Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Urban Meyer's deep dive into the NFL before accepting the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching position didn't include gaining insight into some of the league's best players.
The Athletic published an in-depth report about Meyer's tenure with the Jags. His lack of knowledge about the marquee talents of the NFL was one of the details.
"But multiple sources said Meyer was unfamiliar with star players around the league, including 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel, Seahawks safety Jamal Adams and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
"'Who's this 99 guy on the Rams?' Meyer asked one staffer during the season, according to a source. 'I'm hearing he might be a problem for us.'"
It's an adjustment to move to the NFL from college. Even experienced NFL coaches can't be expected to know every detail about the league, that's why teams have scouts and a general manager
It would be a huge discovery if Meyer didn't know who Donald was.
If Meyer had made the comment in jest, he could have made light of his inexperience.
When Meyer was hired in Jacksonville, Florida, he was met with skepticism.
Meyer's demeanor left him ill-equipped to handle the position, despite his spotty track record of college head coaches in the NFL.
The 57-year-old has a trait that he hates to lose. He embarked on a new challenge in which losing six or even seven games is still enough to get a team into the playoffs.
It only took two weeks for Meyer to assure fans that things were moving in the right direction.
Meyer failed to make it through a full season, according to The Athletic report. He was doomed because he didn't put in the necessary work to get up to speed.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
