The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a rare position of a total restart. With lengthy NFL coaching contracts, the cost outweighs the decision to unload an underperforming head coach for most NFL teams.
However, after many missteps, Jaguars owner Shad Khan removed Urban Meyer from the organization’s top coaching slot. Now sitting at 2-11, the team needs to identify who will replace Meyer, but there’s an obvious option: Byron Leftwich.
Making A Case For Leftwich
On Thursday, Jaguars legend Jimmy Smith told TMZ that Byron Leftwich is the perfect replacement.
Just hours after the Meyer firing, Smith revealed that he thinks the ex-Jags quarterback makes sense as the new Jags head coach.
“When I think about our next coach,” Smith said, “that’s the guy.”
Smith cited Leftwich’s love for the franchise due to his ties at the beginning of his career. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Leftwich seventh overall in the 2003 NFL draft. He was a member of the Jaguars for four seasons before having one-season stints with the Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons.
The Left Switch
Smith knows more than most, as he caught passes from Leftwich during their careers as Jaguars.
Leftwich also played four non-consecutive seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers as the backup to Ben Roethlisberger. He was also on the Super Bowl-winning team in Super Bowl XLIII.
“That’s a guy that, at this stage right now that we’re in as far as the franchise, you need a guy who’s going to love the city and love the fans and love the franchise,” said Smith. “I can’t think of a guy better than Byron Leftwich.”
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