TMZSports.com
Urban Meyer is barely out of the door in Jacksonville, but Jaguars legend Jimmy Smith tells TMZ Sports he already knows who should replace him — Byron Leftwich!
The former NFL star said Thursday just hours after Meyer was canned that he thinks the ex-Jags quarterback is now the right man for the vacant head coaching job in Jacksonville.
“When I think about our next coach,” Smith said, “that’s the guy.”
Smith says his reasoning is simple — he believes the next coach of the Jaguars has to have love for the franchise as well as previous ties to it, which Leftwich obviously has.
And, given Leftwich’s coach resume — which includes time as Tom Brady‘s offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay the last two years — Smith says it should be a no-brainer hire.
“That’s a guy that, at this stage right now that we’re in as far as the franchise, you need a guy who’s going to love the city and love the fans and love the franchise,” said Smith, who actually caught passes from Leftwich during their careers as Jaguars.
“I can’t think of a guy better than Byron Leftwich.”
If Leftwich should turn down the job — which Smith says could be a possibility — he told us he wouldn’t be opposed to seeing Vikings wide receivers coach and former Jaguars legend, Keenan McCardell, getting a look for the gig as well.
TMZSports.com
As for how the current team is feeling following Meyer’s departure … Smith, who was at the Jags’ stadium Thursday, said he’s noticing a palpable happiness now coming from the org.