High-profile coaching pursuits often continue to follow teams long after the hiring process ends. For the Detroit Lions, one former candidate is back in the headlines following a major legal defeat involving an AFC franchise.

After Matt Patricia was fired as head coach during the 2020 NFL season, the Lions were linked to many high-profile names. Back then, Urban Meyer was being seriously considered for his college football success. He was a three-time national college champion at Florida and Ohio State.

But Meyer was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 as their head coach. He is now back in the headlines after he lost an arbitration case, worth $30 million in total, tied to the remainder of his contract that he had signed with the Jaguars. The Jaguars signed him in 2021, but Meyer only lasted 13 games after a poor record of 2-11.

According to Fox Sports, Meyer has been accused by former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo of being kicked during warmups. Lambo is seeking $3.5 million in salary and damages for emotional distress caused by Meyer. The trial is set for early August.

Meyer reportedly treated the NFL environment much like a college program, using slogans throughout the facility and implementing unusual practice tactics. As losses piled up, he often directed blame toward assistants instead of the players on the field.

Meyer, 61, is now a college football analyst at Fox Sports. He was also recently inducted into the College Hall of Fame in December.

These recent developments surrounding Meyer feel even more significant when revisiting how differently the Lions’ coaching search could have unfolded.

Lions Ultimately Landed Their Long-Term Answer

The Lions’ search ended after they hired Dan Campbell on January 20, 2021. Campbell is a former NFL player who played for Detroit as a tight end. He had prior coaching experience as well. While his time as an interim head coach with the Miami Dolphins was short, it showed potential.

He was hired after he had helped Sean Payton build one of the league’s most prolific offenses in the New Orleans Saints. In Detroit, despite a poor record in his first season, 3–13–1, with a rebuilding roster, he showed a lot of potential.

Having reached the Conference Finals in the 2023 season and then clinching the first seed in the 2024 season, the Lions ended up making the better decision.

How would things have been different had Detroit chosen Meyer as their head coach? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Dhruv Vishnu Nair

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar