Jaguars' Andrew Wingard: Urban Meyer Threatened to Cut Me for Rookie HC Remark

Urban Meyer lasted only 13 games as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 before the team fired him.

Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard almost lasted even fewer games that season.

Wingard discussed what it was like playing for Meyer during that tumultuous season with Tyler Dunne of Go Long and relayed an anecdote from a defensive meeting following a loss to the Seattle Seahawks that dropped the team's record to 1-6.

Wingard said he emphasized how important it was for the defense to lead the way with a rookie quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and a rookie head coach in Meyer, but that characterization apparently rubbed the latter the wrong way.

The safety explained what happened during an ensuing phone call with Meyer:

"He says, 'Dewey, why the hell did you call me a rookie head coach? Tell me why. If it was anybody else right now, you'd already be cut.' Explain yourself to me is essentially what he said. So I had to freaking save face and tell him how much I love him and how he's the greatest coach ever. … You're sitting there on your off-night chilling and you get a call from your head coach: 'Hey, I'm going to cut you if you don't apologize for calling me a rookie head coach.'"

Wingard said Meyer proceeded to list off his college accomplishments and was apparently taken aback by being called a rookie coach.

While Meyer is one of the best coaches in college football history, that did not translate to the NFL level. His Jaguars team went 2-11 before he was fired, and the losing was just part of the story during his brief tenure.

Following a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Meyer chose to remain in Ohio instead of flying back with the team. That decision became infamous when videos emerged showing a woman dancing on him at a restaurant.

Shortly before Meyer's dismissal, former kicker Josh Lambo told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times that the head coach kicked him during warm-ups. A report from Tom Pelissero of NFL.com also reported in mid-December that "months of tension" surrounding Meyer had "boiled over with multiple run-ins with players and other coaches."

All of that, plus the losing, meant a quick exit for Meyer.

Fortunately for Wingard—who is still on the team—and the rest of the Jaguars, the organization is in a much better place now.

Jacksonville won the AFC South last season and overcame a 27-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round before losing by seven to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

It was quite the turnaround by head coach Doug Pederson just one season after the Meyer tenure, and the Jaguars once again have postseason expectations with the 2023 campaign approaching.