What Are the Odds: Odds Released on Who Will Be the Next Jaguars Head Coach
The Jacksonville Jaguars officially began their search for a new head coach on Monday, firing Doug Marrone after four-plus seasons at the helm. With Marrone now gone, the Jaguars' biggest priority is finding his replacement.
Who could that replacement be? Jaguars owner Shad Khan indicated during a press conference Monday that he intends to conduct a wide search for his next head coach, which makes sense considering the job will likely be in high demand.
Some names have already been tied to the job or at least have reportedly been scheduled to interview for it, such as Urban Meyer, Arthur Smith, Robert Saleh, Raheem Morris, and Eric Bieniemy.
But who do oddsmakers think has the best chance of becoming the next Jaguars head coach? BetOnline recently released odds on candidates for each of the six teams looking for a new head coach. Below are the odds for the Jaguars, as well as our own commentary on how BetOnline ordered the candidates.
Urban Meyer: 1/2
It isn't surprising to see Urban Meyer take the lead in odds. He is the consensus public front-runner for Jacksonville's head coach opening, even though Shad Khan shot down the Meyer rumors on Monday. But Meyer has consistently been tied to the Jaguars through the national media in recent weeks, so it appears he is still the betting favorite to replace Marrone
Robert Saleh: 6/1
It will likely surprise some to see San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh with the second-best odds, but the former Jaguars linebackers coach comes in above all of the offensive-minded coaches who aren't Meyer. John Lynch said on Monday that the Jaguars have requested to interview Saleh, who has been a hot candidate. He is known as a terrific leader and was able to give the 49ers a top defensive unit in 2020 despite injuries, but his lack of offensive background could give some serious pause.
Brian Daboll: 7/1
The Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator has done wonders with Josh Allen the past two seasons. Allen is a legitimate MVP candidate this year after taking a bigger leap than any other quarterback in the NFL. Daboll is a big reason Allen has found so much success, too, as he has molded his entire scheme around his quarterback's talents and has run multiple styles of offenses in the process.
Eric Bieniemy: 7/1
The Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator has been a hot name in coaching for a few seasons now. It was mildly surprising that he didn't land a job in last year's cycle, and it just seems like this is finally his year to grab a top job. There will be some pause with the fact that he is coming from an offense that is run by Andy Reid and orchestrated by the most talented quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes, but the word from Chiefs' players and coaches is always that he is the real deal and a major factor in their success.
Lincoln Riley: 8/1
This is an eyebrow-raiser. Lincoln Riley is a popular name every time a new head coaching job opens up due to his offensive prowess. He has coached multiple No. 1 overall picks and Heisman Trophy winners, and he has been a more successful college coach than Kliff Kingsbury was before he landed with the Arizona Cardinals. Perhaps the Jaguars could make a splash and reach out to Riley under the premise that he could work hand-in-hand with Trevor Lawrence, but it is unclear if the Jaguars would be willing to entrust the most important year of their franchise to a young college coach.
Jim Caldwell: 9/1
One of the most underrated coaches in football, Jim Caldwell would be a logical hire for any team with a young quarterback. He has done great work with developing quarterbacks in the past but hasn't been able to land another head coaching job since the Detroit Lions fired him after a few years near the .500 mark. Caldwell hasn't been connected to Jacksonville's job yet, but he makes sense if they want an experienced offensive mind.
Dabo Swinney: 10/1
Considering the Jaguars own the No. 1 overall pick and will presumably take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the selection, it isn't surprising to see his college head coach listed as a potential candidate. Swinney wouldn't make much sense for the Jaguars, however, due to his lack of NFL experience and the fact that he doesn't orchestrate Clemson's offensive attack.
Josh McDaniels: 10/1
Josh McDaniels interviewed with the Jaguars in 2017 before they hired Doug Marrone and reportedly left a positive impression on the team. Whether the Jaguars are interested in the long time New England Patriots offensive coordinator this time around remains to be seen, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Jaguars reach out to him considering their past interest.
Marvin Lewis: 10/1
The perfect candidate for teams that simply need an adult back in the room. Considering Jacksonville's youth and incompetence in recent years, Marvin Lewis would make a lot of sense, even if he isn't the exciting offensive coach that the fan base would likely want. Lewis did a terrific job with the Bengals (look at their record before he was hired and after he left), and he did that with questionable resources and ownership. In Jacksonville, he would at least have a better chance at throwing money at players and making splash moves, something his last tenure didn't have.
Arthur Smith: 14/1
It is surprising to see Arthur Smith this low considering the Jaguars know firsthand just how lethal Smith's defenses have been over the last two seasons. The long time Titans offensive assistant has been a stellar offensive coordinator the last two years, helping Ryan Tannehill rebuild his career and overseeing a run game that has launched Derrick Henry into the record books. He wouldn't be able to bring Henry with him, obviously, but he does at least know how to create chunk plays and an explosive offense with a quarterback who isn't quite elite.
Joe Brady: 14/1
If the Jaguars were to pursue Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady, they would be the second AFC South team to do so after the Houston Texans announced on Tuesday that they interviewed the first-year NFL coordinator. Brady was remarkable with the LSU Tigers in 2019 and did some interesting things with the Panthers and Matt Rhule this year, but his lack of experience could create some issues.
Matt Campbell: 14/1
The former Toledo head coach and current leader at Iowa State, Matt Campbell has been a hot name in the rumor mill in recent years. He is a three-time Big 12 coach of the year and has a 70-43 record as head coach despite being at two less than stellar programs. The big drawback would be his lack of NFL experience, to which he has none.
Matt Eberflus: 14/1
Matt Eberflus is an interesting case. He was supposed to be Josh McDaniels' defensive coordinator when he took the Colts job in 2018, but McDaniels then suddenly backed out. The Colts would go on to hire Frank Reich, who then kept Eberflus on as his own defensive coordinator. He has helped turn the Colts' defense around over the last three years, with the team finishing ranked No. 7 in defensive DVOA this year.
