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Revision as of 11:56, 11 July 2022 by Benwayt(talk | contribs)(Shortened the summary below the Week 18 game)
Jacksonville had the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which they used to select Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars came into the season with a 15-game losing streak from the last season. The losing streak continued this season as the Jaguars started 0–5, before defeating the Miami Dolphins 23–20 in London. To date, the 2020–21 Jaguars' 20-game losing streak is the third longest losing streak in NFL history, after the 1976–77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26) and 1942–45 Chicago Cardinals (29).
The Jaguars finished 3–14, improving upon their 1–15 record from the previous season. However, they failed to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year following a Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans.[1] The Jaguars clinched the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, becoming the first team since the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 and 2018 Drafts to have the top pick in back-to-back years.[2]
On December 16, after less than a year and following repeated scandals involving the team, Meyer was fired as head coach and replaced with Darrell Bevell for the remainder of the season.[3][4]
Season summary
The team was criticized by the media following repeated scandals involving the team, with head coach Urban Meyer the most caught up in multiple scandals. During the offseason, some of Meyer's staff hires and free agent signings received backlash. In February, former Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle, who had left that job due to allegations of racism and bullying players, was hired as the Jaguars' strength coach before fan backlash led to him resigning one day later.[5] In addition, the signing of former Florida and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow as a tight end was criticized as a publicity grab,[6][7] especially as Tebow had not played a down of football since the 2015 preseason and was eventually cut after the first preseason game.[8] On July 1, 2021, the Jaguars were fined $200,000 and Meyer was fined $100,000 for OTA violations.[9]
In October, a video surfaced appearing to show Meyer inappropriately touching a woman who was not his wife while he was at his Columbus-area restaurant, Urban Meyer's Pint House, following a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Jaguars owner Shahid Khan said that Meyer's behavior had been "inexcusable" and that Meyer "must regain our trust and respect". Meyer later apologized to the team and personnel.[10]
Meyer was also criticized for benching running back James Robinson during losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.[11] During the loss to the Rams, Meyer claimed that Robinson's benching was "injury-related" and quarterback Trevor Lawrence had to request to put James Robinson in.[12][13]
The tension surrounding the team got worse in December 2021, when Jaguars players and coaches were critical of Meyer's treatment of them, to which the team officially responded with assertions of Meyer's job security.[14] Meyer and wide receiver Marvin Jones got into a heated argument where Jones left the Jaguars facility. Jones returned to the facility when other staff members convinced Jones to come back, only to get into another argument with Meyer at practice.[15][16] Jones would later deny getting into an argument with Meyer.[17]
Meyer also reportedly called his assistant coaches "losers" and that he was a "winner" and challenged assistants to defend their resumes.[15] Owner Shahid Khan met with players, members of the team's business department and coaches, including Meyer following the Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.[18]
On December 15, 2021, former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo alleged that Meyer kicked him in the leg during a practice in the week before the Jaguars' final preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. According to Lambo, Meyer also shouted at him, "Hey dipshit, make your fucking kicks." (Lambo had missed a field goal in each of the previous two preseason games.) After Lambo told Meyer never to kick him again, Meyer responded, "I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the fuck I want."[19] Later that day, Lambo reported the incident to his agent, who then reported it to the Jaguars team.
Urban Meyer was fired on December 16, 2021 finishing his tenure with the Jaguars with a 2–11 (.154) record. Darrell Bevell was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[3] Prior to Meyer's dismissal, quarterback Trevor Lawrence criticized the drama affecting the team in a press conference, without naming Meyer.[20][21]
During the final week of the season, numerous Jaguars fans attended the team's home game against the Indianapolis Colts dressed as clowns in protest of unpopular moves by team management and the Jaguars' overall struggles.[22]
Minnesota traded their second-round selection, along with a previously-conditional 2022 fifth-round selection, to Jacksonville in exchange for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. The fifth-round selection would have upgraded to the fourth round if Ngakoue had gone to the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2020 season, but he was not named, or the third round if the Vikings had won the Super Bowl, but they were eliminated from postseason contention.[24]
Jacksonville traded a sixth-round selection to Tennessee in exchange for a seventh-round selection and linebacker Kamalei Correa.[26]
Jacksonville traded a seventh-round selection to New Orleans in exchange for defensive tackle Malcom Brown.[27]
Draft day trades
The Los Angeles Rams traded their fourth-round selection (#121 overall) and sixth-round selection (#209 overall) for the Jaguars' fourth, fifth, and seventh-round selections (#130, #170, and #249 overall).[28]
Jacksonville’s schedule was announced on May 12.[30] Ahead of the schedule release it was confirmed that the Jaguars would face the Houston Texans away to open the season and would host the Miami Dolphins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in week 6 on October 17. This was the Jaguars' eighth home game in London but their first at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.[31][32]
In their season finale, the Jaguars hosted the division rivals Indianapolis Colts, who were playing for their playoff spot in the game. Indianapolis had won 8 of their last 11. However, rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence had his best game of the season, and the Jaguars defense frustrated the Colts offense. With the win, Jacksonville extended their home win streak over the Colts to 7, including the previous season when the Jaguars' home win over the Colts proved to be their only win of the season. Indianapolis was officially eliminated from playoff contention later in the day when the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime.
^ abTennessee finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory.
^ abLas Vegas finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games (5–1 vs. 2–4 against: Miami, Dallas, LA Chargers, Cleveland, and Indianapolis).
^ abcIndianapolis finished ahead of Miami and Los Angeles based on conference record (7–5 vs. 6–6).
^ abMiami finished ahead of LA Chargers based on win percentage in common games (5–1 vs. 2–4 against: New England, Las Vegas, Houston, Baltimore, and NY Giants).
^ abCleveland finished ahead of Baltimore based on division record (3–3 vs. 1–5).
^ abNY Jets finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.