Buccaneers' Byron Leftwich on Jaguars HC Rumors: 'I'm Just Trying to Win a Division'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich says his focus remains on the task at hand rather than any head-coaching opportunities that could arise. 

“I’m just trying to win a division," Leftwich told reporters Thursday. 

Leftwich will be one of the most highly sought-after assistant coaches this offseason, and his name was instantly thrown to the top of the pile with the Jacksonville Jaguars' job opening early Thursday. Leftwich was the Jaguars' first-round pick in 2003 and played four seasons with the franchise.

The Jaguars fired Urban Meyer after just 13 games following a series of embarrassments both on and off the field. The final straw came Wednesday when kicker Josh Lambo accused Meyer of kicking him at practice during the preseason.

"I'm in a lunge position. Left leg forward, right leg back," Lambo told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "Urban Meyer, while I’m in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, 'Hey Dips--t, make your f--king kicks!' And kicks me in the leg."

Lambo said he told his agent, who contacted the Jaguars' legal team. While the Jaguars say he was given an opportunity to report the incident in a meeting with team management, Lambo said that was not the case. 

Despite the matter being known internally for months, it appears Lambo going public was the final straw for Meyer's embattled tenure. The accomplished college coach never found his footing in the NFL, clashing with players and his own assistant coaches while Jacksonville scuffled to a 2-11 start. 

Leftwich is in his third season as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator. While his contributions often go unheralded due to the presence of Tom Brady and coach Bruce Arians, both have gone out of their way to praise Leftwich's offensive mind. Arians revealed in October that he does not even attend offensive meetings, trusting Leftwich to handle one of the most explosive offenses in football.