Jaguars coaching search: 5 things to know about Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich
For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the hunt for the next head coach is on.
Owner Shad Khan and the Jacksonville front office are searching for a permanent successor to interim coach Darrell Bevell, himself appointed in December after the firing of former University of Florida and Ohio State University coach Urban Meyer.
Whoever takes over the Jaguars job will inherit a multitude of challenges while trying to turn around a franchise that has lost 28 of its last 30 games. But that coach will also land a promising quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Clemson.
Here's a closer look at Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, among the potential candidates to replace Meyer.
The latest: Byron Leftwich emerges as frontrunner to land Jaguars head coaching job
GM staying on: Jacksonville Jaguars retaining general manager Trent Baalke
Teflon Trent: Gene Frenette: Jaguars' owner Khan should be careful about giving Baalke too much power
The last coach: Jimmy Johnson: Urban Meyer's Jaguars tenure was undone by a lot of 'backstabbing'
Byron Leftwich played QB for Jaguars
As longtime Jaguars fans remember well, Leftwich has extensive experience on the First Coast. Selected with the No. 7 overall pick, Leftwich played for the Jags from 2003 to 2006, reaching the playoffs in 2005. An All-Rookie honoree in 2003, he packed a cannon arm, passing for 9,052 yards and 51 touchdowns in Jacksonville. He particularly excelled in late-game situations, including an NFL-high four fourth-quarter comebacks in 2004; among the negatives of the Leftwich years were inconsistent accuracy (36 interceptions), frequent injuries (he played 46 out of a possible 64 games in his Jaguars tenure) and an unorthodox delivery that was often blamed for his 26 fumbles. Leftwich's time in Jacksonville came to an abrupt end in 2007 when then-coach Jack Del Rio released him just before the season in favor of David Garrard.
Two-time Super Bowl champion with Steelers, Buccaneers
Leftwich's Jacksonville release didn't end his career. He played six more seasons and won two Super Bowls since leaving the First Coast, the first one while still playing as backup to Ben Roethlisberger on the 2008 Steelers at Super Bowl XLIII. Then, in February, he collected his second Super Bowl ring as offensive coordinator on the Buccaneers' championship staff under head coach Bruce Arians — directing quarterback Tom Brady, who had knocked Leftwich's Jaguars out of the playoffs 15 years earlier during his Patriots days. In between, he spent a less notable stint as quarterbacks coach and later interim offensive coordinator with the Cardinals.
Vikings draft miscue let Jaguars take Leftwich
If not for one of the weirdest moments in recent NFL Draft history, there's no guarantee that Leftwich ever would have been a Jaguar. The Minnesota Vikings, not the Jaguars, held the No. 7 spot in the 2003 draft. But in a bizarre miscue, the Vikings were seemingly bogged down in trade negotiations and failed to submit their selection by the NFL's 15-minute time limit. The Jaguars instantly responded, selecting Leftwich. The Carolina Panthers, who held the ninth pick, also got their pick in before the Vikings made it to the podium. It turned out that the Ravens were attempting to trade up for Leftwich, but the deal broke down.
In the Heisman Trophy hunt at Marshall
As a prospect out of Woodson High School in Washington, D.C., Leftwich became a quarterback star at Marshall, then establishing itself as a Mid-American Conference challenger after making the climb from Division I-AA. Leftwich started from 2000 to 2002 with the Thundering Herd, including a record-tying 576 passing yards in the 2001 GMAC Bowl against East Carolina. In his senior year, he completed 331 of 491 passes for 4,268 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. He still ranks third in Marshall history in passing yards (12,124), completions (956) and yards per attempt (8.24), and first in completion percentage (64.9).
Playing through broken leg
Leftwich's willingness to play through pain became legendary, particularly after a Nov. 2, 2002 game against Akron. The quarterback went down in the first quarter and was transported for X-rays on a suspected broken leg. Those X-rays were initially reported negative, but Leftwich later acknowledged before the NFL Draft that he had sustained a small hairline fracture to the lower leg in that November game. Fractured leg and all, he returned to the action in the third quarter in a bid to lead Marshall's comeback, even though he needed his linemen to carry him down the field. Marshall eventually lost 34-20, but Leftwich's effort went down in football lore.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Who is Byron Leftwich, who could be next Jaguars head coach?
