was retained in his role by new head coach Steve Wilks in 2018, eventually being promoted to interim offensive coordinator following the firing of Mike McCoy.
After Wilks was fired following the 2018 season, Leftwich again reunited with Arians as Arians became the head coach of the Buccaneers after a year away from coaching. Leftwich was named Arians' offensive coordinator and was given play-calling duties as the Buccaneers saw Jameis Winston break every major franchise passing record in 2019.
Leftwich remained in his role the next two seasons as Winston was replaced by Tom Brady, with Brady going on to break all of the offensive records Winston set the year before as Tampa Bay marched toward a Super Bowl title. Since Leftwich's first year, the Buccaneer's offensive DVOA has improved year, going from No. 23, to No. 3, to No. 1 in 2021.
Tampa Bay lost 30-27 to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday. Other candidates the Jaguars have interviewed to this point consist of Bill O'Brien, Jim Caldwell, Doug Pederson, Kellen Moore, and Todd Bowles, though none have yet been given a second interview by the Jaguars.
