Urban Meyer refuted rumors of him potentially being interested in reclaiming his role as Ohio State head coach if the position opens up over the offseason, saying in a written statement released Thursday that he has “no interest” in returning to the sideline again.
“It has come to my attention that there are reports speculating my return to the sidelines in Columbus,” Meyer said in the statement, which was released on the official Twitter account for his “The Triple Option” podcast. “While I thoroughly enjoyed my seven seasons as head coach at The Ohio State University, I have no interest in coaching again. I will always be a Buckeye and have full confidence in Ryan Day, his staff and every player that puts on the Scarlet and Gray.”
Meyer’s statement comes just days after former ESPN sports anchor and current co-host of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show Jay Crawford said that he had talked to multiple people close to the university who believed Meyer would return to Ohio State if he was asked to, and that he “never wanted to leave Ohio State” when he retired in 2018 after leading the Buckeyes for the last seven seasons.
These claims now seem to be unfounded, as Meyer not only refuted Crawford’s report but has stated multiple times over the past several years that he has no plans to coach football again.
Meyer, who compiled an impressive 83-9 record in his seven seasons leading the Buckeyes (2012-18) that included a perfect 7-0 record against Michigan and a 2014 National Championship, last served as a head coach in 2021 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, a tumultuous stint that lasted just 13 games after Meyer led the Jaguars to just a 2-11 record.
Meyer now serves as an analyst for FOX Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff,” which frequently airs from Columbus, including for five of Ohio State’s last six games of the 2024 regular season. Meyer was on hand for the team’s 13-10 loss to Michigan on Saturday.
