Nathaniel Hackett Plans to Interview With Jaguars Next Week; Byron Leftwich to Interview Friday

The Jacksonville Jaguars continue to bring in candidates to replace Urban Meyer as the next head coach.

The Jaguars and owner Shad Khan have already interviewed candidates such as Doug Pederson, Jim Caldwell, and Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. And over the next few days, the Jaguars are slated to speak to a few more candidates -- namely Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett next week and Tampa Bay offensive coordinator and former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich via zoom later today.

Hackett will speak to the Jaguars during the first round of the playoffs as the Packers have a bye week, something Hackett told Green Bay media this week was a priority for him before interviewing with the Jaguars or any other organization.

“I owed it to this organization, all these players, we wanted to wrap up that No. 1 seed,” Hackett said Thursday, via the Associated Press.

“That was so important to do. And it’s absolutely an honor to be even considered for something like this. So we’re going to do it during the bye because we wrapped up that No. 1 seed. We’re really excited about that opportunity. I mean, it’s a dream for any football coach to even have an opportunity to potentially become a head coach.”

Hackett has worked for the Jaguars once before, being hired as quarterbacks coach in 2015 after two years coordinator the Buffalo Bills' offense.

Hackett spent two years as the Jaguars' quarterbacks coach and was eventually promoted to interim offensive coordinator at the end of the 2016 season, later being promoted to full-time coordinator when Marrone was named head coach after the 2016 season.

Hackett was instrumental in the Jaguars' offensive success in 2017, with the Jaguars finishing with a 10-6 record and the No. 15 DVOA offense despite a lack of weapons and a below-average quarterback at the helm. Hackett and the Jaguars failed to replicate the success in 2018, however, leading to Hackett's in-season firing.

Hackett was able to quickly find work elsewhere, however, being named offensive coordinator of the Packers under new head coach Matt LaFleur in 2019 and earning the respect of Aaron Rodgers, propelling him into head coach conversations.

Leftwich, meanwhile, has a long history with the Jaguars after being drafted by the franchise in the first-round of the 2003 NFL Draft, making Leftwich the first quarterback the Jaguars have ever drafted in the draft's opening round.

Leftwich has spent the last three seasons calling plays for Tampa Bay's offense after being interim offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 after serving as quarterbacks coach in 2017 and the start of 2018.