Has Urban Meyer Ever Coached In The NFL?
Contents
No, Meyer has never coached in the NFL.
He has, however, coached in the college ranks at Ohio State, Florida and Utah.
Urban Meyer’s History
Urban Meyer has had a long and successful career as a college football coach. He has coached at the University of Florida, Ohio State University, and the University of Utah. He has also been a head coach in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers.
Meyer’s college coaching career
Meyer began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant in 1986 at Ohio State University. He spent two years there before moving on to the University of Colorado in 1989, where he served as the receivers coach under Bill McCartney. In 1990, he moved again to Notre Dame University, this time as the wide receivers coach under head coach Lou Holtz. Meyer’s next stop was Illinois State University, where he was the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach under Dick Truitt in 1992. Meyer then returned to Colorado in 1993 to serve as the quarterback’s coach under McCartney.
Meyer’s NFL coaching experience
Meyer has no experience coaching in the NFL, but he did spend time as a consultant with the New England Patriots in 2012.
Why Meyer Hasn’t Coached In The NFL
The answer to this question is likely multifaceted and opinions would certainly vary. Meyer has had great success in college football, winning 3 national championships and 7 conference championships in his 17 seasons as a head coach. NFL coaching is a different animal though and there are a number of reasons why Meyer has never made the jump to the professional ranks.
Lack of interest in coaching in the NFL
Meyer has expressed lack of interest in coaching in the NFL, saying that he “doesn’t know if that’s for [him]”, particularly due to the year-round nature of the NFL off-season as opposed to the college football off-season.
Meyer’s health concerns
Meyer has spoken openly about his health concerns in recent years. In 2014, he revealing he had suffers from headaches that were “a little bit above” migraines, and he also has an arachnoid cyst on his brain.
In 2016, Meyer said the headaches had gotten worse and caused him to miss spring practices. He also had surgery to remove part of his intestines in 2014.
Those health concerns, coupled with the rigors of being an NFL head coach, likely led to Meyer’s decision to stay in college coaching.
Could Meyer Be Interested In Coaching In The NFL?
There has been much speculation about whether or not Urban Meyer would ever consider coaching in the NFL. Meyer has been one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. He has won three national championships and has coached in two different college football playoff championship games.
The possibility of Meyer coaching in the NFL
Even though Meyer has never coached in the NFL, there is always the possibility that he could be interested in coaching at the highest level of football. There are a number of reasons why Meyer might be interested in coaching in the NFL, including the chance to compete against the best coaches in the world and the opportunity to make more money. However, there are also a number of reasons why Meyer might not be interested in coaching in the NFL, including the fact that he has already had success at the collegiate level and the fact that coaching in the NFL is a much more demanding job than coaching at the collegiate level. Only time will tell if Meyer is ever interested in coaching in the NFL.
The benefits of coaching in the NFL
There are many benefits to coaching in the NFL, including the salary, the prestige, and the opportunity to work with some of the best athletes in the world. While there are definitely some drawbacks to coaching in the NFL (long hours, intense pressure, etc.), many coaches feel that the positives outweigh the negatives.
One of the biggest benefits of coaching in the NFL is the salary. NFL coaches are some of the highest-paid professionals in all of sports. In fact, the average NFL head coach makes over $6 million per year! This is more than double what most college head coaches make, and it’s even more than what some MLB and NBA managers make. Obviously, not all NFL coaches are making $6 million per year ( assistant coaches make much less), but even assistant coaches in the NFL are paid quite well.
Another benefit of coaching in the NFL is the prestige that comes along with it. There are only 32 head coaching jobs in the entire league, so it’s a very prestigious position to hold. Additionally, NFL head coaches are often seen as “celebrities” and they often get invited to appear on TV shows, radio shows, etc. This can be a great way to promote your team and keep your name in front of potential fans.
Finally, one of the best things about coaching in the NFL is that you get to work with some of the best athletes in the world. These athletes are incredibly talented and they’re paid a lot of money to perform at a high level. As a coach, it’s your job to help these athletes reach their potential and win games. Many coaches find this challenge to be very rewarding.
What Would It Take For Meyer To Coach In The NFL?
One thing is for sure, if Urban Meyer wants to coach in the NFL, he certainly has the resume to do so. He has coached at some of the biggest collegiate programs in the country and has had success at every stop. However, there are a few things that would need to happen first.
The right situation
Meyer has said in the past that he would be interested in coaching in the NFL if the right opportunity presented itself. He even went so far as to interview for the Philadelphia Eagles job back in 2016, but ultimately decided to stay at Ohio State.
It’s not hard to see why Meyer would be attractive to NFL teams. He’s a three-time national champion and has an .842 winning percentage over his 16-year head coaching career. His teams are also known for their disciplined play, something that is often lacking in the NFL.
But there are also a few factors working against Meyer making the jump to the NFL. For one, he’s already 52 years old, which is relatively old for a head coach in the NFL. Additionally, Meyer has dealt with some health issues in recent years, including headaches caused by a congenital arachnoid cyst on his brain. These health concerns would likely have to be taken into consideration by any team thinking of hiring Meyer.
Ultimately, it would take the right situation for Meyer to leave Ohio State and head to the NFL. But if an opportunity arose that he felt was too good to pass up, it’s not hard to imagine him making the jump.
The right team
In order for Meyer to ever coach in the NFL, the right team would have to come along. He would need to be offered a coaching job by a team that he feels good about, and that he believes has a chance to win a Super Bowl. Additionally, the team would need to be willing to pay him what he feels he is worth. Right now, it does not seem like any NFL teams are interested in Meyer as a head coach, so it is unlikely that he will coach in the NFL anytime soon.
Conclusion
Though Meyer has never strictly coached in the NFL, he has worked with NFL teams in other capacities. For example, he was a guest coach for the Philadelphia Eagles during their offseason training in 2015. He also served as a consultant for the Los Angeles Rams in 2016.