The 2021 season was the Jacksonville Jaguars' 27th season in the National Football League (NFL). This was their only season under head coach Urban Meyer and first under general manager Trent Baalke.
Jacksonville had the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, which they used to select Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars came into the season with a 15-game losing streak from the last season. The losing streak continued this season as the Jaguars started 0–5, before defeating the Miami Dolphins 23–20 in London. To date, the 2020–2021 Jaguars' 20-game losing streak is the third longest losing streak in NFL history, after the 1976–1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26) and 1942–1945 Chicago Cardinals (29).
The Jaguars finished 3–14, improving upon their 1–15 record from the previous season. However, they were eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth straight year, following a Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans. The Jaguars clinched the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, becoming the first team since the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 and 2018 Drafts to have the top pick in back-to-back years.
On December 16, after less than a year and following repeated scandals involving the team, Meyer was fired as head coach and replaced with Darrell Bevell for the remainder of the season.
Season summary The team was criticized by the media following repeated scandals involving the team, with head coach Urban Meyer the most caught up in multiple scandals. During the offseason, some of Meyer's staff hires and free agent signings received backlash. In February, former Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle, who had left that job due to allegations of racism and bullying players, was hired as the Jaguars' strength coach before fan backlash led to him resigning one day later. In addition, the signing of former Florida and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow as a tight end was criticized as a publicity grab, especially as Tebow had not played a down of football since the 2015 preseason and was eventually cut after the first preseason game. On July 1, 2021, the Jaguars were fined $200,000 and Meyer was fined $100,000 for OTA violations. The NFLPA then investigated the Jaguars after Meyer claimed that vaccination status was taken into account when deciding the roster cuts.
In October, a video surfaced appearing to show Meyer inappropriately touching a woman who was not his wife while he was at his Columbus-area restaurant, Urban Meyer's Pint House, following a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Jaguars owner Shahid Khan said that Meyer's behavior had been "inexcusable" and that Meyer "must regain our trust and respect". Meyer later apologized to the team and personnel.
Meyer was also criticized for benching running back James Robinson during losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. During the latter loss, Meyer claimed that Robinson's benching was "injury-related" and quarterback Trevor Lawrence had to request to put him back in.
The tension surrounding the team got worse in December 2021, when Jaguars players and coaches were critical of Meyer's treatment of them, to which the team officially responded with assertions of Meyer's job security. Meyer and wide receiver Marvin Jones got into a heated argument where Jones left the Jaguars facility. Jones returned to the facility when other staff members convinced him to come back, only to get into another argument with Meyer at practice. Jones would later deny getting into an argument with Meyer.
Meyer also reportedly called his assistant coaches "losers", said that he was a "winner", and challenged assistants to defend their resumes. Owner Shahid Khan met with players, members of the team's business department and coaches, including Meyer following the Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.
On December 15, 2021, former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo alleged that Meyer kicked him in the leg during a practice in the week before the Jaguars' final preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. According to Lambo, Meyer also shouted at him, "Hey dipshit, make your fucking kicks." (Lambo had missed a field goal in each of the previous two preseason games.) After Lambo told Meyer never to kick him again, Meyer responded, "I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the fuck I want." Later that day, Lambo reported the incident to his agent, who then reported it to the Jaguars team.
Urban Meyer was fired on December 16, 2021 finishing his tenure with the Jaguars with a 2–11 (.154) record. Darrell Bevell was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Prior to Meyer's dismissal, quarterback Trevor Lawrence criticized the drama affecting the team in a press conference, without naming Meyer.
During the final week of the season, numerous Jaguars fans attended the team's home game against the Indianapolis Colts dressed as clowns in protest of unpopular moves by team management and the Jaguars' overall struggles.
Offseason Free agents
Re-signed S Josh Jones RB Dare Ogunbowale TE James O'Shaughnessy C Tyler Shatley
Players lost WR Keelan Cole – Signed with the New York Jets WR Chris Conley – Signed with the Houston Texans QB Mike Glennon – Signed with the New York Giants CB Greg Mabin– Signed with the Tennessee Titans CB Rashaan Melvin –Signed with the Carolina Panthers TE Eric Saubert – Signed with the Denver Broncos
Players added QB C. J. Beathard – Signed from the San Francisco 49ers SS Rudy Ford – Signed from the Arizona Cardinals CB Shaquill Griffin – Signed from the Seattle Seahawks RB Carlos Hyde – Signed from the Seattle Seahawks WR Marvin Jones – Signed from the Detroit Lions TE Chris Manhertz – Signed from the Carolina Panthers WR Laquon Treadwell – Signed from the Atlanta Falcons DE Jihad Ward – Signed from the Baltimore Ravens
Trades QB Gardner Minshew – Traded to Philadelphia Eagles for a 2022 sixth-round pick TE Josh Oliver – Traded to Baltimore Ravens for a 2022 seventh-round pick LB Joe Schobert – Traded to Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2022 sixth-round pick CB Josiah Scott – Traded to Philadelphia Eagles for CB Jameson Houston and a 2023 sixth-round pick
NFL draft
2021 Jacksonville Jaguars draft Round Pick Player Position College Notes1 1 Trevor Lawrence QB Clemson 25 Travis Etienne RB From Rams 2 33 Tyson Campbell CB Georgia 45 Walker Little OT Stanford From Vikings 3 65 Andre Cisco S Syracuse 4 106 Jay Tufele DT USC 121 Jordan Smith DE UAB From Rams 5 145 Luke Farrell TE Ohio State 6 209 Jalen Camp WR Georgia Tech From Rams
Pre-draft trades The Los Angeles Rams traded their 2020 first-round selection (K'Lavon Chaisson) as well as their 2021 first (Travis Etienne) and fourth (Jordan Smith) round selections to Jacksonville in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Minnesota traded their second-round selection, along with a previously-conditional 2022 fifth-round selection, to Jacksonville in exchange for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. The fifth-round selection would have upgraded to the fourth round if Ngakoue had gone to the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2020 season, but he was not named, or the third round if the Vikings had won the Super Bowl, but they were eliminated from postseason contention. Cleveland traded a fifth-round selection to Jacksonville in exchange for safety Ronnie Harrison. Jacksonville traded a sixth-round selection to Tennessee in exchange for a seventh-round selection and linebacker Kamalei Correa. Jacksonville traded a seventh-round selection to New Orleans in exchange for defensive tackle Malcom Brown.
Draft day trades The Los Angeles Rams traded their fourth-round selection (#121 overall) and sixth-round selection (#209 overall) for the Jaguars' fourth, fifth, and seventh-round selections (#130, #170, and #249 overall).
Undrafted free agents Name Position College D. J. Daniel CB Georgia Josh Imatorbhebhe WR Illinois Tim Jones WR Southern Miss
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Jaguars' preseason opponents were announced on May 12.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Cleveland Browns L 13–23 0–1 TIAA Bank Field Recap 2 at New Orleans Saints L 21–23 0–2 Caesars Superdome Recap 3 August 29 at Dallas Cowboys W 34–14 1–2 AT&T Stadium Recap
Regular season Jacksonville’s schedule was announced on May 12. Ahead of the schedule release it was confirmed that the Jaguars would face the Houston Texans away to open the season and would host the Miami Dolphins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in week 6 on October 17. This was the Jaguars' eighth home game in London but their first at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 12 at Houston Texans L 21–37 0–1 NRG Stadium Recap 2 September 19 Denver Broncos L 13–23 0–2 TIAA Bank Field Recap3 September 26 Arizona Cardinals L 19–31 0–3 TIAA Bank Field Recap 4 at Cincinnati Bengals L 21–24 0–4 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 5 October 10 Tennessee Titans L 19–37 0–5 TIAA Bank Field Recap 6 October 17 Miami Dolphins W 23–20 1–5 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Recap 7 Bye 8 October 31 at Seattle Seahawks L 7–31 1–6 Lumen Field Recap 9 November 7 Buffalo Bills W 9–6 2–6 TIAA Bank Field Recap 10 November 14 at Indianapolis Colts L 17–23 2–7 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 11 November 21 San Francisco 49ers L 10–30 2–8 TIAA Bank Field Recap 12 November 28 Atlanta Falcons L 14–21 2–9 TIAA Bank Field Recap 13 December 5 at Los Angeles Rams L 7–37 2–10 SoFi Stadium Recap 14 December 12 at Tennessee Titans L 0–20 2–11 Nissan Stadium Recap 15 December 19 Houston Texans L 16–30 2–12 TIAA Bank Field Recap 16 December 26 at New York Jets L 21–26 2–13 MetLife Stadium Recap 17 January 2 at New England Patriots L 10–50 2–14 Gillette Stadium Recap 18 January 9 Indianapolis Colts W 26–11 3–14 TIAA Bank Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Houston Texans
Week 2: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 3: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Jamal Agnew tied the record for longest play in NFL history when he returned 68-yard field goal attempt 109 yards for a touchdown.
Week 4: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 5: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 6: vs. Miami Dolphins NFL London games
Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 9: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 10: at Indianapolis Colts
Week 11: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 12: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 13: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 14: at Tennessee Titans
Week 15: vs. Houston Texans
Week 16: at New York Jets
Week 17: at New England Patriots
Week 18: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Standings Division
Conference
See also 2007 Atlanta Falcons season and 2022 Denver Broncos season, whose respective head coaches, Bobby Petrino and Nathaniel Hackett, both also lasted less than one season for their teams. List of other NFL teams affected by internal conflict
References
External links