REPORT: Jaguars Responsible for One of NFL's Biggest Mistakes

Much has gone wrong for the Jacksonville Jaguars over the last few seasons. However, one mistake was so big, it is considered one of the worst mistakes in the entire league since 2020.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) walks off the field after Sunday's loss to the 49ers. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the San Francisco 49ers Friday, November 21, 2021, at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars went into the half trailing 20 to 3 and lost with a final score of 30 to 10. Jki 112121 Bsjagsvs49ers 10 | Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made numerous mistakes over the last few seasons but one move was undoubtedly significantly worse than any other. According to Bill Barnwell of ESPN, the Jaguars' hiring Urban Meyer as their coach was the sixth-biggest mistake any team has made in the National Football League since 2020.

"There are so many moments from the Meyer era that could be considered embarrassing decisions and situations in their own right," Barnwell said. "The Chris Doyle hire. Signing Tim Tebow to play tight end. Abandoning the team plane so he could go to his bar in Ohio, at which point he was filmed in close contact with someone who wasn't his wife. An impossibly awkward handshake with Mike Vrabel. Talking about the expanded role on defense for a player who had been on the field for zero snaps. His reported unfamiliarity with Aaron Donald and Deebo Samuel.

"Oh, and allegedly kicking his own kicker, which finally led to the Jaguars firing him. Meyer went 2-11, wasted a year of Trevor Lawrence's rookie contract, and set the franchise back well beyond where it was when he arrived.

"Talking about the expanded role on defense for a player who had been on the field for zero snaps. His reported unfamiliarity with Aaron Donald and Deebo Samuel. Oh, and allegedly kicking his own kicker, which finally led to the Jaguars firing him. Meyer went 2-11, wasted a year of Trevor Lawrence's rookie contract, and set the franchise back well beyond where it was when he arrived.

While the Jaguars have had a difficult past few seasons, head coach Doug Pederson has done a significantly better job than Meyer did. It has not been pretty, but at least the Jaguars have ended the repeated off-the-field embarrassment that came from having Meyer as their coach.

Pederson has his own set of issues, but none are as bad as the ones Meyer brought. Meyer often looked like he was in over his head on and off the field while he was the Jaguars' coach.

"Doug Pederson took over as coach, and it's a small miracle that he got the Jags to the playoffs the following season at 9-8," Barnwell said. "While Jags fans are understandably frustrated with what has happened since, even the lowlights of the Pederson era feel like Vince Lombardi in comparison to Meyer's abbreviated run."

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