Miami football legend Jimmy Johnson advised Urban Meyer on Jaguars job

Miami football legend Jimmy Johnson spoke to reporters earlier this week ahead of his August 8 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of the topics Johnson discussed was that he advised new Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer prior to his first season as an NFL head coach.

Johnson was the first head coach to win a collegiate national championship and a Superbowl. Johnson won the 1987 National Championship with the Miami football team and Superbowl XXVII with the Dallas Cowboys following the 1992 season. Meyer won national titles with Florida in 2006 and 2008 and Ohio State in 2014.

Johnson was the head coach in Dallas from 1989-1993 and the Dolphins from 1996-1999. Barry Switzer succeeded Johnson in Dallas and won Superbowl XXX with the Cowboys after winning National Championships with Oklahoma in 1974, 1975, 1985. Pete Carroll won titles with USC in 2003 and 2004 and SB XLVIII with Seattle.

Johnson was impressed by the attention to detail Meyer showed getting ready for his first season in the NFL. Meyer previously retired from Ohio State due to health problems, but at 57 is returning to coaching for the challenge of the NFL. Johnson stated he spoke to Meyer on Wednesday as told to reporters.

"“Urban’s very thorough. Urban has spent his due diligence getting ready for this job…He knew what he was getting into when he accepted the job. We had numerous conversations during the job process. And I think he’ll do a great job. He knows how important personnel is. He knows how to deal with people…He’s a little frustrated right now because he’s spent so little time with the players…He’s accustomed to being around the players all the time, and they weren’t able to do that because of COVID-19.”"

Johnson was 81-34 in 10 years as a college head coach. In five seasons with the Miami football program, Johnson was 52-9, 44-4 in his last four seasons. Meyer was 187-32 in 17 seasons at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State. Jacksonville was 1-15 in 2020 and has one playoff appearance in the last 13 years.

Prior to Meyer, Jacksonville was 23-43 in four-plus seasons under Doug Marrone. Marrone was previously 15-17 in two years in Buffalo. Prior to the NFL, Marrone was 25-25 at Syracuse from 2009-2012. Marrone coached Syracuse before they joined the ACC. Meyer beat Miami 26-3 in his lone meeting in 2008.

Johnson discussed the difference between working with college and NFL Players. Meyer will have to adapt to become a successful NFL head coach. Some of the best collegiate head coaches have not had the same level of success in the NFL. The success Switzer had was credited by some to the foundation created by Johnson.