Following firing of Urban Meyer, Jacksonville city leaders look to future

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – City leaders are looking to the aboriginal aft Jaguars caput manager Urban Meyer was fired earlier the extremity of his archetypal play with the team.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry told News4JAX connected Thursday that helium believes Jaguars manager Shad Khan got to the constituent wherever helium felt similar this was the champion determination for the team.

“I deliberation that Shad is trying to get this happening right,” the politician said astatine the yearly Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department vacation party.

Curry said the interest present should beryllium the aboriginal of the franchise and the improvement of backmost Trevor Lawrence, who was the No. 1 wide prime successful the 2021 NFL draft.

“All you tin bash is crook the leafage and determination connected to the adjacent chapter,” helium said. “We’ve got a large quarterback, should beryllium a franchise quarterback. You request the close radical astir him to make him. Frankly, I’m excited astir the future.”

Ad

While offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has been named interim caput coach, 1 of the main questions being asked is who volition beryllium Jacksonville’s aboriginal caput coach? But there’s besides the question of what does each of this mean for the aboriginal of TIAA Bank Field? Could it see stadium improvements oregon updates?

Earlier this week, Khan, portion reflecting connected his 10 years of ownership of the franchise, talked astir what needs to hap successful bid to marque the stadium a people act not lone for the NFL but for assemblage playoff games, arsenic well. The Jaguars judge the vessel operation of the stadium is OK, but changes request to beryllium made, including further seating, shad connected each seats and wider concourses.

Ad

Curry said these changes are vital.

“The metropolis is going to person to bash stadium improvements astatine immoderate point,” Curry said. “Whether oregon not we tin get that done by the clip I permission bureau — I mean I americium unfastened to the discussion, I admit however important it is. We’ll conscionable person to spot however that goes successful the adjacent twelvemonth and a half.”

Jacksonville City Council President Sam Newby agrees.

“If it makes consciousness for Jacksonville, I’m going to enactment it,” Newby said.

It seems different assembly members volition travel suit.

“I deliberation it’s a large thought for america to commencement having a speech truthful the adjacent politician successful 2023 and the adjacent City Council successful 2023 volition cognize precisely what they volition beryllium connected the hook for,” said City Councilman Garrett Dennis.

But fixed the losing grounds this twelvemonth and the firing of Meyer, 1 City Council subordinate said it could beryllium pugnacious for Khan to merchantability taxpayers connected the upgrades.

“This makes it a small spot harder. I don’t deliberation it changes our resoluteness oregon his resoluteness for having a signature stadium present successful Jacksonville,” said City Councilman Michael Boylan.

Ad

Boylan said helium doesn’t spot a caller stadium happening.

“(Jaguars President) Mr. (Mark) Lamping has made it precise wide that we got bully bones successful the stadium and that immoderate improvements are needed, but successful presumption of a caller stadium, I don’t spot that arsenic a reality,” Boylan said.

City Councilman Reggie Gaffney said Khan is sending a connection with Meyer’s firing.

“He is saying to the metropolis of Jacksonville that, ‘I made a mistake and I privation to get it right,’” Gaffney said.

Right now, determination are nary stadium plans, lone talk.

Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.