Jacksonville Jaguars

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.

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired head coach Urban Meyer after less than a season ... ending a disastrous tenure plagued by losing and controversy.

The 57-year-old college coaching legend signed a lucrative 5-year contract with the team only months ago.

On the field, Meyer's squad looked flat-out bad ... starting the year 2-11. The worst record in the entire NFL.

He reportedly blamed everyone but himself for the incessant losing ... including assistant coaches and players.

But, play on the field might've actually been the highlight for Meyer ... 'cause off the field, he suffered through several controversies.

Back in October, after his team's 4th loss (in 4 games), the coach stayed in Ohio while his team flew back to Florida ... and was caught cozying up to women in a bar.

Meyers -- who is married -- apologized for his actions ... and reportedly, at the moment at least, got support from the front office and players.

However, the moment was incredibly embarrassing for the organization ... and Urban never really recovered.

In fact, earlier today ex-Jag Josh Lambo accused the coach of kicking him ... and bullying the kicker.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan, the man behind the decision, issued a statement on Meyer's firing to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

“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.”

He continued ... “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.”

Of course, Khan's referring to the Ohio bar incident.

Ex-Jacksonville Jaguar Josh Lambo says his time with Urban Meyer sucked ... claiming the head coach repeatedly bullied him and even got physical with him.

The team's former kicker made the allegations in a bombshell interview with the Tampa Bay Times -- saying Meyer not only was verbally abusive toward him during their time together, he also at one point kicked him.

Lambo says Meyer often called him "dips***" and "s***bag" ... and launched his boot into his leg during a practice back in August.

"I'm in a lunge position," Lambo said of the alleged physical incident with Meyer. "Left leg forward, right leg back ... Urban Meyer, while I'm in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, 'Hey dips***, make your f***ing kicks!' And kicks me in the leg."

While Lambo says Meyer could have kicked him harder ... he said the boot still hurt.

"It certainly wasn't as hard as he could've done it, but it certainly wasn't a love tap," Lambo said. "Truthfully, I'd register it as a five [out of 10]."

Lambo said he told the coach to never do that again while on the field ... and when he later brought it up to Meyer inside the team's facility, he claims the 57-year-old got aggressive.

"'If you ever speak to me like that again, you'll be out of here,'" Lambo said Meyer told him. "'You're the first player I've ever let speak to me that way in my career, and if you do it again, you're gone.'"

Lambo said he brought up the issue with his agent, who reported it to the Jaguars' legal counsel. The team says it made the counsel available to Lambo, but the kicker told the Times he has "no recollection of being able to speak with the Jags' legal team."

Lambo was eventually cut by Meyer in September.

For Meyer's part, the coach told the Times the kicking incident did not happen the way Lambo says it did ... saying, "Josh's characterization of me and this incident is completely inaccurate, and there are eyewitnesses to refute his account."

"I was fully supportive of Josh during his time with the team," Meyer added, "and wish him nothing but the best."

Tim Tebow appeared to be on the verge of tears when addressing the Urban Meyer bar scandal ... saying he's praying for his friend and former coach's family during the "heartbreaking" situation.

The Heisman Trophy winner -- who played for Meyer at Florida from 2006-09 and briefly with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season -- addressed the incident on ESPN's "First Take" on Friday ... and it's clear he's distressed about it all.

Tebow says he gave advice to Urban in the days following the "very difficult week" ... suggesting he apologize, learn from and never repeat his actions.

"I know this is weighed so heavy on his heart and he is hurting," Tebow said.

"This is not something that I think anybody in his family takes slightly. This is a very serious situation, it's a very disappointing situation but I also know that coach isn't taking it lightly."

Tebow believes football can be a good outlet for Meyer to move past the situation and build up his reputation again ... adding it could help him escape the media "circus" that has been going on.

"I agree for some people they would need to take a timeout in a situation like this," he added.

"But for him, he just loves the game so much that he might be able to pour in a little bit into the game, into his team, into his coaching staff and at the same time, spend a lot of time with his family."

Tebow says Urban will work endlessly to earn his family's trust back and mend their relationship.

"I really believe at the bottom of my heart that coach loves Miss Shelley and his family so, so much and I've seen that for years and years and years. I think that this was a moment where he put himself in the wrong place and he was in the wrong state of mind and he had too much to drink and that led to bad decisions."

Urban has spoken publicly and behind closed doors with his team over the past week ... calling his actions "stupid."

Urban Meyer is still doing damage control -- the Jacksonville Jaguars coach addressed his controversial bar appearance in a full team meeting on Wednesday, where he reportedly showed "remorse and responsibility."

Meyer is on the hottest of seats after video surfaced of the coach cozying up with a young woman -- not his wife -- at an Ohio bar last weekend ... with Jaguars owner Shad Khan calling his actions straight-up "inexcusable."

The 0-4 coach reportedly brought up the whole crap storm in front of the entire team again just minutes ago ... where he said he only cares about two things -- his family and his players -- and he let both down.

"I embarrassed them both," coach said, according to NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala.

No word on how the players and staff reacted to Urban's mea culpa, but reports claimed players didn't take his previous apologies too seriously earlier this week ... cracking up and laughing once Meyer left the locker room.

There are rumblings the distraction may not be worth it to a winless team looking to get its bearings ... but as of right now, Meyer's still the guy in Jacksonville.

Coach is set to meet with local reporters on Wednesday ... and we expect them to throw down the gauntlet.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan is clearly furious with Urban Meyer for his bar antics over the weekend ... calling the head coach's actions "inexcusable."

Just 1 day after Meyer apologized after video surfaced of him dancing with a woman -- who wasn't his wife -- Khan laid into the team's headman, essentially saying the coach is now on thin ice.

"What I will say is his conduct last weekend was inexcusable," Khan said, adding he did have a meeting with Meyer over it all.

"I appreciate Urban's remorse, which I believe is sincere. Now, he must regain our trust and respect."

Footage captured a blonde woman grinding on Meyer at an Ohio bar over the weekend ... and Meyer told reporters Monday he was sorry for it all.

In his talk with media members, the 57-year-old said he was "stupid" to put himself in that situation.

"I should not have myself in that kind of position," said Meyer, who's been married to his wife, Shelley, since 1986.

Khan added in his statement Tuesday he's "confident" Meyer will now learn and rebound from the situation.

"Our hearts are broken. Judy has been everything to our family."

That's Tom Coughlin -- 2x Super Bowl-winning head coach -- revealing the tremendous pain his family felt since his wife of 53 years, Judy Coughlin, was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy in 2020.

The 74-year-old coach announced the devastating news on Monday, authoring a guest essay for the NY Times, detailing his year-long struggle as primary caregiver for his wife.

FYI, the Mayo Clinic defines PSP as an "uncommon brain disorder that causes serious problems with walking, balance and eye movements, and later with swallowing. The disorder results from deterioration of cells in areas of your brain that control body movement, coordination, thinking and other important functions."

Coughlin -- who twice beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in the Super Bowl as Giants HC -- says it took doctors years to diagnose the disease that was "slowly taking [Judy] away from us."

Since IDing the disorder, Tom says life has been incredibly difficult for his family.

"For the past four years, we've helplessly watched her go from a gracious woman with a gift of conversation, hugging all the people she met and making them feel they were the most important person in the room, to losing all ability to speak and move," Coughlin wrote.

TC says Judy -- who used to be an active, outgoing person -- now spends most days watching television at home.

"She used to enjoy planning family get-togethers, going for morning walks and caring for her rosebushes; however, those activities are just distant memories. Her days are now filled with lying in bed, watching the Hallmark Channel, sitting in a wheelchair in the sun and receiving round-the-clock care."

"And what's worse, she is trapped inside a body that will not allow her to be the person she was."

Coughlin -- who parted ways with the Jacksonville Jaguars (EVP, Football Operations) in 2019 -- says he's become his wife's main caretaker ... and the switch in roles has been a difficult transition.

"Judy's decline has been nothing but gut-wrenching and has placed me in the club with tens of millions of other Americans who serve as primary caregiver for a loved one. Admittedly, transitioning from being with an NFL franchise to full-time caregiver wasn't easy."

Tebow time in Jacksonville is officially over ... the Jaguars have just cut Tim Tebow.

The former Heisman Trophy winner announced the move himself Tuesday morning ... saying in a statement he was "grateful for the chance" the Jaguars gave him by signing him in the spring.

"Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks," Tebow said. "I've never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I'm grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream."

Tebow added, "Thank you the @Jaguars organization and everyone who has supported me in this journey."

The Jags inked Tebow to a 1-year contract back in May ... giving him the opportunity to switch from quarterback to tight end.

And, initially, things looked to be going well for the 34-year-old ... he looked jacked and was clearly a crowd favorite at training camp practices.

In fact, Tebow had a few highlight moments during workouts over the past few weeks ... even catching a touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence!

But, Tebow appeared to struggle during his first and only preseason game with Jacksonville ...  missing some key blocks.

It's unclear if Tebow will latch on with another team before the season starts next month ... or if we've officially seen the last of Tim on an NFL field.

Tim Tebow will not stop ballin' at Jags camp ... here's the Jacksonville tight end catching a TD pass from the team's new superstar QB, Trevor Lawrence!!!

Yup, you know what this means ... Tebow might actually make the team!!!!!!!

Tim has been flashing during his first training camp workouts with the Jaguars this month ... he's shown off good hands, a jacked frame, AND he's already a crowd favorite.

But, as far as we know, this was Lawrence's first TD connection with the former Heisman Trophy winner ... and it's got us all now wondering, is this a glimpse into the Jaguars' future???

The play was pretty sweet ... Lawrence rolled out to his left in a team red-zone drill and found Tebow dragging across the back of the endzone for a score.

No celebration from Tim -- just a low-five with his teammate -- but the fans sure gave him applause for the grab.

Of course, Tim has been considered a long shot to make Jacksonville's opening day roster ... but quickly developing chemistry with Lawrence could change all of that.

Tebowmania has officially arrived in Jacksonville!!!

Tim Tebow practiced for the first time in front of Jaguars fans Thursday -- and it's clear as day, he's already a crowd favorite!!!

Check out how the new tight end was received as he walked onto the field -- fans cheered, hooted, hollered and even yelled out his name!!

And then, Tebow went out and kind of put on a show for them!!

The former NFL quarterback -- who looks JACKED -- caught several passes during Thursday's workout ... and got in some special teams and blocking work too.

Of course, Tebow's been considered a longshot to make Jacksonville's opening day roster ... given that he's never played the tight end position professionally, and has been out of football for years.

But, if Thursday's practice is any indication, Tebow certainly looks like he belongs ... showing off a huge frame and obvious athleticism.

Plus, it ain't like the Jags tight end room is completely loaded with talent this season.

Darren Waller says if Tim Tebow wants his advice on the tight end position ... he'd gladly give it -- telling TMZ Sports he's down to be a mentor of sorts for the new Jaguar!

"If he thinks he can learn from me," Waller said of Tebow, "then I'd love to help him and help make his transition smoother."

The Las Vegas Raiders superstar definitely knows a thing or two about what Tebow is going through ... you'll recall, Darren actually started his NFL career as a wide receiver before making the switch to TE.

And, while even Waller admits that's a far easier task than changing from QB to TE, he says he can still relate to Tim and help him out.

"I tried to find any information I could from watching guys play or asking people when I moved," Waller says. "So, I'd love to continue to pass that on and help him be a better player."

Even if Tim doesn't reach out ... Waller tells us he's pretty confident the 33-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner can succeed -- even despite his long football layoff.

"Football is in his blood," Waller says. "So, I feel like he'll find a way. He'll find a way. He's physical, he's athletic. So, I wish him nothing but the best going forward."

As for Tebow's first few months in the role ... Jacksonville head coach Urban Meyer recently said Tim's done a "decent job" adjusting so far.

Colts star tight end Mo Alie-Cox says the blueprint for Tim Tebow's success at his new position is simple ... telling TMZ Sports all the new Jaguar has to do is just be open to learning.

"The tight end position, you have to learn how to block," Alie-Cox said.

"You have to catch passes. The protection -- the little things like that. So, it's a lot that goes into it. It's a lot of mental."

Alie-Cox, though, says he's pretty sure Tim's going to be just fine ... despite never playing the position and despite being out of the NFL for nearly a decade.

"He hasn't played the position but I mean, he's a hard worker," Alie-Cox said. "You can't put anything past Tim Tebow."

Alie-Cox added, "I think he's got it."

Reports out of Jaguars practices so far seem to indicate Tim's doing well in the transition ... but when we asked Alie-Cox if there was any shot Tebow ends the season with more catches than him, Mo said no way.

Tim Tebow's got plenty of doubters these days ... but Trevor Lawrence ain't one of them -- the new Jaguars superstar QB just raved over TT, saying the dude looks "great!"

Lawrence was asked this week about the 33-year-old who's trying to earn a spot on Jacksonville's roster after nearly a decade away from the game, and Trevor admitted he's impressed with what he's seen from Tebow so far.

"He looks good -- he looks great," Lawrence told the AP Pro Football Podcast.

"You can tell, he's just a guy that you want to be around. Character is awesome. Just had a few conversations with him and I can already tell. And, then just a hard worker. No one is going to work harder than him."

Lawrence continued, "Those are the kind of guys you want in your locker room and that you want to be around every day. And then I'm excited to see what he can do on the field as well. We got in a few days and he looks great. He's in awesome shape."

Jacksonville just inked Tim to a 1-year contract earlier this month ... and, with the former Heisman Trophy winner not having played a meaningful down since the 2012 season, many are skeptical this will all work out.

In fact, Charles Barkley said earlier this week he thinks it'll be "impossible" for Tim to transition from quarterback to tight end after so many years away from the game.

Lawrence, though, is clearly a believer ... adding on the podcast, "I was excited to meet him."

"When it was official, I saw him in the locker room and had a few good conversations and I really like him."

Tim Tebow's gonna need a miracle to make it in his NFL comeback ... so says Charles Barkley, who thinks it'll be "impossible" for the former quarterback to switch to tight end.

Chuck gave his honest opinion about the 33-year-old signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars with "Waddle and Silvy" on ESPN Chicago this week ... saying he likes Tebow as a person, but has serious doubts about his chances at making a real impact on the field.

"I think it's going to be very difficult for him to just pick up football, another position," Barkley said.

"Tim's such a good dude, but you know, a lot of people don't like Tim because his religion. He wears it on his sleeve. I don't care about that. I like the kid, but I don't think he can just come pick up another position."

Of course, Barkley has been outspoken about his hatred for the media frenzy that always surrounds the former Heisman winner -- he once admitted to being "Tebowed out" -- but regardless, the Hall of Famer thinks this is just too big of a challenge for Tebow.

"I think he'll just be disrespectful to jocks saying, 'Oh I haven't played football, but I can come and be a pro at it.' I just think that's impossible, personally," he said.

"Michael Jordan tried, he tried to play baseball. You can't just go play a pro sport."

IT'S TEBOW TIME IN JACKSONVILLE!!!

Tim Tebow has formally signed his 1-year contract with the Jaguars to begin his journey as an NFL tight end -- and is expected to work out with the team STARTING TODAY!!

33-year-old Tebow -- who hasn't worked out with an NFL team since a brief stint with Eagles in 2015 -- says he's ready to compete for a roster spot.

"I want to thank the Jaguars for the opportunity to compete and earn the chance to be part of this team," Tebow said Thursday morning.

"I know it will be a challenge, but it is a challenge I embrace."

He added, "I am dedicated to taking the direction of our coaching staff and learning from my teammates. I appreciate everyone's support as I embark on this new journey."

Tebow will rock #85 on his jersey for Thursday's practice -- though NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says the number could change if he makes the roster.

Tebow is facing a steep uphill battle to make the roster considering he was drafted as QB back in 2010 ... and spent the past 5 years playing minor league baseball for the NY Mets organization.

Will he be able to make an impact? NFL tight end Marcedes Lewis told us he thinks Tebow has a legitimate shot.

Urban Meyer says Tim Tebow looked SO good during his recent tryout with the Jaguars, his staff told him the former Heisman Trophy winner "looks like he's 18 years old!!"

The new Jacksonville headman revealed the inside info to Cris Collinsworth this week ... saying Tim absolutely blew the doors off of his recent workouts with Meyer's assistants.

"He was in the best shape of his life and asked to see if he could work out with a couple of our coaches," Meyer said of Tebow.

"I wasn't even there. And they came back to me and said, 'Wow, this guy's in incredible shape.'"

Meyer says his staff actually worked out Tebow multiple times in recent weeks ... and afterward, each time, they could not stop complimenting the ex-quarterback.

"They come in and they said, 'Wow. You know, this guy's ball skills,'" Meyer said. "'He's a great athlete. He looks like he's 18 years old, not whatever he is, 33.'"

Urban says the team has still NOT yet made a decision on whether they'll sign him to a deal ... though reading the tea leaves here sure makes it seem like Tim's reported 1-year contract will be official sooner rather than later.

"I said, 'Guys, you don't understand,'" Urban said. "'Now this guy is -- he's the most competitive maniac you're ever going to talk to. And let's give it a shot.'"