Jacksonville Jaguars coaching and front office search: All the candidates, interviews, and team requests

The Jacksonville Jaguars are off to the races when it comes to their search for a new general manager and head coach after firing Dave Caldwell in the middle of the season and Doug Marrone the day after the season ended.

Our head is spinning so we wanted to keep it all straight and compile all the news, rumors, and requests to interview right here.

Friday

Urban Meyer is meeting in person with the team

After a week where everyone could care less about football, we’ve got Urban Meyer (who from media reports seems to be the front runner) scheduled for an in person meeting today.

This was an expected move as the Jaguars continue their search for a new head coach after letting go of Doug Marrone on Monday. Meyer’s name has been linked to the franchise since before the end of the season, and this interview appears to be the potential next step in the process.

According to Pelissero, “no deal is imminent with Meyer,” and the Jaguars do still have one more interview scheduled. San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is scheduled to interview for the team’s head coaching vacancy on Friday.

Tuesday

Former Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer

Ray Farmer started his personnel career as a scout with the Atlanta Falcons and quickly moved to be the director of pro personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2006 through 2012, before being picked up as the assistant general manager for the Cleveland Browns in 2013, which eventually turned into the general manager role for the next two seasons.

Farmer’s short stint with the Browns was with a little bit of controversy, which included a suspension for violating league rules for texting coaching staff members play-calling during games.

Atlanta Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris

Raheem Morris has spent the past six years with the Falcons in a variety of roles, including assistant head coach, wide receivers coach and defensive backs coach.

Most recently, Morris was the team’s defensive coordinator prior to the ousting of then-head coach Dan Quinn. Morris was then named the team’s interim head coach shortly thereafter.

Since taking over as the team’s interim head coach, Morris has posted a record of 4-7, with the Falcons ultimately finishing 4-12 on the year.

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy

Eric Bienemy has been a hot name in the head coaching hunt for the past two seasons, shockingly missing out on a chance to get hired last offseason despite some interviews. This season, Bienemy is seen as one of the top candidates to get a gig and has already been scheduled for multiple interviews, so we can now add the Jaguars to that list.

The current Chiefs offensive coordinator is someone many Jaguars fans have been wanting as the main target for a head coach since it was clear Doug Marrone was going to be fired and the Jaguars would be landing one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, in large part due to Bienemy’s work with current NFL superstar, Patrick Mahomes.

Monday

Doug Marrone gone, Urban Meyer first coach linked

Ian Rapoport has been banging the drum of Urban Meyer to the NFL — and specifically the Jaguars — for a little while now. But on the morning that Doug Marrone he was about as straightforward as he could be on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football show:

“If they do move on, which again I believe is likely, a couple of names to keep an eye on for Jacksonville, which should be one of the prime locations for a new general manager or for a new head coach. One of the names to watch Urban Meyer, the former Florida coach, former Ohio State coach, won national titles and one of the best developers of quarterbacks we’ve seen in a long time. He is believed to be at the top of the Jaguars wish list, he’s also told potential assistants he believes the job is his if he wants it. It’s really just a matter of medically health wise does Urban Meyer, who has retired a couple of different times for health reasons, does he want to do it.”

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll rumored, no interview yet

From Albert Breer of SI’s Monday Morning Quarterback, it appears Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is number two on their wish list.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Doug Marrone said after his team’s 15th straight loss that he’d meet with owner Shad Khan on Monday. The Jaguars’ flirtation with ex-Ohio State and Florida coach Urban Meyer has been going on for weeks now. Will Meyer jump? This is a pretty unique opportunity, given that he’d get a boatload of 2021 picks, cap space and Trevor Lawrence with the job, and it’s in an area geographically that Meyer is familiar with. I think he’ll say no, but I think it will be hard for him to turn it down, and he is taking the idea seriously (I’m told he’s worked on potential staffing). And if he doesn’t take the job? I’ve heard the Jags would hire a coach first, and Bills OC Brian Daboll was one name that’s been linked to the job.

The interest in Daboll should come as no surprise, as he’s been earmarked as one of the hottest potential names in the head coaching cycle this offseason. Daboll has shot up in large part because of his impressive work with quarterback Josh Allen, who has transformed from what looked like a colossal bust to a legitimate MVP candidate in a short period of time.

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith

The Jaguars requested to interview offensive coordinator Arthur Smith from their division rivals in the Tennessee Titans.

Many expected Arthur Smith to be one of the hotter names on the head coaching market this offseason, in large part because of the consistency of the Titans offense and the resurrection of the career of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The Titans took a flyer on Tannehill last season and it has paid dividends, to back-to-back playoff berths and their first division title in over a decade.

Smith has been with the Titans since 2011, working his way through the ranks on the offensive side of the ball after originally being hired as a defensive quality control coach under Mike Munchak. He was retained by current head coach Mike Vrabel and promoted to offensive coordinator last season, which saw running back Derrick Henry post insane rushing numbers the past two seasons.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh

It’s been a long road for San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh but he could be coming full circle with Jacksonville requesting to interview him for their head coaching position.

Saleh is a hot name in the current open coaching market and is expected to likely have interest from every opening right now. According to Lynch however, only the Jaguars, Falcons and Lions have requested permission officially thus far.

If Saleh’s name sounds familiar as a Jaguars fan, it’s because he was actually part of former Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley’s defensive staff from 2014 to 2016 as the linebackers coach.

After Bradley was fired and the staff wiped out with him, Saleh was hired as the defensive coordinator for the 49ers and was pegged as a rising star in the NFL coaching ranks, earmarked to quickly be in the mix for a head coaching job.

Well, three seasons later Saleh is now one of the hot names making the rounds.

New Orleans Saints VP/assistant general manager of pro personnel Terry Fontenot

Lost in all the requests for head coaching candidates is the fact that the Jaguars need a general manager. Before the day was up, Shad Khan requested to interview New Orleans Saints VP/assistant general manager of pro personnel Terry Fontenot.

Fontenot has been with the New Orleans Saints his entire career, originally getting his foot in the door with the organization as a marketing intern. Now in his 16th full season, and sixth as director of pro scouting, Fontenot now has the opportunity to run his own team in 2021.