It still doesn’t feel quite real that Urban Meyer is an NFL coach, or that he’s back in Florida for his new career. Sure, it probably helped that he’s likely on a direct path to Trevor Lawrence, but no matter the reason, fans are excited about the hire.
Meyer’s not alone in his excitement. His wife, Shelley, recently spoke with WSYX ABC 6 about her husband’s jump to the professional realm of football, and while the offer and tools the Jags had on the table couldn’t be passed up, she added that there was another reason Urban decided to coach the Jags — and that was the desire for a challenge.
“I wasn’t shocked, although I never thought we’d be in the NFL,” Shelley said.
“He loved his FOX job, so great. It was not stressful, his team was awesome, but he had played golf for two years … and he wanted another challenge, that’s the way his mind works.”
With coaching being a part of his life for so long, it isn’t shocking that Urban’s itch returned after leaving Ohio State. Add in the fact that those around him, like Jags assistant head coach Charlie Strong, told him that he had “another run” left, and Meyer had several reasons to jump on Shad Khan’s offer.
Although Shelley wasn’t shocked that Urban wanted to return to coaching, she revealed that she didn’t know of his desire to return until December, right around the time talks between Khan and Urban got serious.
“I have to really think about that. It was in December, I really don’t know,” Shelley said about her knowledge of the situation. “He wants to go back and then there was talking that started between the two, Shad and Urban.”
Now, the Meyers are back in the state of Florida just as they were from 2005-10. For the first-year NFL coach, many challenges are ahead as college coaches like Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and others before him have seen. Despite that, it’s safe to say he’s been preparing for them long before now, and he’s got his mind set on conquering the NFL.