Jaguars fire Urban Meyer after 13 games, countless missteps
MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Urban Meyer never fit in the NFL.
His mottos. His methods. Even his moods seemed to go against what’s considered normal behavior in a league filled with professionals and grown men. He rubbed just about everyone the wrong way: assistants, players and eventually his bosses.
Meyer’s tumultuous tenure ended after just 13 games — and two victories — when the Jacksonville Jaguars fired him early Thursday because of an accumulation of missteps.
Owner Shad Khan made the move hours after former Jaguars player Josh Lambo told a Florida newspaper Meyer kicked him during practice in August. It was the latest black eye — adding to an already lengthy list of embarrassments — for the three-time national championship-winning college coach who failed miserably to make the transition to the NFL.
“After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone,” Khan said in a statement. “I informed Urban of the change this evening. As I stated in October, regaining our trust and respect was essential. Regrettably, it did not happen.”
Meyer joins former Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino as college coaches whose NFL careers flamed out in stunningly swift fashion. Petrino resigned in December 2007 to take over at Arkansas. He was 3-10 at the time.
Meyer went 2-11 in his partial season, and the Jaguars really started to unravel on the offensive side of the ball following the team’s bye week. They averaged a measly 9.1 points in Meyer’s final seven games, which ended with a five-game skid.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will serve as Jacksonville’s interim head coach for the final four games, beginning Sunday against Houston (2-11).
Meyer’s biggest issues came off the field, where he tried to handle a professional team like he was on a college campus. He splashed slogans and catchphrases around the facility, instilled gimmicks in practice and repeated his misguided belief that coaches coach for players and players play for coaches. He brought in motivational speakers and kept blaming assistants for the team’s mounting losses instead of the guys actually on the field.
One of Meyer’s most damning decisions came following a Thursday night game at Cincinnati in late September. He chose to stay behind with family instead of flying home with his team and then got caught on video the following night behaving inappropriately with a woman at a bar in Columbus, Ohio. Khan publicly reprimanded Meyer then, saying he needed to regain the owner’s trust and respect.
Bailing on his players showed just how out of touch Meyer was with NFL norms. And it was just one of many head-scratching choices for the 57-year-old coach who found success at every college stop: Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah (2003-04), Florida (2005-10) and Ohio State (2012-18).
Meyer simply never made the proper adjustments to the pro level.
Lambo’s claim seemingly proved too much for Khan, who two days earlier said he didn’t want to make an impulsive decision on the coach’s future.
“What’s different about this thing is you have losses and you have drama,” Khan said then.
The Jags had way more drama than victories.
Lambo provided the latest when he told the Tampa Bay Times that Meyer kicked him while he was stretching at the start of a practice. Lambo, the team’s place-kicker to open the season, said he told Meyer “don’t you ever (expletive) kick me again” and said the coach responded, “I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the (expletive) I want.”
Meyer released a statement through the team denying the incident happened the way Lambo described it.
“Josh’s characterization of me and this incident is completely inaccurate, and there are eyewitnesses to refute his account,” Meyer said.
Lambo said he reported the kick to his agent, who contacted the Jaguars’ legal counsel the following day.
“Jaguars legal counsel indeed acknowledged and responded immediately to the query made by Josh Lambo’s agent Friday, August 27, 2021,” the Jaguars said in a statement. “Counsel offered to speak with Josh, or to assist Josh in speaking with coaching or any other football personnel, if he was comfortable with her sharing the information. Any suggestion otherwise is blatantly false.”
Lambo was released after he missed his first three field-goal attempts to start the season.
Lambo’s allegation came on the heels of an NFL Network report which said Meyer created tension with multiple run-ins with players as well as assistants he allegedly called “losers.” Citing unidentified sources, the report detailed a heated exchange between Meyer and veteran receiver Marvin Jones that stemmed from Meyer criticizing receivers by saying they weren’t winning enough one-on-one matchups or getting enough separation.
“I would just say this: There was something that was brought to my attention that I didn’t like too well,” Jones said Wednesday, his first public comments since the report was published Saturday. “I approached him about it and we talked and we handled it like grown men. And that’s all I have to say about that.”
Jones denied threatening to leave practice over the argument.
“I mean, shoot, when you lose, you’re always going to be the center of attention in a negative way,” Jones said. “That just is what it is. That’s all I have to say.”
Other issues for Meyer:
— He hired strength coach Chris Doyle in February despite accusations of racist behavior and then had to let him go a day later because of a pending lawsuit.
— Jacksonville was fined $200,000 and Meyer docked $100,000 on July 1, a punishment that stemmed from an early June practice in which the league deemed receivers and defensive backs had too much contact during 11-on-11 drills.
— Meyer signed 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow to play tight end, an experiment that ended with Tebow looking lost in the preseason opener against Cleveland.
— Meyer held a fake QB competition between Trevor Lawrence, a generational prospect, and Gardner Minshew in training camp. Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke traded Minshew to Philadelphia, where he’s a backup to Jalen Hurts.
— The NFL Players Association launched an investigation after Meyer said vaccination status factored into the team’s roster decisions.
— He repeatedly mishandled running back James Robinson, allowing the team’s most consistent offensive player to get benched twice following fumbles and botched trying to explain why Robinson got pulled and how long he remained on the sideline.
All the drama became too much for Lawrence.
“I do think that has to change and that’s something that we need to work on for sure,” Lawrence said Wednesday. “You can’t always be in the headlines. You just got to go play football, and that’s where we’re trying to get, and I have no doubt we’ll get there.”
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Brian Bahr // Getty Images
The annual Heisman Trophy is the most coveted award in college football. First awarded to the best player in 1935, even casual football fans recognize the names of some Heisman Trophy winners, from current superstars like Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, and Jameis Winston to NFL retirees like Roger Staubach, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, and Barry Sanders.
But what about the busts? BestOdds looked at every winner of college football’s most prestigious award since 1950 who sought to play professional football and ranked them based on Approximate Value scores, which provides a statistic used for comparison between both offensive and defensive football players. Ties were broken by the number of professional games played by the winners throughout their careers.
The Bottom 15 includes quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers. Some left college early to reap NFL rewards—only to reap a fraction of their expected riches—and one didn’t play in the NFL until he was 27. Although too early to call, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, DeVonta Smith, may join the bottom ranks as well once the season ends. But none of these players fully lived up to their potential as Heisman Trophy winners once they reached the NFL.
Some were injured soon after college, but most simply didn’t perform as well as expected, or their coaches didn’t give them the opportunity to shine. They were heroes who became zeroes, at least in the eyes of their NFL teams’ fans. Almost all of these players pre-datebetting on college footballbut one can imagine their fandom had they not.
Brian Bahr // Getty Images
The annual Heisman Trophy is the most coveted award in college football. First awarded to the best player in 1935, even casual football fans recognize the names of some Heisman Trophy winners, from current superstars like Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, and Jameis Winston to NFL retirees like Roger Staubach, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, and Barry Sanders.
But what about the busts? BestOdds looked at every winner of college football’s most prestigious award since 1950 who sought to play professional football and ranked them based on Approximate Value scores, which provides a statistic used for comparison between both offensive and defensive football players. Ties were broken by the number of professional games played by the winners throughout their careers.
The Bottom 15 includes quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers. Some left college early to reap NFL rewards—only to reap a fraction of their expected riches—and one didn’t play in the NFL until he was 27. Although too early to call, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, DeVonta Smith, may join the bottom ranks as well once the season ends. But none of these players fully lived up to their potential as Heisman Trophy winners once they reached the NFL.
Some were injured soon after college, but most simply didn’t perform as well as expected, or their coaches didn’t give them the opportunity to shine. They were heroes who became zeroes, at least in the eyes of their NFL teams’ fans. Almost all of these players pre-datebetting on college footballbut one can imagine their fandom had they not.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 84
Howard “Hopalong” Cassady led Ohio State to a national title in 1954 and won his Heisman the following year as a combination running back/defensive back. Besides “hopping” for 2,466 yards for the Buckeyes, he never allowed a single reception on defense in four years. He spent eight years in the NFL, mostly for the Detroit Lions, as a little-used running back and receiver. He ran for 413 yards in his first season and caught 25 passes in his second, but his stats deteriorated until his retirement at 29.
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 84
Howard “Hopalong” Cassady led Ohio State to a national title in 1954 and won his Heisman the following year as a combination running back/defensive back. Besides “hopping” for 2,466 yards for the Buckeyes, he never allowed a single reception on defense in four years. He spent eight years in the NFL, mostly for the Detroit Lions, as a little-used running back and receiver. He ran for 413 yards in his first season and caught 25 passes in his second, but his stats deteriorated until his retirement at 29.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Andy Lyons // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 25
Danny Wuerffel was as brilliant as the Florida sun when, from 1993 through 1996, he threw for 10,875 yards and 114 touchdowns for the Florida Gators, leading them to a national title and earning the 1996 Heisman. But he played like a drowned gator in the NFL. He completed less than half of his passes in three years for the New Orleans Saints and passed for fewer career yards during his six-year NFL career than he did as a Florida freshman. Some mean-spirited NFL fans called him “Danny Awful.”
Andy Lyons // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 25
Danny Wuerffel was as brilliant as the Florida sun when, from 1993 through 1996, he threw for 10,875 yards and 114 touchdowns for the Florida Gators, leading them to a national title and earning the 1996 Heisman. But he played like a drowned gator in the NFL. He completed less than half of his passes in three years for the New Orleans Saints and passed for fewer career yards during his six-year NFL career than he did as a Florida freshman. Some mean-spirited NFL fans called him “Danny Awful.”
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 20
Troy Smith probably wouldn’t have won the 2006 Heisman if the honor was voted on after—rather than before—the NCAA National Championship. He played so poorly in that game that when his Ohio State teammates lost to Florida 41-14, that he was only drafted by the NFL in the fifth round. He lasted just four years in the NFL, mostly as a backup quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, and completed only eight career touchdown passes.
Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 20
Troy Smith probably wouldn’t have won the 2006 Heisman if the honor was voted on after—rather than before—the NCAA National Championship. He played so poorly in that game that when his Ohio State teammates lost to Florida 41-14, that he was only drafted by the NFL in the fifth round. He lasted just four years in the NFL, mostly as a backup quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, and completed only eight career touchdown passes.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
The Enthusiast Network // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 18
Terry Baker was ahead of his time. Long before the era of running quarterbacks, he earned the 1962 Heisman as a dual-threat quarterback/running back for Oregon State with 23 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns. He even led the Beavers to the Final Four as a point guard when he played basketball for Oregon State. But the Los Angeles Rams, even after making him the first overall pick in the draft, never took advantage of his versatility. As a quarterback backup and running back, he was used only sparingly, his NFL career lasting only three seasons.
The Enthusiast Network // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 6
- NFL games played: 18
Terry Baker was ahead of his time. Long before the era of running quarterbacks, he earned the 1962 Heisman as a dual-threat quarterback/running back for Oregon State with 23 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns. He even led the Beavers to the Final Four as a point guard when he played basketball for Oregon State. But the Los Angeles Rams, even after making him the first overall pick in the draft, never took advantage of his versatility. As a quarterback backup and running back, he was used only sparingly, his NFL career lasting only three seasons.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Joe Patronite // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 5
- NFL games played: 14
Andre Ware broke a major barrier as the first Black quarterback to win the Heisman in 1989 after throwing for major-college records of 44 touchdowns and 4,699 yards for the University of Houston in 1989. In all, he broke 26 NCAA records. But after the Detroit Lions picked him in the first round, they made him their third-string quarterback, so he started only six games in four years, laboring in the shadow of quarterback Rodney Peete and superstar running back Barry Sanders.
Joe Patronite // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 5
- NFL games played: 14
Andre Ware broke a major barrier as the first Black quarterback to win the Heisman in 1989 after throwing for major-college records of 44 touchdowns and 4,699 yards for the University of Houston in 1989. In all, he broke 26 NCAA records. But after the Detroit Lions picked him in the first round, they made him their third-string quarterback, so he started only six games in four years, laboring in the shadow of quarterback Rodney Peete and superstar running back Barry Sanders.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 4
- NFL games played: 17
Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman. In college, he was also a running back and returned seven punts for touchdowns. Altogether, the Nebraska star gained a then-NCAA record of 5,586 yards in three seasons. After winning the Heisman in 1972, he led the Cornhuskers to an Orange Bowl win over Notre Dame by scoring five touchdowns—three running, one receiving, one throwing. But after spending four seasons in the Canadian Football League, he played in only 17 NFL games for the San Diego Chargers as a kick returner before an injury ended his playing days.
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 4
- NFL games played: 17
Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman. In college, he was also a running back and returned seven punts for touchdowns. Altogether, the Nebraska star gained a then-NCAA record of 5,586 yards in three seasons. After winning the Heisman in 1972, he led the Cornhuskers to an Orange Bowl win over Notre Dame by scoring five touchdowns—three running, one receiving, one throwing. But after spending four seasons in the Canadian Football League, he played in only 17 NFL games for the San Diego Chargers as a kick returner before an injury ended his playing days.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Scott Halleran // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 4
- NFL games played: 14
Johnny Manziel earned the nickname “Johnny Football” during his 2012 Heisman season for Texas A&M. That year, he was the first freshman in NCAA history to pass for more than 3,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000—and the first freshman to win the Heisman. But after the Cleveland Browns made him a first-round draft pick, his performance both on and off the field was shaky; reports of heavy drinking, rude behavior and a sloppy work ethic were widespread. Ultimately, he left the NFL after just two seasons with the Browns, completing 147 passes in eight starts.
Scott Halleran // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 4
- NFL games played: 14
Johnny Manziel earned the nickname “Johnny Football” during his 2012 Heisman season for Texas A&M. That year, he was the first freshman in NCAA history to pass for more than 3,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000—and the first freshman to win the Heisman. But after the Cleveland Browns made him a first-round draft pick, his performance both on and off the field was shaky; reports of heavy drinking, rude behavior and a sloppy work ethic were widespread. Ultimately, he left the NFL after just two seasons with the Browns, completing 147 passes in eight starts.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 3
- NFL games played: 70
Alan “The Iron Horse” Ameche galloped 3,212 yards as a University of Wisconsin-Madison fullback while doubling up as a linebacker on defense, which inspired his nickname and earned him the 1954 Heisman. The cousin of actor Don Ameche, who won the 1986 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Cocoon,” made a splash at UW by starring in the 1953 Rose Bowl and then for the Baltimore Colts (now Indianapolis Colts) by scoring the winning touchdown in overtime in the 1958 NFL Championships, predecessor of the Super Bowl. But despite earning 1955 NFL Rookie of the Year honors and four Pro Bowl berths, his career was cut short by injury after only six NFL seasons.
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 3
- NFL games played: 70
Alan “The Iron Horse” Ameche galloped 3,212 yards as a University of Wisconsin-Madison fullback while doubling up as a linebacker on defense, which inspired his nickname and earned him the 1954 Heisman. The cousin of actor Don Ameche, who won the 1986 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Cocoon,” made a splash at UW by starring in the 1953 Rose Bowl and then for the Baltimore Colts (now Indianapolis Colts) by scoring the winning touchdown in overtime in the 1958 NFL Championships, predecessor of the Super Bowl. But despite earning 1955 NFL Rookie of the Year honors and four Pro Bowl berths, his career was cut short by injury after only six NFL seasons.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 3
- NFL games played: 30
Pat Sullivan was unstoppable for the Auburn Tigers, throwing for 6,284 yards to earn the 1971 Heisman. He was also named MVP of the 1971 Senior Bowl. But after the Atlanta Falcons took him in the second round, he was relegated to backup status, ultimately completing only 42.3% of his NFL passes in four years for Atlanta. His 16 career interceptions compared to only five touchdown passes, which contributed to an ugly 36.5 NFL career quarterback rating.
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 3
- NFL games played: 30
Pat Sullivan was unstoppable for the Auburn Tigers, throwing for 6,284 yards to earn the 1971 Heisman. He was also named MVP of the 1971 Senior Bowl. But after the Atlanta Falcons took him in the second round, he was relegated to backup status, ultimately completing only 42.3% of his NFL passes in four years for Atlanta. His 16 career interceptions compared to only five touchdown passes, which contributed to an ugly 36.5 NFL career quarterback rating.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 2
- NFL games played: 35
Joe Bellino did it all for Navy, running for 834 yards, catching 15 passes, throwing two touchdown passes and even averaging 46 yards as a punter. He also led the Midshipmen to the Orange Bowl. But after winning the Heisman in 1960, he was only drafted in the 19th round because of the Naval Academy requirement that graduates serve four years as officers. Finally entering professional football as a rusty 27-year-old, he played for the American Football League’s Boston Patriots. He was limited to 30 rushes for 64 yards in three years before exiting the league.
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 2
- NFL games played: 35
Joe Bellino did it all for Navy, running for 834 yards, catching 15 passes, throwing two touchdown passes and even averaging 46 yards as a punter. He also led the Midshipmen to the Orange Bowl. But after winning the Heisman in 1960, he was only drafted in the 19th round because of the Naval Academy requirement that graduates serve four years as officers. Finally entering professional football as a rusty 27-year-old, he played for the American Football League’s Boston Patriots. He was limited to 30 rushes for 64 yards in three years before exiting the league.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 1
- NFL games played: 24
John Huarte flipped the script for Notre Dame. Starting as quarterback only in his senior year, he helped turn a 2-7 team into a 9-1 national championship team that lost only one game, a 20-17 nail-biter, to University of Southern California. That netted him the 1964 Heisman. But his professional football career went nowhere as he played for six teams in 10 years in three different leagues—the American Football League, the National Football League and the World Football League—but only started one game for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and threw only 48 total passes.
Bettmann // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 1
- NFL games played: 24
John Huarte flipped the script for Notre Dame. Starting as quarterback only in his senior year, he helped turn a 2-7 team into a 9-1 national championship team that lost only one game, a 20-17 nail-biter, to University of Southern California. That netted him the 1964 Heisman. But his professional football career went nowhere as he played for six teams in 10 years in three different leagues—the American Football League, the National Football League and the World Football League—but only started one game for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and threw only 48 total passes.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Bob Peterson // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 0
- NFL games played: 5
Gary Beban is a prime example of Heisman voters getting it wrong. He was picked in 1967 after a solid season—1,359 passing yards—for the 7-2-1 UCLA Bruins. But he languished on the bench behind Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen during his two seasons for what's now known as the Washington Football Team, throwing only one pass in two years before leaving football behind. Side note: A running back who did go on to fame, and infamy, finished second to Beban in the Heisman voting, but O.J. Simpson did win it the next year.
Bob Peterson // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 0
- NFL games played: 5
Gary Beban is a prime example of Heisman voters getting it wrong. He was picked in 1967 after a solid season—1,359 passing yards—for the 7-2-1 UCLA Bruins. But he languished on the bench behind Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen during his two seasons for what's now known as the Washington Football Team, throwing only one pass in two years before leaving football behind. Side note: A running back who did go on to fame, and infamy, finished second to Beban in the Heisman voting, but O.J. Simpson did win it the next year.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
The Sporting News // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 0
- NFL games played: 2
Gino Torretta was the real deal at the University of Miami. His 7,690 passing yards helped lead the Hurricanes to two consecutive undefeated seasons that produced national titles in 1991 and a near-miss in his 1992 Heisman-winning year. Still, largely because his final collegiate game was a stinker—a 34-13, three-interception loss to Alabama—the Minnesota Vikings only drafted him in the seventh round. He later played in only one NFL contest, a 1996 Seattle Seahawks game when he threw for 41 yards and a touchdown.
The Sporting News // Getty Images
- Approximate Value score: 0
- NFL games played: 2
Gino Torretta was the real deal at the University of Miami. His 7,690 passing yards helped lead the Hurricanes to two consecutive undefeated seasons that produced national titles in 1991 and a near-miss in his 1992 Heisman-winning year. Still, largely because his final collegiate game was a stinker—a 34-13, three-interception loss to Alabama—the Minnesota Vikings only drafted him in the seventh round. He later played in only one NFL contest, a 1996 Seattle Seahawks game when he threw for 41 yards and a touchdown.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Elsa // Getty Images
- Never played in NFL
Eric Crouch showed he had mad skills while at the University of Nebraska, passing for 1,510 yards and rushing for 1,115 yards in 203 carries during his 2001 Heisman year. But the St. Louis Rams didn’t draft him in the third round to take over quarterback duties from Marc Bulger or Kurt Warner. Instead, he was brought in to be a wide receiver—but he was injured before ever playing in an NFL game. He did play for NFL Europe’s Hamburg Sea Devils, where he made 25 tackles as a safety in 2005, and then one season in Canada.
Elsa // Getty Images
- Never played in NFL
Eric Crouch showed he had mad skills while at the University of Nebraska, passing for 1,510 yards and rushing for 1,115 yards in 203 carries during his 2001 Heisman year. But the St. Louis Rams didn’t draft him in the third round to take over quarterback duties from Marc Bulger or Kurt Warner. Instead, he was brought in to be a wide receiver—but he was injured before ever playing in an NFL game. He did play for NFL Europe’s Hamburg Sea Devils, where he made 25 tackles as a safety in 2005, and then one season in Canada.
Bucs’ Antonio Brown accused of obtaining fake vaccine card
Jeff Gross // Getty Images
- Never played in NFL
Jason White isn’t the only Heisman Trophy winner to flop in the NFL, but he may be the poster child. He threw for 7,922 yards in four years at the University of Oklahoma, including 40 touchdown passes during his 2003 Heisman season. He earned more Heisman votes that year than Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning and future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald. But he played one additional year for the Sooners, which didn’t go as well, and no team drafted him. He never played a down in the NFL.
This story originally appeared on BestOdds and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Jeff Gross // Getty Images
- Never played in NFL
Jason White isn’t the only Heisman Trophy winner to flop in the NFL, but he may be the poster child. He threw for 7,922 yards in four years at the University of Oklahoma, including 40 touchdown passes during his 2003 Heisman season. He earned more Heisman votes that year than Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning and future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald. But he played one additional year for the Sooners, which didn’t go as well, and no team drafted him. He never played a down in the NFL.
This story originally appeared on BestOdds and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Jaguars fire Urban Meyer after 13 games, countless missteps
Phelan M. Ebenhack
FILE - Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer walks along the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. Urban Meyer's tumultuous NFL tenure ended after just 13 games — and two victories — when the Jacksonville Jaguars fired him early Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021 because of an accumulation of missteps. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
FILE - Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer walks along the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. Urban Meyer's tumultuous NFL tenure ended after just 13 games — and two victories — when the Jacksonville Jaguars fired him early Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021 because of an accumulation of missteps. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Brian Bahr // Getty Images